Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-17
WIDE ROADS URGED
ALONG AIR ROUTES
Ten Aviation Paths, With
Airport in Every City. In
Guided in Proposal.

Plans to span the United States with
10 air routes, with an airport in every
city and a road wide enough to land
on under every mile of the routes, are
now under way. The program, which
has been drawn up by the American
Road Builders Association, will be
presented to the annual good roads
congress in Cleveland next January
for action, according to an announce
ment by the association yesterday.
The plans call for construction OF
airports in cities along the routes of
the 10 transcontinentai highways now
under construction, and also along
the 10 north and south highways plan
ned by the association, In addition
they call for the widening OF roads
so that plane can make a forced
landing at any point.
This program marks the introduc-
ton of aviation into the good ROADS
movement, and at future good ROADS
congresses the subject Of air trans
portation will play big part, accord
ing to Charles III. Upham. managing
director of the association. Bar. Up
ham. who heads the committee spoh'
soring the air route plan, said that it
had already been decided to devote
considerable part OF the next congress
to discussion Of Always.
Holds Roads Indispensable.
The recognition of aviation as an
important factor in the good ROADS
movement was FASTENED by the re.
cent boom in aviation as result OF
the transatlantic and Hawaiian flights,
Mr.. Upham explained. At the same
time. he said, road builders nave
| realized for some time that good
roads are as indispensable to aviation
as are airportS.
| The increase in air transportation
will stimulate rather than retard aur
tomobile traffic, it was explained, be-
cause of the necessity for using auto
mobiles to get to and from the air
norts. Persons who use the air 10
get from one place to another do SO
because it is quicker. and what pas.
sengers the air takes from the laho
win come from the railroads fatnef
than from automobiles.
| The Road Builders Association Is
working on a five-year program Oh
| good roads, which calls for the com
nletion of 10 transcontinental and ~
north-and. south highways by the end
| of the five.year period in 1881. one
of the transcontinental routes has
been practically completed and all OF
them are well under way. Most or
them have good roads most or the
| way. but with stretches of dirt ROAD,
| and 1t is these dirt road stretches
| which the association expects TO
eliminate.
The introduction of the airway fac
tor increases the task. 1t Will De
| necessary to make much of the nigh
way several feet wider than had been
planned. in order that planes may
land safely II forced down. 1t Will
also be necessary to use the influence
of highway associations to secure the
construction of airports in cities
along the routes.
| The Road Builders Association
works through the State and county
highway associations. Although pre-
liminary steps have already been
taken to interest the highway associa'
/ tons in the plan. it Is hoped that the
good roads congress. by actively
sponsoring it, will give the impetus
needed to insure the completion OF
the airways with the completion OF
the roads.
Mr.. Upham said that a study OF
present air routes has shown thai
they closely follow the routes OF the
transcontinental highways. II thu
present program is completed air
planes can fly across the countr,
guided as long as daylight lasts b,
the narrow ribbon Of the road be
meath them. At night they Will bt
guided by the headlights OF auto
mobiles.