Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13
ROADS PROGRESS
UNDER FEDERAL AID
Two Steps Reported Neces'
sary if Program Meets
Public Demand.
by JAMES w. BROOKS,
Director American Highway Educationa
Bureau.


Bureau.
What motorists are getting for their
money in the way Of improved roads
within each State and the logical steps
that must be taken If construction Is
to proceed with greater dispatch are
shown by progress reports from the
field. These reports are based upon APP
proximate figures obtained from the
American Association of State Highway
Oflcials, the central organization
through which State highway depart
ments cooperate with each other, and
the Bureau of Public Roads, Depart
ment of Agriculture.
A survey of mileage completed on
each State system and the work which
remains to be done discloses the fact
that If the public demand for more
roads Is to be met at more rapid rate
than is now possible two steps are nee
esSary.
Financial Aid Needed.
The first need is to increase the an
nual Federal aid appropriation to $685.
000, 900, in order that the Federal Gov
eminent may keep pace with its part
of the work according to the original
$3.50 program.
The next important step Is to con-
tinue to hold Federal aid inf1exibly to
State and interstate systems, since these
main routes carry from rs to 65 per
cent of the country's traffic and are at
the present time but little more than
rs per cent actually finished. This
point has been made before. It will bear
continued repeating, however, until 1t Is
thoroughly understood by the motorists,
who are paying the lions share Of road
building costs, that any attempt to ex-
tend Federal aid to back roads before
the main systems are much farther adj
vanced will tend to weaken, II not &C
tually' endanger, the whole road-build-
ing program.
Taking up a study of State progress.
Maryland has completed its primary
system of approximately 2,700 miles and
work is now going forward on secondary
mileage to connect with the primary
system. The practical effect of Mary
lands program is that the base has
been laid for the complete system before
venturing into speculative construction
outside the main traf1c routes.
Progress in virginia.
In Virginia. out of an approximate
total of 1000 miles in the State system
about 5000 are reported improved. This
includes grading and drainage, sand
clay, gravel and about LOO miles Of
waterbound macadam before coming up
to about 1900 miles Of higher type con-
struction.
Delaware reports her State system Of
about $40 miles as complete. She Is
now reaching out to secondary roads
and through these to the entire mileage
in the State, which embraces about
1000 miles.
. west virginia has about 1000 miles
in the State system. OF this total, ap-
proximately $500 miles have been
paved-a gratifying achievement, made
possible by bond issue funds. The total
improved mileage Of West Virginia,
from grading and drainage on up, Is
approximately 5000 miles.
In all Of the above work In Mary
land, Delaware, Virginia and West Viz
ginia the Federal Government has
taken part in the construction Of about
5000 miles. The remaining mileage In
the respective systems. amounting to
approximately 8,700 miles, has been
built by the States themselves.