Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-10
TOLL BRIDGE ISSUE
|URGEDONCONGRESS
Senator 0ddie to Press Con-
sideration of Measure for
Finance Probe.

A congressional investigation into the
methods of financing the construction
and maintenance of toll bridges will be
sought during the next session of Con-
greSs, Senator TaSker l.. Oddie, Repub-
lican, Nevaua, told the legislative COM
mittee of the American Motorists Asso-
citation, in session here this week.
Senator Oddie announced to the COM
mittee that he will introduce in the
Senate on the opening day OF the Sew
enty-f1rst Congress a resolution provid-
ing for a thorough study of every phase
of the toll bridge problem.
Senator Oddie's efforts to obtain a
showdown on the toll bridge question
will have the full support of the Ameri-
can Motorists Association, Thomas j.
Keefe, general manager of the organiza-
ton. declared in a statement following
the Senator's announcement.
Abolition of Tolls Advocated.
1.-THE American Motorists Association
has for years been waging determined
fight for the abolition of all toll bridges
in the United States" Keefe states
land such an investigation as Senator
Oddie proposes should receive the sup
port of every motorist in the country.
The toll bridge system is just as repre-
hensible as the toll gate system.
1T is difficult to understand the pres
ent policy of Congress in granting
highway toll bridge franchises to pri-
vate interests. Congress has given
abundant evidence of its intention that
the Federal aid system shall be free for
the use of tolls on all roads in the con-
struction of which the Government
participates. Furthermore, the use of
Federal funds for the improvement of
roads which constitute immediate APP
proaches to toll bridges Is expressly
forbidden.
Congress Fails TO Heed Requests.
I'm the face of these legislative ex-
pressfonS, and in total disregard of the
recommendations of the Bureau of Pub
lie Roads, Congress during the last reg
ular session enacted lis bills authoriz.
ing the construction of toll bridges. No
reliable figures are available showire
the total number of toll bridges in the
United States, but Government data
indicated that 424 toll bridges were in
operation on october 81, 1927, and it
is q safe assumption that This Humber
has been materially increased since
that time.
Last year American motorists, in the
form OF special motor vehicle taxes.
paid more than 35 per cent OF the en-
tire highway bill of S1,500, 000, 900, and
the proportion will be increased this
year. Toll bridges impose upon these
motorists a tax upon the use of the
roads which their money has helped to
build
$118,000,000 Collected Annually.
"It is estimated that motorists pay
out about $4,000 900 annually in the
form of bridge tolls. If this money
were used for the retirement of con-
struction costs, looking to the ultimate
elimination of tolls, there would be no
objection, but, unfortunately, it goes Cor
the enrichment of private bridge own
ers," Keefe declares.
THE last justification for the whole
sale granting of toll bridge franchises
was removed by Congress itself when 1t
adopted the Oldfield amendment to the
Federal aid act. which permits the use
Of Federal funds up to one-half the
cost of bridge construction. The fur
Their granting by Congress of private
toll bridge franchises will and should
be unanimously condemned by motorists
throughout the United States"