The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-21
OUR HIGHWAY SITUATION

exercise that discretion in the manner most advantageous to the public welfare. It is not believed that the best public in- terest has been served in certain de- tours, nor that such detours are in any manner defensible from the viewpoint of state highways. The decision of the supreme court is in no sense a triumph for the highway commission, for the court finds itself without jurisdiction in the function of locating roads. There fore, the question rests where it did be- fore the action began, with all reputa- ble engineering opinion against the de- tour upon which so much justifiable crit icism has been directed.
 The people of Alabama are likewise still dismayed and disappointed over the failure to construct connecting highways, or inadequate manner to make such high ways continuous. Even certain high way links under construction, such as the section through Shelby county, are dragged out through interminable de- lays, long after they should have been completed and open to the public. The building of twenty-two and half miles of highway does not properly contem- plate the expenditure and delay of a year or more of time. Three or four months of proper endeavor would be- hold at least half of such mileage open and ready for traffic. But the Shelby county link is still far from complete. The people who must travel between l Birmingham and points south very nat they are put by such unnecessary and unreasonable delay. Doubtless there are other instances of the same sort.
 The people also properly inquire why it is that highway construction is di- vided and let in, such short and scattered sections, when both engineering judg- ment and the public benefit demand that highways be continuously con- structed, so that when job is completed it will lead somewhere. The example of North Carolina has proved the con tentions of those who have declared that Alabama can proceed more prompt ly to realization of a definite highway system, properly connecting and relating the chief towns and county seats. The example of North Carolina also proves that a connecting system makes possi- ble, and lessens the cost of, efficient high way maintenance such as Alabama does not have.
 It has been intimated from official sources that the people of Alabama will be asked for additional funds for high way construction. There is no doubt that such funds will be necessary, nor that, under proper auspices, the people of Alabama will grant them. It cannot escape even official elf-complacency, however, that the auspices at present are not propitious. It is incredible that the people of Alabama would venture any more millions upon such a travesty in highway administration as they have been compelled helplessly to behold for the past two or three years. Given a demonstration in the official ability to manage highway affairs in an efficient and effective manner, there is no req sonable sum which the people would re- fuse to devote to further highway con struction: But viewing the present chaotic highway situation, which gives no prospect of betterment under it's present administrators, the people of Ala bama will undoubtedly prefer to wait until there is visible and tangible evil dence of official capacity in this direc- tion. -4a
 It would appear that the situation re- quires a number of adjustments, before public confidence is established. In the first place, the public welfare demands that the construction be continuous in- stead of, as at present, disjointed and without coherent plan, The present policy of letting only few insignificant miles at a time should be abandoned in favor of more progressive rate of con- struction. Isolated construction loses the major portion of its public value be- cause of it's inaccessibility. There should also be quite definite classification of roads with respect to the surfaces, whether they shall be of native material, graveled or paved, Certainly the main trunk roads should be constructed con- tinuously and at once. To these the sec ondary roads would easily tie in. Then there should be at once formulated system of maintenance that will fulfill the purpose, contemplated by law. It will soon be perceived that the disjointed conception of short isolated highway units does not lend itself to efficient or economical upkeep. All these things must be attended to before the people care to hear of requests for more money.
 COMMUNITY VALUE OF SCHOOLS
 In strong appeal to it's citizens for