Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-06
RY WILLIAM TLLMAN.

Announcement by the United states
Bureau of Public Roads that more imam
4 o00 miles of roads included in the
Federal.aid highway system nave
been completed since the beginning OF
the current fiscal year serves to focus
attention on the progress Whlcn mas
been made on the program thus Tar.
Construction during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1927, was begun on
1850 miles of roads embodied IN TINS
State and Federal cooperative bulld-
ing scheme. When this ADDITION mas
been completed, approximately 10000
niles of this nationwide network will
have been laid down with the aid OF
Federal funds.
II is appropriate to take account OF
stock regarding the Federal-aid high
way system at the present time, since
this wear marks the tenth anniversary
of the start of this plan for stimulat-
ing bodybuilding In the United states
with an especial view to providing pet
ter highways in those States whose re
sources and income were inadequate
to performing the task alone.
Has Cost More Than 81, 900 200. 600.
The Federal-aid system was
launched in 1917 and since its lnltla-
ton has involved the expenditure OF
more than $1,000, 900, 600. The total
outlay to July /, 1926, was $966,692,-
834.36. OF this sum the Federal Govern
ment contributed $426, 178, 7O3.o8. Th9
mileage which this amount made pos
sible totaled 52,526. The first largest
units built during this period were
92O miles in Texas, 1851 miles in
Minnesota, 2,193 miles in North Da-
kota. 2.1S1 miles in South Dakota and
2114 miles in Iowa. Between 1000
and . 600 miles were built in 81 other
States.
Projects now under construction
call for an estimated expenditure OF
| 1865. 1923, 1856, or approximately one
third the whole sum expended from
| 1917 to July / last. OF this huge to-
tai. the Federal Government is sched'
uIed to contribute $751;, 4S9, 1928.
| Nebraska is down for the largest mile
age of any State which is to benefit
| from the projects now under way, the
| total for this State being 1859 miles
| North Dakota is second with SOl
| miles, Kansas third with 500 miles and
New York, which acquired 1,197 miles
prior to July /. 1926 is fourth with
total mileage of 665 miles.
| Figures indicating mileages com
pleted with the assistance of Federal
moneys do not, however, tell the
whole story of the progress OF the
Federal-aid system. The entire length
of this highway scheme is 1872, l34
miles, but the fact that about 10000
| miles have been built or are under
construction does not mean that less
than half the entire system is still on
paper.
| Most of Foundation Prepared.
| IT is far more than projected and
| Thomas Fl. Macdonald chief of the
| Bureau of Public Roads, is authority
for the statement that the mileage
! within the system at present 1nitially
improved or in process of improve
ment is not far from three-quarters OF
the total This does not mean that
this portion is entirely improved. But
it does indicate that the greater part
of the foundation work for this great
| scheme of nationwide highways has
been accomplished.
With comparatively slight excep
tons, the roads included in the Fed
eral-aid system are embodied in the
State highway systems. Thus ii Is
that goodly portion Of their improve
ment has been completed without Fed
eral Government participation. II
| fact, State reports show that the ratio
Of mileage completed by State high
way departments in 1925 was more
than double the Federal-aid mileags
completed during the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1926.
The system will insure the improve
ment Of the main arterial highway oi