The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-04-30
BETTER HIGHWAYS
E L BIG O


American motorists cash in a yearly
dividend of 10 per cent on the capital
invested through federal aid in the
improved highways of the country, ac-
cording to a statement issued by the
American Automobile association.
This dividend actually goes into the
pockets Of the motorists and repre-
sents the difference between the cost
Of motor vehicle operation over unim-
proved and improved highways. The
differential, which is conservative, is
based on extensive engineering tests
Of rotor vehicle operation costs made
in different sections Of the country
and for different types of roads.
A recent survey made in Kentucky
shows that there is on the average a
saving of 21s cents a mile in the cost
of operation over improved roads and
highways. Some time ago a similar
investigation conducted in Iowa indi-
Gated approximately the same saving.
1t has been estimated many times
that the average car runs approx
mateIy 5000 miles a year. A saving
/ VI ZZ2 emu d mliE luz OfOOO
amounts to $50 a year. For 17,OOO,-
600 automobiles this would mean a
saving of $2.550,O 10000 a year on gaso-
line, tires, parts, upkeep, renewals and
all phases of operation.
This would be the total saving II
every mile over which an automobile
Travelled was improved. But, Of course,
only 10000 miles of highway have
been Improved by federal aid. This
10000 miles represents slightly more
than . per cent of the total highway
system, which amounts to approx
mately 100000 miles.
Two per cent of :, 550,000.O00 gives
SOL 100000 which can be legitlmately
credited to federal aid. The total cap
ltal expenditure for federal aid was
$500, 100000, which yields $~51,0O0.OO0
a year, or 10 per cent in saving to
the user of improved highways.
The study made by the Iowa State
college, the Iowa highway commission
and the bureau of public roads
showed that the gasoline consumed on
a paved road was only approximately
one-half the gasoline consumed on a
dirt road per unit of traffic. Inciden-
tally the investigation developed that
the gasoline consumed per unit of
traffic can be taken as an index of
the other costs of motor vehicle opera
ton.
1t showed, in fact, that there is a
definite relation existing between the
gasoline consumption per unit of traffic
and other items of cost in vehicle OPP
GRAFTON. f. r. White. chief engineer
Of the highway commission, estimated
that through improvement of a road
surface the gasoline consumption is
cut in two, the cost of tires is cut in
two, the same applying to other items,
including depreciation and repairs.
For the first time these studies
make it possible to present in terms
Of dollars and cents the difference
in cost to the motorist and the public
in general between improved and I'M
improved roads.
According to the Iowa study, traffic
euualing 500 vehicles per day over
earth roads requires an annual ex-
penditure from both private and public
funds of $4,000 per mile, while a SINH
lar amount of transportation over a
concrete surface costs $20,650 per
miles
This means that for a light traffic
earth road carrying 500 vehicles a
day there would be saved $4,95o per
mile per year if the same traffic went
over a paved road surface. Assum-
ing the cost of paving a dirt road to
be $4,000 per mile the saving in
transportation cost would actually pay
for the capital outlay in from o to
six years. The difference between the
cost of operation on a gravel road and
a paved road would pay for the differ
ence in the cost of construction in
three years.