Evening star., 1929-12-08
ROAD NEEDS OF j, S.
GREAT, SAYS HENRY
Present Program of Building
Not Up to Nations Re-
quirements, He Ayers.

With every indication that Congress
will increase Federal-aid appropriations
to stimulate road building throughout
the country, expenditures for highway
and street construction and nainte-
nance in 1880 will exceed $2,500,000, 900
| and furnish employment to 625, 900
| people,
This statement was made by Thomas
p. Henry, president of the American
| Automobile Association, who pointed out
the tremendous influence this vast pro-
gram will have in iustifying the bill
| lions of dollars to be spent in other
channels next year.
But large as this program appears ~
| Mr.. Henry added, lit must not be as
Sumed that it measures up to the road
building needs of the Nation today"
Mr.. Henrys estimate of road and
street expenditures for 1880 is based ON
survey of expenditures for 1928 and
1929 and reports from aff1liated A. A. A.
motor clubs and highway authorities
throughout the country.
Highway Bill in 1929.
"The Nations highway bill In 1928"
preliminary estimates for 1929 place the
amount at well over 81 SOC, 100000.
"An additional $50 ,000, 900 In Federal
aid appropriations. to be matched with
a similar amount by the States, to-
gether with the speeding UP Of construc-
ton generally as pledged to President
Hoover by State executives, will easily
mean an increase Of 5000, ,o0O, 900 In road
expenditures next year.
ITO this must be added approximately
| $500, 900, 900 year spent by nunicipali-
ties for construction and maintenance
| of streets. This amount will In all prob
ability be exceeded In 1890.
1T is estimated that every $4,000
spent in the construction and mainte-
nance Of streets and highways is equiva-
| lent to the wages and materials used by
| one worker. On this basis the antici-
pated $250o,o00, 900 program in 1880
would mean the employment Of 625, 900.
| OF this number, approximately 100000
| represents highway officials, contractors
and engineers the remainder constitute
| ing the highway labor army"
While urging the States and counties
to do everything possible to enlarge their
| road appropriations for 1890. Mr.. Henry
declared that this is good time for
cities to launch their programs for
street widening and the acquisition OF
the necessary rights OF way.
Wider Streets Needed.
There is hardly a large city in the
| United States" he said, 1.-The develop
ment and future prosperity of which
does not hinge on the securing of rights
| of way for the construction of wider
streets, belt roads and super-highWays
| through metropolitan areas. Only q
handful of cities have developed real
program. Here is an acute problem to
| which capital can be diverted as a per.
manent investment In eficient trans.
portation. growth and prosperity" He
| continued:
1T has been shown in the past that
Federal aid has encouraged highway
building by the States, and also thai
| the resultant increase In travel has
stimulated municipalities to take step:
! to speed up needed street improvements
| Federal projects, however, cannot
| proceed as rapidly as they have in the
past few years unless Congress increases
the annual appropriation. The principa
reason for this is the fact that an ac'
emulation of unexpended balances O.
/ earlier years, which allowed space il
excess Of what would ordinarily be pos
sible under the 100000 allotted eacf
year, has now been absorbed. 1t i
| significant that the mileage OF improve
ment completed during the fiscal yea,
1929 was smaller than in previous
years"