The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-05-21
Good Road Mileage Has
Been Tripled In 4 Years
Minnesota's Better Highway Program
Spreads Big Benefits in Little
Time-Official Showing

Stearns county automobile owners
tuned up their cars this spring and
We're "rarin' t. go" on roads in good
condition much carriers than usual.
A number hereabouts recalled the
concern about roads only a few
years back, and some remarked that
the "Babcock good roads plan" was
just about four years old and COM
! mented on the change it has worked
in all roads in this section and all ov-
er Minnesota.
A highway bulletin this week sums
! up from official figures the first four
years of progress under the new pro-
gram on state highways, and adds
| that development was even greater on
the local roads-county and township.
Late in the spring of 1921, the
bulletin says, the state took over the
1000 miles of trunk highways from
the counties. There were 1,499 miles
graded, 1871 graveled and sc miles
paved, all told. Today the totals are
4,797 miles graded, 1884 graveled
and 556 miles paved. Highway Of
ficials are quoted as saying that the
big increase in the graveled road mile
age was mistake because it added
ltoo much to the yearly cost of main.
tanning the roads-gravel surfacing
upkeep being too big on heavy travel
ed sections. But the gravel was
spread to make every mile of high
way at least passable-to pull Min
nesota out of the mud in the shortest
time possible, it explains.
To foregoing improvement totals
for the four years are added extern
sive betterments by maintenance
forces. Besides constantly dragging
and smoothing the big system, main
tenance forces regarded 2,610 miles
and re-graveled 2,266 miles. Also,
they re placed 81 bridges, repaired
319 and reprinted 225 bridges. The
four-year period brought also the
marking of the trunk highways with
the black and yellow warning and d.
rection signs. Maintenance results,
notably those by patrolmen or road
members and the marking conven-
fence on every mile of the big svs.
tem-which can scarcely be covered
with $50 miles of travel every day
Tor a month-,.probably appealed
/
The extensive operations which
trlpled the improved mileages on
the main highways, the records show.
represented an outlay approximatine
500, 100000 during the four years.
In the same time, townships and
counties, the latter with five times as
much money from the same tax lev
les to use on local roads, made like
unprecedented progress. The conn
ty-toWnship and city-village funds for
local roads exceeded S65 ,OOO. 900 for
the four years. They were larger
imam those for the trunk HIGHWAYS
which carry the great volume of road
traffic in the state, the records show
incidentally, the state funds for tho
Jour years included $4,000. 900 Of
oOnd advances from counties. SaS-
OoO.o0O of auto taxes and So. 400 nm
OF federal highway aid.
This year and next. bon,o,,.
trunk highway improvements will be
less than half those in tho .wnl.o oe
year past the officials said, and be-
EAU OF reduction in money available
a a ,actual road building. In the av-
eiage year to date, as has been ex-
p pE nno 90 ponds added $S,0OO,O0O to
$1,000, 900 of auto taxes and So 0Oo =
wv OF federal aid, and made a total
OF $l7,OO0,000. This year the bond
a &C Gun will take $3,5OO,OOO from
qS'Ooo,O OF auto taxes, $4,000. 600
OF gas taxes, and 100000 of FEEDER,
ally aid, and the total available for
use o IN road work will be $1O,5OO, 900
or $o,5o0,OOO less than heretofore.
ana that means, the bulletin con-
cludes, ;$6,5oO,00 less road improve
ments than in the average year past
"a curtailment of the progress that
to date has kept Minnesota in The
ranks OF the good roads states.