The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-11-20
.GOOD ROADS GAIN
s@21,750,0O0 FOR 20.
MINNESOTA MOTOR VEHICLE
TAXES COME BACK TWO
DOLLARS FOR ONE IN
BETTER HIGHWAYS.

st. Louis county and all other
users of Minnesota trunk highways
are held to be sharing in a net pro-
fit of $21,750,000 this year on in
vestments in Babcock road improve
msnts hereabouts and over the
state, claimed in a highway bulle-
tin this week.
Highway paving reduced both
car running expenses and road
maintenance and greater mileage of
larger cut in the gasoline, tire, and
other like bills of Minnesota road
users this year." says the bulletin,
appending figures in more or less
detail.
Savings credited Minnesota road
users-motor vehicle tax payers for
the most part-include $1,000, 900
on nearly 5000 miles of smooth
graveled trunk routes, and $780,
600 on about 600 miles of paving,
making a grand total of $35,750,000
of 1925 earnings from improve,
ments on the state system. Deduc-
ton of $4,000, 0OO-the most lib
eral estimate-of automobile and
gasoline taxes paid toward these
betterments, the bulletin continues,
will leave $21,750,000 of net pro-
fits from good roads, all over and
above taxes, interest and other out
lays.
The bulletin refers to reports
from Minnesota county agents cred
ting better roads with slightly over
three CENTS q mile reduction in tn
cost of running automobiles in th'r
state. On $4,000 vehicles, averag-
ing 5000 miles annually, the 8
cents a mile saving would aggregate
49,, 600 a year, a sum of over
five times the total of taxes collect
sd for and expenditures made on
the state trunk routes.
"More conservative figures now
presented" it continues, "may con-
vince the most conservative car
owners that good roads don't cost.
they save and further that thev
offer more direct and profitable re-
turns than any other investment of
public funds"
Late 1925 traffic census figures
indicate averages of $500 vehicles
a day on paved routes and 1000 a
udy Oh S1lNCtSu SCCGIOlS " IIlC
state trunk system. Road costs as
computed in the bulletin include in
terest on money investment, main
tenance or upkeep and all other
items, and vehicle running costs are
averaged at z cents a mile on paw
ing and 81 cents on graveled
roads. The bulletin goes on:
"The combined year cost of a
mile of pavement and of operating
$500 vehicles a day over it is $23,
526 a year, r 1851 less than on
= gravel road. On that basis, the
600 miles of paving on Minnesota
trunk routes this year earned or
saved the users $5,754,600.
1.-THE combined year cost of a
mile of graded and graveled road
and Of operating 1000 vehicles a
cay over it is $22,367 a year, or
$5,088 less than on a dirt road. On
that basis, likewise, nearly 5000
miles of graveled highways on the
state system this year earned and
saved users approximately $30,OOO,-
900.
Taking from the $~35,754;600
total the $4,000, 900 paid this year
IN auto and gas taxes for trunk
highway purposes, the balance of
$21,754,600 stands as proof that
good highways pay their cost owe
and over again."
Miner readers can obtain more
detailed information on highway
earnings by addressing specific
questions to the st. Paul office of
the State highway department.