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

in fairly passable condition-tO literal
ly "pull Minnesota out of the mud"
and give every part of the state early
benefits. Hundreds of miles have
been gravelled with tina. end in view.
The result has been to run up enOr-
mously the expense of maintenance.
Many Minnesota people believe that
gravel roads are all-sufficient; that
pavement is an expensive luxury.
They live in localities where trunk
highway traffic is comparatively light
Their impression Is based on observa-
tons at home. They do not realize
that other sections Of the highway
system are carrying twenty times as
much traffic as their local routes.
1t has been practically demonstrate
ed that on road serving 500 or more
vehicles daily pavement is less ex-
pensive than a gravel road. Mime
sofa is forced to attempt to maintain
gravel surfacing on trunk route sec
lions serving five and more times that
traffic volume. But the cost is exorbi-
tant and results are unsatisfactory at
best.
Actual comparisons on official 1923
records emphasize the point. The
paved section of T. H. No. 3 through
Robbinsdale that year served 1,400,-
900 vehicles at an average mile cost
of $1,67S, for this heaviest travelled
of all sections. The grave,leG section
of T. H. No. through Hugo, the
heaviest travelled gravel road, served
$4,000 vehicles or less than half as
much as the Robbinsdale pavement
and took S3101 a mile of road funds.
The comparative cost items follow:
T.H.No.3 T.HNo.1
Annual Mile Cost Paved Gravel
Depreciation ........$ 220 S 60
Interest on Investment 1926 296
Maintenance or Upkeep 1872 2,745
s1.67o $s,1O1
The pavement was in the best travel
condition at all times. The gravelled
road was worn, choppy and unsatis.
factory more than half the time. Yet
inferior service cost more than double
the price of the best.
The comparisons are limited to ac-
tual road expenditures. No account
is taken of the higher cost of running
cars over the unsatisfactory road, the
loss in time and energy, in comfort
and convenience.
Only when the state is enabled to
reduce maintenance costs on the
heavy traffic sections with paving,
will funds be released for needed work
on less travelled sections.
Unnecessary continuance of the
conditions referred to is little less
than criminal, involving as it does,
gross waste Of public funds,
Traffic Regulation Enforcement.
Enforcement of laws governing
loads and gross weights of vehicles
on the highways should be delegated
to the highway department. Held
responsible for the durability of the
road it builds, the department should
be empowered to protect them against
vehicle overlooking and other abuses.
With such duties might be linked
enforcement of regulations governing
highway speed, parking, vehicle light
ing and so forth, and enforcement also
of the motor vehicle registration law.
AS is generally known, enforcement
of speed laws rests with local agencies
in the various counties and commune
ties. 1t has provoked much adverse
criticism. Lack of uniformity is a
main ground for complaint Drivers
are permitted to drive as fast as 80
miles an hour in one county, and in
crossing the line into the next are
prosecuted for going 80 miles an hour
The statute should be carefully re-
vised to remedy this condition
All vehicles on the public highways
after dark should be required by law
to carry adequate lights. Enactment
to that effect IN 1909 was repealed at
a special session soon after because
it was found ahead or the times. All
highway users now realize the neces-
sity of proper vehicle lighting for
their own safety and that of others.
Use of glazing headlights on auto
mobiles, held cause of many acct
dents, should be prohibited, and such
prohibition rigidly enforced. In this
connection, adoption of national plans
for uniformity of highway signal
lights calls for legislation requiring
the use of red lights on stationary
dangers, green on moving vehicles and
yellow in cautionary signals. The
most general effect would be the re-
quirement of substitution of green
for red lenses in motor vehicle tail
lights.
An official report that several thou
sand vehicles in Minnesota are escap-
ing taxation suggests the need for
more effective enforcement of the tax
law than is now provided
Other recommendations on minor
matters may be submitted from time
to time.
General Legislative Trends.
The trend of highway legislation In
progressive states is to encourage
highway departments to carry on &C.
Invites along broad lines. The result
is that in many states the depart
ments are well-equipped traffic dis
patching organizations. Going further
than to merely build and maintain
roads, they assist the public to obtain
the greatest and best use of its roads.
The highways of the United States
have come to be recognized as the
public's own system of transportation,
owned and operated comparatively. To
this is ascribed the universal public
interest in and support for better
highways
The progressive tendency is to CEN
ter all things pertaining to highways
in highway departments 1t aims for
centralized and fixed responsibility.
Foregoing recommendations by the
Minnesota Highway department are
prompted by one consideration: A
desire to give maximum public SER
vice. Enlargement of operations or
speeding up of the program will only
increase responsibilities and demands
on the time and energy of members
of the highway organization There