Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1925-01-03
Highway Program on
the Down Grade
Sharp Decline in Wiseonsin's High
way Program Predicted Next
Year by Good Roads
Executive.

f. A. Cannon; executive secretary
of the Good Roads Association of
Wisconsin, says that Wisconsin's
highway program is on the down
grade. 1t reached the peak in 1922
and 1928, fell off in 1924, and will
decline sharply again in 1925.
The total state federal aid and
state aid highway expenditures in
1923 amounted to $22 ,000,0 900. In
1924 these expenditures ran to 500
100000 and in 1926 they will amount
to $15,000,000
In the year 1923, 444 miles of
concrete surfacing was laid. This
was a record year. In 1924 the
mileage constructed was .273 and in
1925 1875 miles of this type of road
will be built. In 1924, 1900 miles
of gravel surfacing was laid, and
next year there will be 1000 miles
of this type constructed.
/ This sharp decline in the curve is
largely due to the fact that the group
of l5 counties which voted to bond
for road building have practically
completed their programs and spent
over $33,000,00G of $37 100000
voted, mostly in concrete construc-
ton. In each of the years 1922 and
1928 there was spent in bond issue
construction in these counties APP
proximately $10,000,OD0. In 1924
the bond issue construction ran to
$4,S00,000 and next year il will run
to 81, 900,0 900,
At this point it is well to- correct a
popular misunderstanding. MANY
people throughout the state are
under the impression that the con-
crete construction in eastern and
southeastern Wisconsin counties was
financed by state and federal aid.
A very small amount of it was SO
financed.
The average mileage of concrete
federal aid roads each year has been
about 10 miles, while as indicated
above, in 1923, 444 miles of concrete
surfaeing was laid. The concrete
roads referred to were built vcry
largely by county bond ISSUES and
= were paid for by the people Of the
counties and not out of state or
federal funds.
What is the outlook for the
future. Next year the road pro-
gram will be Mt low ebb. The
major part of the work will be
county programs and even the coun-
ties have cut their programs for
1925, under 1924, to the extent Of
100000. The returns from
motor vehicle license fees, and these
are the only state funds spent on
roads, amounted in the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1924, to $6,700,-
200. In the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1925, It is estimated they
will amount to $7,500,0O0 Under
the law one-quarter Of this must be
returned to the counties for highway
purposes. minimum of $500 a
mile must be set aside for state trunk
/ highway maintenance, which will
amount to $3,0O0,000 Funds must
be then set aside TO meet the federal
aid, to provide the state aid, for
maintenance Of city streets and lift
bridges. roads in and TO state parks,
and other Incidental purposes.
If a gasoline tax law yielding &c
| n gallon is passed by the next legisla-
/ ture, the funds will not be available
until the period Of the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1875. 1t should
yield S4,500,000. There is no
doubt but considerable part of this
will be returned to the local units
1t will do one Of two things in these
units, enable them to enlarge their
road program, or to absorb some Of
the general property taxes now levied
for road purposes and use instead
receipts from the gasoline tax.
On orr before June 30, 1927, Wis
consin must meet $4,000,000 in
federal aid and there is no doubt but
that it will be met.
A question that is acutely arising
and which will have to be solved
before long is the filling up Of the
gaps in the main state arteries cover
ing the state from north TO south
and east to west People desire to
drive across the state In doing So
they must travel through thinly
populated counties with low as
sessed valuation. People desire 70
drive into the lake region Of upper
Wisconsin and these counties have a
/ low assessed valuation These coua-
ties cannot afford to build the reads
required to carry this traffic The
state at largemust do the larger part
Of this work and it must come from
a state fund and this state fund
should be provided by the motor
vehicle through gasoline tax.