Milford chronicle., 1926-01-22

Early in the trip the tires fell into
the habit of debating at from 10 to
l 15-mile intervals.
Time and again the road stretched
away into seemingly bottomless
mud.
Frequently extra horsepower was
required to extricate the vehicle
from difficulty.
\ The direction of the road to New
York was uncharted. For that mat
ter. the road to points but from 25
to 80 miles distant was unknown to
Majority of those questioned as to
directions.
Mail Delivered Over ia Million
Miles of Highway
Today the same trip is made COM
4 fortably in three days without stop
for repairs, assistance out of mud
holes. or delay in seeking directions.
This year more than half million
motor vehicles left the factory un-
der their own power for delivery by
highway to all parts of the United
Estates.
More than 10000 motor cars car
ried visitors into the National Parks
from every state in 1925.
Ten thousand cars daily from ev-
cry part of the country joined the
pilgrimage to the Nations Capitol
during the summer vacation season.
Thousands of cars are every day
converging toward the sunny play
grounds of the South and West.
Uncle Sam is delivering mail each
day on nearly one and quarter mil
lion miles of these highways.
Recent surveys in Ohio indicated
that passenger cars from other
states varied from go of the traffic
to 300 on through routes. At one
point 500 of these foreign cars
were from Pennsylvania, West Vir-
ginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan
and New York. The remainder rep
resented other states from Califor-
MIA to Maine, as we'll, as the Domin-
ion of Canada.
Uniform Highway Policy
A uniform national highway pol
icy has been very largely respon-
sible in making possible an easy
flowing, interchange of motor We
hicles between different sections of
the country.
County lines have been erased.
State lines do not exist for the mo-
tor vehicle. The improved highway
speaks a language common to all.
In point of time we have only just
emerged from the dark ages" of
highway building in the United
States.
In point of actual accomplishment
we are centuries removed.
Federal Aid System Embraces
100000 Miles
We have today 100000 miles of
highways, ranging from mere trials
to the highest type of improved road.
Half million miles have some
type of surfacing.
A central system of highways has
been established-the Federal 10
system of approximately 100000
miles.
State highways systems are close
ly co-ordinated and largely cock
tensive Herewith.
Both State and Federal govern
ments are putting every energy be-
hind the early completion of this
system. More than 500 Of it is now
improved to some extent.
Some $4,000 miles on the Federal
Aid System have been selected in
cooperation with the states for un-
form danger and direction sign
posting. SOSon the motOrist start
ing on No. highway at Portland,
lie, ca nfollow that number through
Boston, New York, Philadelphia and
Washington, southWard to AIiami-.
almost the entire distance on i'm
proved roads.
Surveys Save Millions Of Dollars
The enactment of the Federal Aid
Act of 1916 marked the re-enJrance
of Uncle Sam into highway building.
When he started to help the states
in the construction of national
system of highways he insisted that
they also maintain departments to
centralize work on the main roads
of the state.
Since then cooperative economic
surveys between the U. S. Bureau OF
Public Roads and State Highway
Departments are saving road tax
payers millions annually by point
out trends and requirements of traf-
fic.
Research studies by the Federal
Bureau point the way to economies
in construction.
Uniform types Of construction and
methods of maintenance have been
largely agreed upon and accepted.
What's Ahead!
Our highway program seems to be
well stabilized at approximately a
billion dollars year.
1t is the largest public works job
the world has ever known-and the
freest from corruption.
There are, however, large prob
lens demanding attention.
Congestion Of traffic is not preva-
lent on the rural highways. Most
frequently it occurs at the gateways
to the cities. The arterial highways
leaCHpg into large cities frequently
pass through neighboring satellite
centers. The traffic is more than
local, yet local control remains.
There is a gap here which must be
bridged by closer coordination be-
tween the several groups. Arterial
highways in these metropolitan
areas must be built, but this can
only be done by united action.
Hardly less important is the stu
alton existing with reference to the
5000 county highway organizations.
Half Of all available funds are SDent |