, 1925-08-13
Federal Aid and
Wyoming Highways

Just nine years ago Federal Aid to
the States in the construction OF their
highways was promulgated through
the passage OF the first Federal Aid
Act for this purpose by Congress in
July 1916. Federal Aid was to be
granted for the construction and i'm
provement OF Post roads to facilitate
and extend the means for serving
rural communities with United States
Mail. Appointments OF Federal
Funds to the various States vas di-
rected to be made on the three fold
basis of area, population and mile
age of Post roads. The first appor-
priation of $4,000 00 vas the drop
in the bucket" which set in motion
one of the most ~stupendous move
ments in the field of construction
which the world has ever seen.
These few preliminary facts are
recited at this time in order that the
full significance of the movement
may be realized through a compare
son of highway facts today. as de-
veloped through the intensive re-
search OF the past quarter score
years. with those first ideas-those
r~udimentary facts which set the road
improvement into action. The Act
of 1916 marked the elimination Of
thought and action relative to road
improvement which had first de-
veloped some years previous-in
days when no II dreamed Of the
phenomenal growth which the mo-
tor industry was just on the eve of
when non but the most far see
ing individuals realized the signifi-
canoe of the economy of improved
nit.i NFa ys nrI (which ava or. nray
not more than a nearly negligible
item in the scheme, and when men
had not the remotest idea OF building
Highway System tapping nearly every
city and town of the Nation.
Development of the Federal Aid
Highway System
When the Motor Industry together
with allied industries making it poss-
ible, produced a vehicle which could
reliably transport people and goods
over distances just as extensive as
could the railroads, and in nearly
the same time, and not be restrict
ed to definite tracks or rsutes-all
depending on just a road surface to
run on-peop1e were not slow to
grasp a great opportunity for fleXi-
Bile transportation and recreational
advantages such as had never before
beer available. Small wonder then
tina when it came to a point where
in many states nearly every family
owned a motor car highway improve
ment and construction became a very
popular policy. being fostered by
nearly every individual. What with
more and more vehicles and CORE
spending need for greater mileages
of improved highways, there came
little by little the realization that
there was not only greater comfort
in travelling good smooth highways
but an actual cash savings in opera
tion-one that was very real-hence
came the more determined movement
for a large mileage n the quickest
possible time.
The Government very wisely pro.
vided for extensive research along
with the new policy, and together
with other agencies beth public and
private, established complete justi-
fication for THE wider scope taken on
by the great work A. U received
added impetus from time to time
Thus from a comparatively small
movement, the eret Federal Aid
Highway System Al now developed
and laid ont, has resulted. II l. Ger.
tainly safe to say that such a vas,
program of Highway Improvement
could meyer have enjoyed a phenom,
enai growth had II not been based
on thoroughly established economic
principles which proved co~nclusivel,
that every dollar judiciously eIpend
ed for highway improvement, con
structisn or maintenance was surel,
returned with handsome dividends t