Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23
HOOVER STRESSES
NEED OF HIGHWAYS
President Wants Legislation
Enacted for Federal Aid
in Construction.
BY JAMES w. BROOKS,
Director, American Highway Educational
Bureau

Director, American Highway Educational
Bureau.
President Hoover has let it be known
that while his first concern is for the
tarh, he Is deeply concerned In the
early passage of all public building bills,
in which Federal Aid for roads forms an
important part. The road measure is
now before a Senate and House con-
ference committee. In view of the urg-
ent need for its early passage. final
action is expected shortly.
While engineers are struggling to keep
road building space with public need,
truck tonnage continues to grow. This
development is particularly marked
around trading centers where depart
ment stores, furniture houses and other
commercial institutions of local char
acter are extending their sales activities
over wider territory as fast as roads are
improved.
Commodity Tonnage Cited.
This growth Of outward-bound as well
as inward-bound community tonnage
once more proves the wisdom of build
ing out from trading centers first as the
most practical way of lettering rural
transportation facilities. Fortunately
for the motor car owner and other tax
payers, the policy Of completing heavy
trafic roads first has become so well
nxed that there is small likelihood of a
change back to the early and wasteful
method of building in patches as an ex-
pedient in meeting rural needs.
While none too much has been said
about the advantages of the modern
road in passenger car service, too little
Is known about its tax-saving and cost
reducing advantages under local truck
0nATAffnn he I. -
statistics on the growing volume of local
merchandise deliveries over rural areas
Is Q dif1cult matter, enough is known
TO prove that the limitations of the mo-
Tor truck are more matter Of road sur
face than Of road length.
Short-Haul Traffic a Factor.
The most accurate gauge as to what
modern roads are doing in local service
may be found in the trucking of live
STOCK. In the past calendar year, ac-
cording to highway shipping reports.
just announced, the highway captured
nearly Is per cent of the short-haul
tramc In live stock around II markets.
Along with this development, there has
come a Tightening of haul from so
miles up to an average distance ranging
between 30 and 100 miles. Not only
have the local shipping areas been
widened, but load weight has increased
as a direct result of substantial road
construction, thus cutting the farmers
shipping costs. Incidentally. one result
not on the list of original good roads
claims has come to light in the fact that
Few farmers ever have enough hogs
ready at one time to make I'D a carload
With the more flexible facilities afforded
by the motor truck and paved highway,
they are able to cut out animals that
are ready for market and thus avoid
the risk and expense of keeping them
until others are fit.
Plea for Modern Roads.
1t is very clear that the limitations
OF the motor truck cannot be deter
mined until all roads are rebuilt upon
a modern basis, and that, In its broad
est sense, the automotive powered road
paved, is experimenting a
new type of city upon the old-a rural
CITY, II you please-wherein the homes
thus encompassed are brought within
practical range for rebuilding. re1tting
ana REIMBURSEMENT according to mod
ern standards. And this NAV be said
with emphasis That the present policy
OF road building in the United States is
tending inevitably toward that goal.