Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-14
$125,ODD,O(O j. S.
ROAD AID IS ASKED
Enlargement of Present Pro-
gram imperative, Says
A. A. A. Statement.

Road-building needs of the country
have advanced to the stage where Con-
gress should increase the present an
nual Federal-aid appropriation of $751;
c@l.csSH1 to possible maximum of $685.
-aS statement was issued by ma
tional headquarters of the American
Automobile Association, which original
ly sponsored the Federal-aid program
and has consistently repealed assaults
on this policy Of highway construction.
Under the present policy of making
these appropriations two years ahead"
says the national motoring body, 1.-THE
regular session of the Seventy-firs
Congress will turn its attention to the
appropriation for 1882 and 1888. 1t is
imperative that the present program
should be enlarged"
The A. A. A. points out that when
the present Federal-aid highway act
was enacted in 1916 there were only
100000 motor vehicles registered,
while today the number has increased
to 24,731, 800. A
Expenditures Are Cited.
In support Of its proposal that the
Federal Government increase the ex-
tent of its participation in road build
ing, the A. A. A. cites the following
facts:
/. State and local governments are
now expending the stupendous sum of
81 500, 100000 annually for construction
of roads. To this amount the Federal
Government is contributing only $75,-
100000 or approximately per cent.
2. Under the war excise tax, which
was the last hangover war levy re-
SxatA
ury $1,100, 100000 while the Federal
Government has expended approxi-
mately $3.50, 100000 under the Federal
aid highway act. This leaves balance
of nearly $500, 0o0, 900 still due the car
owners of the Nation.
3. The present Federal-aid highway
system of approximately 100000 miles
of important interstate roads has been
only one-third completed, and under
the present program it will require at
least 10 or IS more years to complete
this important program.
4. There are 40 motor vehicles reg
istered in 1928 to every mile of i'm
proved highway, while the ratio 10
years ago was II motor vehicles to
every mile. This clearly shows that
highway building agencies are not keep
ing pace with the increase in number
OF motor VenlcIeS.
Government Beneficiary.
S. The Federal Government, through
the use of the highways for mail and
parcel post delivery, for military pur-
poses and other governmental activities
has been one of the principal bene-
ficiaries of improved highways. 1t
should, therefore, assume greater part
of the burden of building them, and
this would in turn help toward the solu-
ton of the farm problem by facilitating
the distribution of agricultural prod
uctS.
The statement continues:
while the Federal-aid policy Is do
ing much toward giving the Nation an
adequate system Of highways, the fact
cannot be ignored that our car manu-
facturers are crowding our road build
ers. Moreover, congestion is increasing
at a greater rate than our roads are
expanding. This means that the time
has come to enlarge the present pro-
gram and look even beyond the COM
pletion of the system already designated
Predatory interests, ever anxious for
personal gain at the expense OF the
millions of car owners, have used the
slow process In road building as argu-
ment for toll roads. While it is true
that Congress has been quick to resent
attempts to interfere with Federal aid,
it is also true that these private prof.
ects, in many instances, have their ad-
vocates. There Is no room for toll
roads in the American scheme and
safeguards must be thrown around the
highway program to the end that free
highway transportation may not be en-
dangered."