Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-08
matters Of routine business transact
ed.
TELL WHY CHANGE
WAS MADE IN TYPE
ROAD CONSTRUCTION

UhO VIHO6 IN I'LL
ROAD CONSTRUCTION
A few days after the new state
government was inaugurated Cover
nor Baxter requested the State high
way commission to prepare list OF
road projects for the year 1928, and
impressed upon the commission the
need Of taking early action, SO that
work could be started as soon as the
road building season opened. says a
statement issued from the executive
department Wednesday.
On Feb. Z. the commissioners sent
to the council list Of all federal aid
projects, 16. in number, and a list of
State Aid projects, II in number.
continues the statement.
Sometimes in the past it has been
customary for the Council to approve
the porjects submitted without any
detailed investigation. The present
Councillors. however, desire to look
into the proposed projects and UNI
derStand them after receiving the list
Of projects.
The councillor road committee after
receiving the list of projects went to
the commission to secure their de-
tailed specifications, but the COM
mission had not fully prepared them
and some time was required to pre-
pare the figures. On February IS,
three weeks after the projects had
been submitted to them, the Coun-
cilorS gave their approval with GER
tain changes.
The original list of state Highway
projects furnished by the commits
sion comprised eight sections of
gravel road, totalling 2l.69 miles, 10
cost $416.S09.2S or $19,216 per mile,
and seven sections of bituminous
macatlam road, totalling $50 miles
to cost $937,21S or $32.3O7 per mile.
The list also included one concrete
top road of 2.2i miles to cost $50
$3.50
The Governor and several of the
Councillors are Of the opinion that the
State of Maine cannot afford TO
spend such large sums of money ON
bituminOuS and concrete roads as
have been spent in the past. They
1 favor n high grade type of gravel
road and consequently have amended
the highway commissions list of pro-
jCctS by SuhStitutin" seven sections
OF gravel road for the seven of BIZ
luminous maCudam. This effects a
saving of S300,2SI.6o ON $50 miles of
read. IN other words a saving of
$l3.o9l per mile is made by the Coun-
cilors' action, which means a saving
| of 80 per cent. on the cost of the
bituminous macadam roads.
Thus 15.G2 more miles Of gravel
road Will be built than was contem-
/ plated by the building of those of
( bituminous macada,n, or an increase
! il, mileage OF II 4-I0 per cent.
! The Governor and Council realize
the great extent of mileage in the
! State and appreciate the fact that it
Will tax" many years to complete the
State highway program.
The total cost of the Federal Aid
| and State Aid projects submitted to
/ the Governor and Council amounted
/ to Sl.735, 0G4.3s. which total sum was
/ To construct &o.S6 miles Of first and
| second class ru;lds. From the point
/ OF view OF the Governor and the
I Councillors present at the last meet
Ing and many citizens Il delay Of
/ three weeks from February 9Th 10
! February 2Hth would not seem UNI
/ reasonable IN View Of the fact that
/ the Councillors waited to set first
/ hand information on this large .X-
I penditurc of money and also in view
4 OF the fact that the highway commits
! sion WIS not prepared to Immediate
! ly furnish all the necessary figures.
Governor Baxter is impressed more
than ever with the need of a more
simple form of highway accounting
SO that the people can understand
the highway commissions figures.
This is not any reflection upon the
commission, for the present system is
the growth of 10 wears during which