New Britain herald., 1928-06-01
STATE AID ROAD
 PROGRAM GIGANTIC
112 Miles Of Highway Are to
 Be Built

ll- lilllcS Ol tOnneCtlcut state alu
 road will be begun under the state
 aid appropriation for 1a2s-o9 in ad-
 dition to the state highway depart
 ment's most expansive trunkline
 program in history. according 10 an
 announcement made today by High
 way Commissioner John 4. Mac
 donald The state aid program is
 likewise the largest ever planned in
 Connecticut and before completion
 will involve the expenditure Of more
 than two and a half million dollars
 in 5 towns.
 It is the intention of the highway
 department to continue like prog
 rams of state aid construction until
 a system of secondary roads akin
 to the state trunkline system has
 been completely developed under the
 state aid act. The state aid roads
 will connect with trunk line high
 ways or other improved roads. or
 will end at town lines on routes to
 be continued by adjoining towns. This is true in every instance of the
 work now starting. In every case, the towns have signed agreements by authority of town vote that they will apply their future proportions Of state aid funds to their present projects until they are completed and that they will not ask for eX- peniiturcs on any other roads prior 10 that time. This plan has met with the unanimous approval and complete cooperation on the part of the towns taking part in the pro- gram.
 Approximately S7 miles Of new are included in the pro- gram 10 be carried out by the 53 towns under their state aid appro- priation for 1928 and 1929. In addi- ton to this. because of the fact that this new construction will invite an increase of traffic on certain sections of the existing state aid systems, it will be necessary 10 reconstruct about p miles of this road, bringing the total of construction and recon- struction to approximately l2 miles. All of tho reconstruction work will be done solely f,t the expense Of the state.
 Six of the J3 towns undertaking work this year have adopted the now stage construction plan de 1 visod by Commissional Macdonald | and explained by him at county i attended by delegates from ! practically every town in the state last fall. As its name implies, this | plan contempales the construction of a highway by stages, one stage Of !, heinz finished under 1, one years appropriation and the 1 work being completed under future ! appropriations. In other words, town may use its 19oS-1929 funds | for the installation of bridges. cuk vcrts, drainage and sub-base. Under {, next years allotment. it may con- 1 tinue with the necessary grading and improvement of the highway line, 1 and in the following year complete 1 the entire work with surface of macadam. the standard pavement for state aid construction. !
 This system allows town to spread it's state aid funds over con- slderably greater mileage than would | be possible were a years funds to be ! used for the completion of a single piece of paving. IL also has the ad- vantage Of equalizing wear and tear upon the pavement, inasmuch as the entlrc surface will be of the same 'ge and will not consist of many sec lions Of varying ages. |
 Two towns have elected 10 utilize .heir current funds upon trunkljne highways within their boundaries Instead of upon their own town roads, in order to complete their more heavily travelled and more useful arteries of traffic. In these 'ascs the highway department is cooperating with tho towns and will 'Xpend sSS.0o0 from trunklinc funds 0 assist them.
 At the county meetings last fall Commissioner Macdonald offered to end engineering assistance to any own who might request it. This 'lfer has been accepted widely and '2 towns have received advice con- 'erning questions of highway and trcet maintenance from w. F. tuls", superrlsor of state aid con- 
 The contemplated construction for J his year is divided as follows: Hart ord county, towns. S.2 miles: New Haven county, 10 towns 17o rnilos. >ew London county. 2 towns. 1o.G5 niles; Fairfield county. : towns. 10 piles; Windham county. 1 faWns ]