The Mankato free press., 1923-12-21
FEDERAL AID GIVEN
$500 MILES ROAD
This Was Record For Year
Drawing To Close
HELPED BY DOLLARS
Number Of Highways Are Under
Construction With the Govern
ment Assisting

twenty miles Of roads Of all types
were completed with federal aid
during the fiscal year which ended
June 80, 1923, according to the an
nual report of Thomas M. Mac
Donald. chief Of the bureau Of pub
lie roads Just published. This added
to mileage completed prior to the
fiscal year, brought the total Of com
pleted' projects UP to 1856 miles
or more than enough to encircle the
earth.
The projects under construction
AZ the close of the year amounted
to 14,772 miles and were estimated
as IS per cent complete. In addi-
tion to the 1856 miles completed
and the 14,772 miles under construc-
ton, there were at the close or the
year q number Of projects approved
but not yet placed under construc-
ton, and aggregate length OF which
was 6,917 miles. -. .
An outstanding achievement OF
the year has been the work done IN
selecting the roads to constitute the
federal aid highway system. This
has been done in accordance with
the provisions OF the federal high
way dCS W114Ch 4O0oA4Oo SAAS - 49,
tenn of roads consisting Of not more
than seven per cent OF the total
rural mileage In each state be desig-
mated and that all federal aid be
spent on such a system. The total
mileage Of rural roads In the United
States, as certified by the various
States, is 2,S59,575 miles which will
limit the federalsald highway sys.:
tenn to 200.170 miles. At the end OF
the fiscal year thirty five state sys.
TENS comprising 1859 miles had
been approved by the secretary OF
Agriculture and It was not thought
exceed 10000 miles.
Many towns on System
Analysis Of the approved system
Tor thirty five States shows that OF
the LII cities Of 5000 or more
population In these states 1,048 lie
directly on the system and there Is
probably not one but will be con-
nscted with the system by an i'm
proved road.
A detailed study Of the system IN
dicates that 1t is safe to say that
90 per cent of the total population
lives within ten miles OF some route
on the system. In designating the
routes to be included in the Fed.
the states and the federal agency
has been to select routes which win
give the maximum OF local service
and connect With one another to
form a great national system OF
highways. :,
The bureau is charged with the
construction OF roads for the pro-
lection and utilization Of our nation
al forests. 1t is reported that lSI
miles Of forest road were completed
at a cost Of $1,737.000, bringing the
total mileage completed to l,536
miles. AT the close Of the fiscal
year s32 miles were under conssrnc. c.
tion and surveys were In progress
for Lola miles In sixty 1.-TWO pro,
ON account Of the large areas Of
forest land in some OF the western
states. the development Of a sys:
tenn OF main, highways that will
properly serve the state and local
communities has made 1t necessary
that the forest highways and the
Federal -afd highways be properly
coordinated and they viii finally
: form one continuous system OF roads.
! In the field Of highway economies
important Investigations have been
conducted and are still being carried
y ua
way as a factor In the transports
tion OF people and goods has brought
forth problems to be solved IL the
! use and development Of the high
ways is to be along the most econo-
mic lines, Observations have been
! made In Connecticut to determine
the character and amount OF COM
modfties hauled by highway, the
method OF hauling and length or
haul for commodities moving over
the roads Of the state.
i, Tons Of Commodities
4 II estimated that 1,019,6S8 net
ported over the Connecticut high.
way system during the three months
period beginning September 1922.
A large part OF this movement was
distinctly q service that could be
rendered only by improved highways
as more than third Of the tonnage
moved from 1 to nine miles and
nearly another third from ten to
twenty nine miles.
In recent years there has been
much discussion as to methods OF
highway financing. In some quar-
ters there has been expressed feel.
ing that the distribution Of the cost
to property owners and motor
vehicle operators has not been
equitably adjusted. To ascertain the
facts, the bureau has undertaken to
make a thorough study Of the
sources OF highway revenue. Atten-
tion has first been given to county
and local road funds, four counties
Wisconsin selected for study.
Among the significant findings
some Of which are at variance wit
opinions widely held are the follow
One. The major portion or
the total highway funds are
q raised by township and county
units rather than by the state.
Two. Real property taxation
produces 81 per cent Of the high
way revenue derived from these
counties.
Three. Vehicle license fees
produce nine per cent OF the
total funds raised in the coun-
ties.
real property taxation can only
be made by reduction Of county
and local taxes. ..
Much progress has been made
during the year In researches to
supply data for use in the design
o. roads. Sections OF bituminous
read have been tested under truck
traffic to determine the cause Of the
familiar "washboard" wrinkles which
sometimes appear in bituminous
surfaces A great many road slabs