The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-12-21
Federal Road Aid

AOONA AN
Fcdcrai-aid road building has been one II the out
Standing contacts between the national government arc
tho states. It has left . distinctive impress Of urcg,e ss
en- the commonwealth. wherever It has teamed With
the states its influence has been toward = higher quality
OF living. Il has stimulated the cfficiencies. whether in
administration. in industry Or in social organization.
1t has had unreasonable economic effects. It has
brought tho sections more and more In contact through
travel. it mas developed a new civilization and state Of
society.
The aid has been extended on 4 large scale. What has
been doI.c Is slow Of revelation in report and statistics.
Takc for instance. the range Of aid in 1924. the scope OF
which has just been made public in figures from the
bureau Of public roads Of the agricultural department.
Complete statistics show that not only were 1890 miles
of federal-aid road constructed in that year. but they
indicate that federal aid has helpcd materially in the
construction Of the higher types OF surfacings.
In the year. a total OF 74.703 miles OF highways were
improved. With state and federal funds and the CO.
operation Of the U. s. bureau of public roads. the states
constructed 1914 miles Of roads and II miles OF bridges
in the !ederal-aid system. With state funds alone. the
states improved 1881 mics Of state roads. and N.
counties and other local units constructed 4353l miles
OF county and local roads.
Consistent with their superior importance. rs shown
by traffic surveys. tho federai-aid road improvements
were generally Of higher type than improvements made
on other state roads and on the local roads. As fast
as funds become available. high-type surfaces are being
NOAAotl uNtC ~ 49, 0AN SOuS1tbCO WtMIC U0A1E z
quircs them. Medium-type pavenents. which cost less
TO construct than the high-type. are built where traffic
Is not SO great. and the greater proportion Of unsurfaced
roads constructed are Of local Importance.
The years total mileage divided into three general
types shows high-type ~surfacing mileage Of SeA6 miles.
consisting Of bituminous concrete. Portland cement con-
crete. sheet asphalt. and brick: whole medium-type. mile
age was 1911. these being surfaced with water-bound
and bituminous macadam: and : low-type mileage OF
So 80O VAS imn-Oved hv grading draining earth rnndS
sand-clay and topsoil and gravel.
In the year. the states. with federal aid, improved
1908 miles Of federal-aid roads with hish-type pave
ments and bridges. Or % per cent Of the total: with
state funds alone they constructed 3.Asl miles. witch was
nearly y per cent Of the total Of that type hunt. The
counties constructed 1.5l7 miles Of high-type highways.
q mileage which vas 10 per cent Of the total.
OF the medium type construction. the states. with
federal aid. improved coz miles OF federal-aid roadsr
which was almost : per cent Of the total. with state
funds alone they constructed 2,3s3 miles. Or u Per cent
of the total Of that type built. The counties improved
1852 miles Of road Of this type. which WAS shout 81
per cent Of the total mileage Of the type built In the
year.
The largest mileage Of low-type roads which was con-
structed BY the counties. 1851 miles. almost s7S OF the
total built in the year. The states. with federal aid. i'm
proved 3.35l miles, or more than 8 per cent Of the total.
and With state funds alone they improved 15Sl7 miles.
or &c per cent Of the total Of these types built in the year.
The world IS becoming 50 democratic thst the grand
manner would be extinct except for traffic cops.