New Britain herald., 1928-01-10
SPECIAL. AUTO ROADS, FEDERAL OR PRIVATE?


 The suggestion was made some time ago that private companies be encouraged 10 construct speciai automobile highways between lm- portant centers. so as 10 aVold con ssstion and permit of greater speed and satisfaction to drivers.
 The idea was to revive the toll road principle for such roads. Auto ists who preferred 10 travel along such highways would be charged toll. which would be high enough to 10 pay for. the road within a term Of years
 From that incubator of thought has come the newer suggestion that the government, rather than private concerns, construct the special high ways, The government. it is argued, could do t better. would be able to appropriate the money under the eN- isting laws regarding internal inn provements, and could charge toll as well as any private company.
 Of special interest to Nutmeggers is the suggestion that the first high way of the kind be built through this state: and of particular interest to persons hereabouts is that the tentative route will parallel the Boston Post road from New York to 'lsoston. The route would from New . York to New Haven, to Hartford, to Worcester, and thence to Boston. Although action may not be hur- ried, there is every likelihood that such [ plan eventually will material ize. For one thing, the automobile manufacturers are influential in road matters, and the road organiza- lions and automobile organizations are . unit behind the plan. It is agreed that one of the deterring factors against greater use of the automobile is congestion of the high ways, especially the important high ways between large cities. These. too. were not primarily constructed to facilitate rapid travel, abounding in curves passing through cities. end doing about, everything a high speed road should not do. The fact that these have been paved "as smooth as a board" helps little when there are so many cars on the sur face as to make travel slow and 'tortuous."
 The proposed toll highway be- tween New York and Boston has ad- vantages that cannot help meeting with the approval of long distance autoists. It would avoid all cities. but spurs from the road would lead to them. The speed would be un- limited, and the highway would be more safe than the present roads because of minimum of curves and no congestion The right of way would be wide and equipped with every known safety device.
 The question naturally arises, in view of the cost Of such highways, whether the tolls could be kept low enough to meet the amortization and interest charges. Road experts who have been laboring with the figures insure us that the tolls would be satisfactory in view of the expect ed popularity of such highways with long-distance drivers
 The plan is something new for the railroads to worry about, however Long g-distance railroad travel has re- mained fairly popular because Of the speed and convenience offered, while short distance travel. except in the case of committing jraTic. has been falling steadily. Perfect, high speed federal toll highways would tend 10 eat into the remaining long distance travel Of the railroads: and il can be aken for granted that inc rail lines will oppose the plan although such opposItlon may not amount 10 much.