The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-01-02
SPECIAL ROAD FUND.
WILL GIVE MANYJ0BS
PROJECTS TO BE WIDELY DIS
TRIBUTED OVER STATE AND
FINISHED BEFORE SEPTEMBER
Trunk HIGHWAY PLAN TO
HELP OTHER ROADS.

The work of preparing plans and
letting contracts for the extra high
way work made possible by the emer-
gency federal aid appropriation will be
ing to Commissioner c. M. Babcock,
so that actual work can start as soon
as weather permits in the spring.
The allotment to Minnesota under
the emergency appropriation is $2,249,-
993. This is in addition to the regular
federal aid allotment of $3,497,3O6
Minnesota intends to comply with
both the letter and spirit of the act of
Congress, and the relief of unemploy-
ment will be the first thought in plan
ming all work to be done with the
special fund. The work will be dis
tributed as widely over the state as
possible, in projects which can be
started early and completed before
SEPTEMBER /. The federal aid pro-
vided by the special fund can be ap-
piled only in reimbursing the state for
work done before Sept. l.
The emergency fund is not additional
highway aid, but must be reimbursed
without interest to the federal govern
ment over period of five years COM
mencing with 1888, from future high
way aid allotments.
If any states fail within a reaonable
period to claim any part of their allot-
ment, it may be reapportioned to other
states capable of using such funds be-
fore Sept. 1, 1881.
While definite plans have not been
completed, Mr.. Babcock states that the
greater portion of the special fund will
go into additional paving.
Trunk Plan Helps Other Roads.
An average of more than LOO miles
of state aid roads per year have been
graveled and improved since Mime
sofa adopted the trunk highway plan.
Figures on state aid roads are COM
piled by the State Highway depart
ment from reports submitted by the
county highway engineers.
Previous to 1921 smost of the state
aid and county road funds were spent
on the main roads," MIR. Babcock said
"The trunk highway plan, by leaving
the state aid and county road funds
intact for use on secondary routes, has
made possible very rapid develop
ment in these feeder roads. A less ex-
pensive type of construction is required
on these roads than on the trunk nigh
ways, but due to the lighter traffic
many of them are in better condition
than the average graveled trunk high
way"
The highway departments reports
show that at the end of 1920 there
were 1852 miles of state aid roads, of
which 145 were paved, los miles mac
adam, 4.507 miles graveled surfaced,
3,512 miles graded and unSurfaced and
1882 miles unimproved
Most of the 1000 miles designated as
trunk highways in 1921 came out of
the state aid system, but number of
other routes added. At the end of
1921 the reports showed 1857 miles in
the state aid system, of which 80 were
paved, IA macadam, 2,544 gravel sur
faced, 140 sand-clay surfaced, 1897
graded and unsurfaced and 3,170 I'M
improved.
Since that time some routes have
been added each year, and grading,
crawling and other work has been
pushed rapidly. The reports just COM
piled show that there are now 1876
miles in the state aid system, of which
95 are paved, 101 macadam, 1896
gravel surfaced, 404 sand-clay sur
faced, 1865 graded and unsurfaced,
and 1,703 unimproved
State aid roads are financed by the
proceeds of the statewide one mill
tax levy, plus county funds. None of
the gas tax fund which has been dis
tributed to the counties since 1929 is
spent on these roads, but goes on
another class known as county aid
roads. While the State Highway de-
partment has no supervision over
county aid roads, it expects to have a
report on their status of improvement
later