Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-12
A System of
Federal Highways

adopted a State system OF high
ways little really efficient work
was accomplished on her roads.
After the adoption of the State
system, both State and Federal
aid funds are concentrated on
those roads embodied in the State
system. This was a wise step, but
did not go far enough.
Until this year, the State High
way Department has allotted
State and Federal aid here and
there, the result being that while
much money has been invested in
her roads, Georgia does not pos
sess one single continuous paved
road, running through the State,
either north and south or east and
west. We have failed to con-
meet up.
This year, the State Highway
Commission has announced a
change in policy and will, says
the Hartman, concentrate State
and Federal funds in an effort to
connect up and complete one con-
tinuous route at a time, which is
the second wise step made by the
commission.
This condition is not peculiar
to Georgia. Every State, to a
greater or lesser degree has done
the same thing. What is most
needed to remedy the situation is
a designated system of Federal
highways Throughout the Nation.
Federal aid should not be applied
to any road but those in the Fed
eral system. Such a policy would
make it possible to complete a
paved highway, for instance,
from Washington City to Key
West, or from New York to San
Francisco.
The wealthy States of the East
are opposed to Federal aid for
roads. These States are contrib
uting more to this fund than 9TH
er States and receive little direct
return, therefore their opposition.
However, if a Federal system of
highways were adopted, the mo-
torist of the East who travels
South or West, would realize a
direct benefit from his tax in the
form of continuous paved roads
over which to travel.
Viewing the matter from pure
ly a local or a statewide view
point there are objections. Such
a view is taken by Governor Aus
ten Peay, of Tennessee, His
grounds for opposition TO the plan
are based on the fact that in some
instances there are competing or
parallel roads in States connecting
the same points, some of which
would be placed at a disadvan-
tage if Federal aid were given
exclusively to other roads.
Discussing Governor Peay's at
titude on this question as we'll as
the question of Federal system
of highways, the Rome News says
editorially:
That is a provincial view of the
localsns which SO often retards
the progress of a state when one
community or section is unwilling
to accept plan fer the general
welfare. 1t has become apparent
that the time is at hand for the
construction of trunk highways
throughout the nation. Every
road in a state cannot be made a
part of a primary system. The
quickest way to bring about the
completion of a national system
of highways is to concentrate fed
eral appropriation upon roads
designated as primary interstate
highways In selecting the roads
for this concentrated aid the fed
eral authorities may be expected
to designate those that serve the
largest number Of people at the
lowest cost of construction and
maintenance. In some instances it
may be difficult to make such
selection, because there will be so
little difference between two or
more routes. When such o prob
lem arises, the federal authorities
must use their best judgment and
finally designate one road, not
withstanding that the selection may
not please everybody.
If the amount of federal aid to
be given is not reduced, the ap-
preparations to each state will re-
main the same under the primary
road system. 1t will be merely a
matter of distribution. If all of
the federal aid money coming to
Georgia, for illustration, is concen-
trated on a few roads designated
as primary highways, that will in
no wise reduce the amount of state
and county funds available for
work on other roads. 1t may, in
fact, result in the possibility of
larger sums being employed by the