New Britain herald., 1930-05-17
STATE NEEDS TO lNpRONI
 MORE MINOR ROADS

MORE MINOR ROADS
 Time nas coma to consider once agaI1 the possibthles o6 improving i more ot the so-calied side roads oi the stata. The word "slde-roads" however. . is a mjsnomer. Some or these roads . m reality are more direct arteries . of travel between points than the state roads. The Cat Holc road be- tween Barltn and Merlden, for ln- | stance. is case in point. Only the tact that it is not an improved road denies 1t a goodly share Of the motor travel between New Britain and Mer.den. The Connecticut Grange IS en=as- ed in another csmpalgn 10 induce negligent state 10 do something ! about the unjmproved roads, which are more numerous and have a larger mileage by far than the in1- proved roads. Despite the fact that Connecticut prjdcs herself upon her good roads, 1t must nor he oqsr- looked that these are manly main trunk lines" leaving horde of minor roads virtually unused eX- cept for those living along their routes
 Such q condition IS an inevitable consequence Of inc as-you-so' policy Many Of the unlmproyed roads oe the state are "autnorized' 10 be improved, but for 9 lack ot sufficient funds under Inc pay-as- you-go policy they are left as dirt roads,
 True. the new sta.e law permit ing towns to Impro1e highways by splitting costs with the stale and which glres 70 cath town pro- rata sum for such 3. purpose if inc town IS satisfied 70 20 51-5os has wrought some 1mpros emenG put 1t by no means has done enough good to be factor ln 4 general improve ment Of conditions. The towns arc most likely 10 he interested in q nam roads through the toan, leaving important arteries untouch- ed, arteries that the general public could use with pleasure and profit.
 With 3 n1orc widespread in- nrovement Of roads at present un- improved. traffic conditions through out the state would be vastly lnl- proved as well Under present con- dtions every one using an auto- mobile naturally gonvergcs upon the ~elI-payed highways gong out Of their way 10 reach them. The result $ that thousands ofears am these highways. when a fen miles away. and intersecung them at trcq1enl intervals, are unjmprovcd hfsa- uays that are scarcely used at all, Everyone with motoring experience is fully conversant with this dls- tressing condition and everyone Is n favor Of q more speedy tmprot c. nent Of these minor h2gnway=.
 It is frye that condrione have oaen slightly improved the past few years SO far as alternate rou'es he- tween various muntclpaJlJes ar- concerned In driving rom >eH Britain to New Haven or inc shore for instance, t IS no 1ong-~ on- tirely necessary 10 use tho Berair Post road, the route through Plain vilIe and then the use Of the Col. lere Highway beng z fr suostjrute But this IS only one instance. There area multitude of other unlmprol ec highways radiating from virtual! every city and town which get verl ntrle attention because of thci condition, IL is these which shoull receive more attention in the nea future.
 The Grange vaIiantly campaign ing for this principle, might talk note Of the fact that ona place | gain results in the future is tn Legislature. It so happens that in country towns are so well repres ented in the Legislature that the control it. It would appear logica for these towns to exert an Infu nnce along lines suggested by lh Grange and other country interest yitally concerned in better mino highways, IL is curious, however that 8 country-controlled Lcgjsla ture has so little influence with th powers that be. Let the small tow Legislators decide on abolishin the pay-as-you-zo system so far a highways are concerned and ther would be a speedy improvement