The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-31
BRIDGE CAMP Align IS
Seen AS MENACE TO
HIGHWAY PROGRAM
Demand for Federal Bridge
Money Will Cut Into Avail
able Funds for Roads
Nv The Associated Press

With batteries Of arguments lined
up in the fight for bridge approprla-
tions. some members Of the legisla-
ture are sharpening their pencils IN
the hope of spiking the guns OF the
bridge campaigners.
Their comment. and it Is being
heard with increasing frequency, IS
that the campaign for bridges IS
liable to seriously cripple the states
road building program. The argu-
ment may be used to cut down the
bridge appropriations or eliminate
some il them altogether.
Advocates of all bridge apprcpria-
lions have stressed the fact that
large share of the cost Of these In
terprises will be borne by the fed
eral government, the money being
taken from the fund allotted by the
government to the state for road and
bridge building purposes. Three
fOurthS of the cost OF the proposed
Missouri river bridge at Fort Yates
will be paid from this fund. Prac-
tically the entire cost OF bridge at
Elbowoods would come from this fund
and half the cost OF proposed bridges
at Stanton, Washburn and Garrison.
Two Bridges Possible
There is a possibility that the state
may build more than one Missouri
river bridge by appropriations made
at this session. In such event, the
lads with the sharp pencils say, the
federal aid fund would be in sore
condition and the effect would be to
%otr 11,,i1rjiV,U
gram.
Here is how the sharp pencils
figure it out:
Three fourths of a 100000 bridge
at Fort Yates would take S450,000
from the fund. Bridges at Garrison,
Stanton and Washburn would nick
the fund for 100000 each. A bridge
at Elbowoods would cost the fund
still more. The proposed bridge
across the Red river at Fargo would
cost the fund $4,000: that at Wahpe-
ton SOS, 900 and that Of Grafton $25,-
600 more. The total reaches the neat
little sum Of $3.50, 900 which would
be deducted from the federal aid
fund for bridge construction during
the next two years.
But that doesn't tell the entire
story. Any one of the proposed
bridges, with the exception of those
at Fargo and WahpetOn, will mean
the construction of some new state
highway to make the bridges useful.
In the case of any one of the Mis-
souri, river bridges this would mean
approximately $4,000 more, or a total
Of 100000.
Cuts Road Funds
During each of the next two years
the state will receive $1,197O0O in fed
eral aid money or total for the
biennium of $2,394.000. When $780,
600 is deducted from this sum it cuts
the amount Of federal aid available
for new road construction elsewhere
in the state to $1,494,000 or $757.O0O
q year.
At its December meeting the state
highway commission outlined its road
building program. This program calls
for using all of the federal aid money
In sight for new roads. The proposal
to expend large sums for bridges may
meet with opposition from those Sec
tons of the state which are clamor-
ing for roads.
# the battle changes from one in
which advocates of various bridge
sites are opposing each other to one
In which good roads enthusiasts OPP
pose as q unit all or most of the
bridge proposals, the result may be
the defeat OF the bridge proposals.