Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-16
QUARTER BILLION
VOTED FOR ROADS.
Head of American RoadbuiId-
ers Points Out Half of Sum
Will Go to Labor.


To swell employment and alleviate
the business depression, more than a
quarter of q billion dollars has been
released through highway bonding is
sues passed IN the November elections,
according to w. A. Van Duzer, presi-
dent of the American Road Builders
Association.
OF the total authorization Of $2e5, =
100000 in bonds for highways and
bridges, much more than one-haf goes
directly to labor, Van Duzer declared,
as all estimates of direct labor costs
involved in highway construction are
more than so per cent.
In some types, such as concrete roads,
direct labor costs are 52.4 per cent of
the expenditure. Added to these figures
are other estimates by road authorities
on labor costs for production Of the
materials and machinery used In road
building These percentages range as
high as 80 per cent.
S2O0,OOO,eoo for Pay Rolls.
Thus it will be seen that when the
States vote to spend another $500, 000,-
600 for road construction it means that
some 5000, 000, 000 will soon be added to
the pay rolls of highway departments,
contractors and equipment manufac-
turers.
The finances involved in the present
consideration, Van Duzer states, include
the 500, 100000 bond issue of Iowa,
which was passed sometime ago, later
DECLARED unconstitutional as State
measure, then taken up by the counties,
and this vote sanctioned reimbursement
of the counties by the State for high
way expenditures.
l,an Ia
bond issue of $50, 000, 900, the Louisiana
issue Of SIS, 900, Wyoming's $780,
900, and the Golden Gate Bridge and
Highway District bond issue Of $35 900, :
900 for a bridge across the Golden Gate
in California. The new Wyoming high
way bond issue Is equivalent to a re-
issue of the 1919 issue Of $500 900.
which was retired July /, 1890, nine
years ahead of date, entirely from re-
ceipts from motor vehicle license fees
This financing will permit Wyoming
to take up the increased Federal aid
appropriation and is considered, accord
ing to Van Duzer, as but the forerun-
r1er of similar action by other States,
thorizes immediate distribution Of Fed
eral funds for 1892.
States to Pass Legislation.
Forty-two State Legislatures which
meet this Winter will undoubtedly act
on much highway legislation, in view of
the fact that road bonds may now be
marketed at a good premium, the pres
ent low prices of materials which have
decreased the cost of construction, and
the emphasis placed upon increased
construction as an aid in the unempIoy-
ment crisis.
Money spent for public improve
ments gives the dollar q double value, :"
says Van Duzer. for in addition to the
value Of the improvement there Is the
dollar placed in circulation In the hands
Of the individual worker.
Bond issues will continue to be eco
nomically. sound as long as motor We
hicle fees are used to pay OF the In
debtedness, because those revenues are
continuing to increase IN amount each
year.
Cities throughout the Nation also
VIII go long way In solving their local
employment problems II they take adj
vantage Of present conditions In meet
ing more rapidly the demand for more
streets to take up trafic congestion.
NO community can say today that Il
has enough improved highways or
streets. AS more public funds are put
In circulation for the construction of
public improvements, business condi-
tons will rapidly improve. Such activ-
lily has . strong influence upon private
business"