The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-02-09
SHOWS STATE RANK
FOR GOOD ROADS.
MINNESOTA FUNDS FAR BELOW
AVERAGE-BUT SHOWINGS
OTHERWISE ARE
FAVORABLE.

Minnesota has less money avail
able today for highway improve
ments than other states, except
Rhode Island, Delaware, Maine and
New Hampshire. 1t is stretching it's
highway funds over longer mileages
than other states. It's highway
maintenance costs, on general
average, also highway construction
superintendent expense, and those
of surveys and plans are below
those of other states.
Findings above are from a new
bulletin issued by the United States
bureau of public roads. The Off
cial information is rated Of special
Importance inasmuch as the state
legislature is to determine soon the
place Minnesota will take in the fut-
ure among good roads states.
Minnesota Funds at Low Ebb.
Minnesota has positively assured
now barely enough funds to meet
the $3.50 requirements of the fed
eral highway aid law. Only four
of the states-the smallest in area
have less available money for
new road betterns,nts.
But the others, she bulletin shows,
are fixed financially to carry on bet
ter roads programs. Texas leads
the list with $13,919,134 ready now
to meet federal aid and speed it's
highway program; New York is next
with $12,723,542; then Missouri
with $9,61o,0o0. and Illinois with
$7,950,000.
The showing is that Minnesota
will be unable to hold it's place
among leaders for good roads with
out arranging to put its present
funds to the most advantageous use.
Dollar Goes Far Here.
Highway funds are made to go
farthest in Minnesota, the bulletin
shows, this state spreading federal
aid over longer mileages of i'm
provements than others. Better
ments reaching over 1,O26 miles of
highways in Minnesota were made
with $1,850,000 of federal aid and
like amount of state funds. Iowa
used $3,530,000 Of aid on 1,465
miles; Tennessee $5,615,038 on 1877;
Texas $4,150,335 on TAO; Missis-
sippi $4,167,144 on $50; Pennsyl-
vania $3,365,00O on 1853; North
Carolina 100000 on 800; Vir-
ginia $2,077,590 on 248 and so
forth. Minnesota is not only spend
ing less money per mile, according
to this tabulation, but is not ex-
tending its good roads mileages as
rapidly as other states.
Maintenance Costs Covered.
Minnesota is using for mainten-
ance averages of $181 a mile on
earth roads, $500 on gravel surfac-
ing and $127 on paving. Other
state averages are $685. on earth,
$500 on gravel and 234 on paved |
roads. Higher upkeep cost on Min
nesota gravel roads than the gen.
eral average for the United States |
is held due to the heavy traffic on
many gravel-surfaced parts of the
state highway system. Such gravel
surfacing with maintenance runs
over $4,000 a mile in some in
stances according to official figures,
while paving affording more salts
factory service would require less
than half that outlay construction
cost included.
Maintenance expenditures in ex-
cess OF $500 a mile are held waste
full by the road engineers of the
various states, the bulletin shows.
Several point out that in less than |
fifteen years the savings possible
on maintenance and gasoline con-
sumption will pay the whole cost
and interest on paving where the
road carries more than 1900 veh-
icles daily.
Minnesota Superintendence Low.
Where the average for 81 states
is ABB per cent, Minnesota spends
AT per cent of its highway con-
struction funds for engineering, in
spection and like items of expense.
Surveys and plans cost an average
OF $3.50 a mile in the average state
and $185 in Minnesota. In this
state surveys average $125 a mile
and plans $50 mile compared with
$3.50 and 500 average in nine
states giving the items separately.
The purpose of the information
gathered by the federal bureau of
public, roads was to furnish a guide
Tor the various states in determin-
ing reasonable allowances for vari-
ous items and much technical data
is attached.