The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1925-01-23
BY CHARLES M. RARcocK


by Charles M. Babcock, state COM
missioner of highways.
BY CHARLES M. BABcocK
Minnesota is charged by its people
with the adequate Improvement and
maintenance of the primary or trunk
highways of the state. A definite pro-
gram is laid down. The constitution
places on the executive and legisla-
tive departments of state government
the duty of carrying out the plan
through the highway department.
Trunk highway use is increasing
rapidly. In 1924 it was nearly q per
cent greater than in 1928 Increased
road use necessarily means more road
wear and with the latter come greater
Improvement and maintenance de-
mands Minnesota registered nearly
510, 600 motor vehicles last year, more
than ten times as many as decade
ego. Perfected vehicles are covering
larger mileages. They are heavier,
than earlier types. Highway demands
have increased proportionately. FL
nancial provisions have not kept pace.
Economy requires that adequate pro-
visions be made without delay.
The citizen is penalized by any tax
.eduction which costs him greater
outlay in another direction and the
sacrifice of a desirable service or ben
eft The average car owner is more
han reimbursed for good roads taxes
3y good roads savings. He will pro-
it by paying a gasoline tax for good
roads in addition to the present motor
vehicle tax. Better highways more
than pay for themselves in reductions
of the cost of running automobiles
and trucks.
Highway bonds will provide high
way revolving fund. This will enable
the state to apportion to each year
of the life of a highway improvement
a fairer share of it's cost. The pro-
posal involves neither increased ex-
penditure of state money nor any ques-
ton of taxation. 1t is simply meth
cd of securing the most return on
given expenditure-fromt the same in
come AS such, it is commended for
deliberate, unbiased consideration.
Usage and Fund Comparisons
The 7,000-mile system of trunk high
WAYS covers the entire state. All
county seats and nearly all cities and
towns of more than 1000 population
are served by one or more trunk
routes. The United States bureau of
public roads reports that the primary
or trunk highways serve four out OF
five road users.
Current income for trunk highway
purposes in 1924 was $10,500, OOO-mo-
tor vehicle taxes $S,500,000 and fed
eral aid $4,000, 900. A total exceeding
s19.0O0.O00 was raised for local roads
carrying only a fifth of the traffic,
through the latest county, township
and city-village road and bridge tax
Ievies.
The Minnesota plan is first one for
better farm-to-market roads. The au-
tomobile owner on the county or town
road pays a small lieu tax on his car
to the trunk highway fund. But prop
erty owners served entirely by trunk
routes pay much larger amounts in
county and township road and bridge
taxes which are spent wholly on the
local roads. Nearly third of motor
vehicle taxes are paid in Minneapolis,
st. Paul and Duluth, but none are used
within those cities.
Centering efforts on main highways,
raising larger amounts annually and
supplementing income with advances
from large bond issues, other states
are making greater progress in pri-
mary highway development. They are
building more miles of permanent
roads. Minnesota is using too large
a share of its limited funds for end
less repairs on routes inadequate to
traffic demands. Minnesota has $50
miles of highway pavement all told.
Wisconsin. and Michigan paved nearly
that mileage and Illinois more than
twice as much under 1924 operations
alone.
Minnesota can i'll afford to lose rank
as a good roads state. 1t cannot re-
tard highway development without
serious economic losses, particularly
to the motor vehicle owners who are
providing all the funds.
The State highway development pro-
gram is still less than half completed.
OF the system, approximately 1000
miles, there are now adequately I'M
proved just 2,S42.44 miles. This is
the fact in spite of showing in the
accompanying report OF 4.251 miles
constructed. The latter figure includes
$50 miles of grading under contract
but unfinished and remaining to be
surfaced. 1t does not take into ac-
count the need of about $50 miles of
pavement to put a like mileage of
gravel-surfaced sections in adequate
condition.
Good Roads Economy
Adequate highways greatly reduce
the expense of running vehicles. Good
roads lower depreciation, gasoline con-
sumption, tire wear and other items
of vehicle expense. What is with
held from needed road improvement
must go, with more added, for car re-
pairs and general expenses.
Fifty-seven county agents reporting
to the extension division of the Uni
yersity of Minnesota showed average
vehicle running expenses Of liz cents
a mile for 1920 and 6k cents mile
in 1923. Tires and gasoline were
about 20 per cent cheaper in the lat
ter year, but the big part of the saw
ing of five cents mile was credited
to better roads. At only one cent a
mile, the owner of a car driven 5000
miles yearly, saves three times the
average motor vehicle tax. We pay
for good roads whether we have them
or not, and pay most when we do not
have them.
Careful tests by the engineering
school at Iowa State College establish
that the average motor vehicle, weigh
ing $500 pounds, can be moved with
Recover Indian Reli