The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-07
NE w COMMISSION
 TO HOLD INITIAL SESSION MONDAY
Three Member Highway Body Expected To Formulate
 Construction Policies
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU l
 THE AGE-HERALD ! Montgomery. Ala. Oct, 6

Montgomery, Ala, Oct.
 The new three member state high way commission of Alabama will hold it's first meeting at the highway of fees here beginning Monday, and Is expected to devote considerable time to formulating plans and policies for the construction of highways of the state. Figures furnished today from the state highway department show that the recently abolished commis- sion of 12 members had made a con siderab ble beginning In the matter of road and bridge construction in Ala bama, having constructed or placed under construction more than 1,2oo miles of road and 24,000 feet of bridges, at total cost In excess of s17ooO,OOO.
 The figures show the status of federal aid projects in Alabama as of October 1, 1923, as follows:
 Federal Aid Projects.
 Completed 60147 miles of road and 7.61S lineal feet of bridges, at a cost Of S6,529, 927.37. Under construction 63S.1 miles of road, 16,794 lineal feet of bridges, to cost s10,660. .784.9S. These figures represent total cost of the various projects including fed oral aid, and also roads built before the issuance of the s25,000,000 bond issue.
 It is expected that the securing of first projects for counties which have so far had none will come up for consi iteration before the commission. Governor Brandon has indicated that he favors looking after the interests of the counties which have not re- ceived a project. It is said that Bald win, Hale, Fayette, Randolph, Chil- ton, Autauga, Greene and Lowndes counties have not had a project since t2e $25,0OQ,000 bond issue started oad building in Alabama on the present extensive scale, though some Of these counties had received state aid in nrevious years.
 surveys In All Counties.
 Jefferson has had only the bridge over the Cahaba partly in the county. Surveys have been made in all coun- ties is stated, and in some work Is to be let soon. Bids have been ad- vertised for for the Reeses Ferry bridge, partly an Autauga county project, TOT the section of the Selma Lowndes county. and it is said the plans for the Birmingham Mont gomery highway through Chiffon county are nearly completed.
 The matter of additional federal aid appropriation will be an impor tant factor in governing the course of the "ew highway commission. All federal aid now available is already taken up, it is said, either through contracts actually let or through project state ments presented to the federal gov ernment for specific projects. The II match the state funds with federal money and it is expected that this policy will be continued, though 1t may affect the rate of road build ing.
 The last Congress provided in the budget for a $75,o00,OOO appropria- tion for federal aid to the various states for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1924.
 Appropriation Is Necessary.
 The next Congress must formally appropriate this amount before it be- comes available. Alabama's share of the stotal is approximately PIP per cent, or approximately $l l,600,000 ot the $75,Ooo,0o0, which it is expected will be availa ble July. 1924 Federal funds allotted to Alabama to July l, 1924, already are taken up and no provision whatever has been made for federal aid to the states after the fiscal year 192425.
 w. $. Keller, state highway engi- neer of Alabama, also is chairman of the executive committee of the Amer ican Association of State Hi ighway Of- ficials. an organization which in the past has eXerted an important influ- ence in the matter of federal aid Legislation. MT. Keller stated today that a meeting will be held in New Orleans the first week in December at which time the American Associa- tion of State Highway Officials will take definite steps to present to the Congress which meets i'll December is views and wishes as to federal aid program. Every effort will be used to obtain federal approprla- tions over a five-year period at the rate of $l00,00O.000 a year, MT. Keller stated Such action would give Ala bama more than $2,000,0oO in federal aid per annum.
 Other Steps Are Probable.
 Among matters which may be ex- 'pscted to be passed on by the new commission is whether or not certain counties shall have assessed against their pro rata share of state high way money the total cost of trunk projects 'traversing them. The new highway act guarantees each county d minimum of s300,000 of state funds to be expended therein. The point was made before the old commission that in such cases as for example the high type and consequently high priced paved road being built through Shelby county on the Birmingham- Montgomery highway to satisfy through traffic. the entire cost or the section of the road should not be assessed against Shelby's share cause that county happens to be be- tween Birmingham and Montgomery. X similar point has been made reia- tive to the ReeSe's Ferry bridge over the Alabama, on the Birmingham Montgomery highway. one end or which will be in Montgomery county and the other at or near the bound ary of Fillmore and Autauga
 Bids will be opened at the state highway department Tuesday on road in Clay county between Line ville and the Cleburne county line, and it is expected that this project will be formally awarded at the ses- sion of the new commission, which