The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-03
OUR HIGHWAY RECORD

The one man chiefly responsible for the
national highway measure in accordance
with which the various states now enjoy
measure of federal aid in the construction
of good roads was the late Senator John III.
Bankhead of Alabama. He had the vision of
an entire nation dwelling in communities
connected by a network of interlocking high
ways and enjoying all the material, educa-
tional, social and commercial advantages that
only such highway system can bring. He
had the courage and the persistence to i'm
press his vision upon congress and to move
that body to pass the enactment to make it
possible of realization. To be sure, that
enactment goes only part of the way, but it
has been stimulus to state and local enter
prise that has resulted in thousands of miles
of first-class highways apart from and in
addition to those established by federal aid.
1t is, therefore, regrettable that the state
he SO ably served should be among the low
est in highway achievement, and the one that
has accomplished the very least in construc-
ton of its unit of the national highway
which bears the name of Bankhead. OF the
twelve states this highway is to serve Ala
bama occupies twelfth place in the mileage
constructed, having built only 81 miles out
of total of 95.4 miles. More than half the
total of the $500 miles of this highway has
been completed or contracted for. Georgia
has completed $40 of her total of 1859
miles. Texas has built $50 miles of the
Bankhead highway. and. Arizona 1884 miles.
Mississippi eleventh of the states in percent.
age of construction, has finished twenty-one
per cent But Alabama, unfortunately him
dered, not by the sentiment of her people,
but by the lack of intelligent vision on the
part of those in charge of her highway des-
TIMES, brings up the rear. And this I'M
enviable highway rank belongs to Alabama,
not only with respect to this one highway,
but in almost every other highway partic-
ular, and that despite the fact that Alabama
has had funds sufficient to make more
imposing showing.
Fortunately, there are indications that
there is now an awakening among the state
highway authorities which begins to approx
innate that awakening undergone by the pep
pie at large several years ago. There has
been the opinion expressed by certain of the
highway commissioners of this state that
Alabama doesn't want to build through high
ways for tourists to USE" If there were
any real need to convince the people of this
state of the fallacy of that medieval position
the task yvng1IH
the people have already developed beyond
that state of darkness and comprehend the
revenue which proper trunk highway connec-
tons with adjoining states develop, to say
nothing of the wealth actually created in the
property value of the communities served by
adequate highways. 1t may be said with
emphasis that the three states now deveI.
oping their wealth most rapidly are states
that have the best highways and the best
trunk line connections with adjoining states.
These three states are California, North Car
DINA and Florida. The money that is brought
in by tourists. however, is only part of the
advantage. The chief profit of adequate
highways comes from the development of
"eoiIh POecHtAuhtieb WlLnln the state.
Alabama is in more than a critical-she
is in pitiable highway condition, not
through any fault of her people, but because
her present highway leaders lag behind the
average of the citizenship in the conception
OF the highway opportunity. As said above,
there are signs that even the highway lead
ers and those officially charged with high
way responsibility are waking up. One high
way commissioner from the beginning has
repeatedly 'rsFehled an enlightened and prac-
teal attitude towards this great subject.
Public opinion in many places has likewise
manifested determination to 60 forward
with highway construction of high type. The
people are awake to the situation. Let the
officials likewise wake up or give way to
more enlightened leadership.