Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30

sd
of the open road, bound for
IL the occasional week end trip
or longer vacation journey, to
mountain hotel or seaside resort, TO
sections of America which are dotted
with numerous communities or to
regions more remote yet rich in
stored legend or scenic grandeur and
productive of the refreshing moments
which Nature offers to those who
will only place themselves under her
soothing spell.
Thus does an enerVating wander
lust prompt the motorist to seek his
pleasure near and far; in the plenti-
fully peopled districts of historic old
New England. in the hospital South
land, now we'll on it's way to be-
coming a vast touring ground in the
Middle West with it's rolling farm
lands and its busy factories, or amid
the semi-tropic allurements of the Pa
cific coast.
Each year still more thousands
taste these joys that follow in the
wake of motor ownership, and
they return again and again with
other thousands to the scenes of
previous enjoyments. or seek out
fresh and unvisited regions.
Pioneer Spirit Strong.
In the spirit of the pioneer, the
motoring fraternity is ever anxious
to reach out for new worlds to add to
their meanderings. Its members are
Unsuitable in the quest for the trail
that leads always beyond the horizon
there to reveal another alluring val
ley or mountain peak of majestic
proportions.
Time was when the trail-blazer
Travelled pathways that were mere
breaks in the forest foliage. Now
days. pioneering is more eXacting in
its demand and asks a trail in the
form of a shimmering ribbon of
smootheSt asphalt.
To the man who tours near home,
or to him who travels farther afield,
the outstanding question is whether
there have been notable road i'm
provements which augment the broad
stretches of we'll surfaced highways
linking the East with the West, the
crowded city with the spacious. health
full countryside.
Accomplishments during the last
year make it possible to answer the
question in the affirmative All
agencies. Federal, State, county and
municipal, have combined to extend
the great network of roadways that
grid every hamlet with the larger
communities and provide easy access
TO districts which are developing with
the beneficent aid of the motor car.
100000 Niles of Road.
The motorist now has at his com.
mand approximately 100000 miles
of highway touching every part of
the Nation. About 10 per cent of
this total comprises the State sys-
TENS, the remainder forming the more
local portion of the country's road
way scheme. Smooth, durable, hard
surfaced thoroughfares have grown
apace, until the total milage of this
most desirable type for pleasurable
travel now covers about $50, 900 miles
OF which third is in the State sys-
TENS.
More than one billion dollars was
spent on road construction and mainte-
nance in the United States during the
year 1926, and estimates for the same
work to be done during the present
twelvemonth are slightly larger. The
sum expended on construction and
road maintenance by State highway
departments was, in round numbers.
$6aO,00O,O 900, while nearly $640, 900, 900
was spent on roads and bridges by
local authorities
With these huge sums, 10000 miles
or highways were added to the sur
faced road mileage. which has reached
the point where one can make the
trip from coast to coast within
week by automobile. TranscontinentaI
touring is becoming more and more
source of enjoyment, since high
way improvement in this country has
made automobile travel more COM
Portable, safer and generally more sat
tsfactory.
Federal Aid i'm States.
Hand in hand with the regular State
programs and county and local prof
ects progresses the vast Federal aid
highway construction scheme, whereby
the United States Government con-
tributes a share of the building costs
in each State, varying according to
the needs OF the different common
wealths. About $4,000 miles thus far
have been laid down in this way, in
volving a total expenditure slightly
exceeding 1,000,000,0 00 of which the
FEDERAL Government has contributed
aDout one-half.
Through this assistance extended
by the Government at Washington
much highway construction work
which otherwise would have been a
virtual impoSSibility has been ac-
complished. Thus has been formed in
some States a nucleus for a program
OK roadway expansion in the years to
come When the State resources viii
have mounted to a point where it's
own moneys will be adequate for lay
ing down durable arteries for motor
traffic. Nearly 200,0 900 miles are
projected in the Federal aid system
as now constituted, all selected as
essential links in the broad plan to
provide for interstate traffic.
In this tripartite road building pro
gram, TO which Federal and State gov
ernments and county and local
authorities are bending their efforts,
one may find much to consider in the
way of financing. durability of sur
faces, economic advantages of certain
routes over others and similar items
that would hold the attention of the
engineer, the economist, the banker
or the business man, but. ASSOCIATED
from its financial or engineering or
commercial aspects, the Nations high
way activities mean, after all. one
tlAng-that the motorist who wishes
above everything else TO put his car
tu~maXimum use each year is closer
tor such achievement.
Seeks Improved Roads.
as fields and farmhouses, grazing
f1oeks and harvested crops fit past