The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-14
NORTH cARoLINA,s HIGHWAYS

|
| Laundering in the throes of misconception
as to the statewide responsibility imposed
upon it and wanders in a maze of misun-
derstanding of the immense value of a bal
anced system of connecting highways, it is
refreshing to turn to the contemplation Of
by an intelligent commission aided by the
counsel of engineers of capacity and vision
There every county-seat and important town
is served by excellent highway connection
with every other part Of the state. The
state highway authorities laid out a definite
system of interlocking highways and then,
with admirable administrative ability, rigid
adherence to accepted engineering principles,
consideration of the wider rather than the
strictly local benefit, and energetic con-
struction methods brooking no unnecessary
delays, minted its program into the ma
terial reality of adequate roads adequately
maintained Where the main highways have
not yet been paved, there is nevertheless
smooth surfacing and proper upkeep, with
the purpose Of completing the paving of all
main thoroughfares as rapidly as funds be-
come available. As the people perceive the
cash value of good roads the funds are be-
coming available in constantly swelling
volume.
As result, today, according to the Manu-
facturers Record: 1T is fair assumption,
we believe, that considered from all angles
North Carolina is today the most prosperous
state in the Union, making relatively greater
agricultural, industrial and educational
progress than any other state. This has
come largely about by the superb work which
has been done in the building of highways
on a scale not equalled relatively by any
fother commonwealth" This is high praise
from a high source, and from a journal that
has an unparalleled opportunity to make
comparative observation of Southern prog
ress. There is no need, however, for Ala
bama to be envious of North Carolina. for
Alabama has the same opportunity to build
roads that North Carolina had, and Ala
bama possesses the advantage of having less
difficult and fewer construction problems
than her sister state. All that Alabama
lacks is that vision and breadth of highway
leadership and administration, the need for
which has been so appallingly demonstrated
by her highway failure of the past three
years. 81 e.s.f.55.. 81.
Fortunately, II Alabama's highway en-
gineers and cof1missioneks sincerely desire
to learn how it may be DONE an opportunity
is offered. Let them study. how North Caro-
lima did it, and go and do likewise. North
Carolina intends4to make no secret of her
methods. On the contrary, in June, on the
occasion of the visit of fifty South American
highway engineers, the highway department
will hold a road-building demonstration to
which the highway authorities of all states
are especially invited. Nothing on such a
broad and illuminating scale has ever been
attempted in the exhibition of highways. Ac-
cording to a letter of Engineer Page to the
Record =
We hope to have about a dozen road
projects under actual construction of
the different types of road and the diff
ferent methods of construction; and in
one instance the machinery and meth
DDS, the most modern of its kind. In
addition to this we propose to have a
large exhibit of roadbuilding equipment
at some centrally located point, and on
each job will have some one who is. thor
oughly familiar with the construction
of that particular class of work to lee
ture and explain the work. Each eve
ming we will have a round-table discus
sion of different. road problems that we
| have witnessed during the day. We are
particularly anxious to have our MEM
| bers in the adjoining states to North
Carolina, who are interested in and
responsible for the road programs of
their respective states, visit us at this
time.
This is an opportunity that the people of
Alabama cannot afford to have their high
way authorities to- miss. Already too much
has been done here by the wrong method
and with an inadequate conception of the
problem of state highways. Narrowness of
view and local considerations, instead of the
greatest good to the greatest number, have
had the prepondering influence in Alabama.
One commissioner has demonstrated the type
of vision the situation calls for, but alone
he is powerless. Let Alabama be given the
benefit of North Cardinals successful and
eminently profitable experience in highway
construction and highway routing.
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ERA OF STRANGE THEORIES