Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-25
BY THOS. p. HENRY,

President, American Automobile Association.
Aside from str2ssing the importance
of adequate highways in our economic
life, the year 1880 was in many re-
spects the grea.e est period of road
building in the history of the country
This was evidenced in the construction
of new mil age. maintenance OF exist
ing roads and in preparations tor an
even greater expansion OF this pro-
gram in 1881.
throughout the year the need for
more and be ter highways was en-
phasized as a means OF stimulating
business and providing employmc MT:
THE result was to focus much-needed
attention on the need for efnclent
movement of the motor transport.
$4,000 Miles Surfaced.
Approximately $4,000 miles of high
WAYS were surfaced on State and local
roads, including main arteries on tne
Federal-aid system, bringing the total
| surfaced mileage up to 100000 AT tne
close of the year 1t means tnat
around % per cent of the 3,025000
miles of all roads have been improved.
Expenditures for this program by FED
eral. State and local agencies reached
approximately $2O00,0 100000, and 1t IS
air ady evident that a similar amount
| will be expended during the ensuing
year To this must be added around
$500, 600 900 spent by municipalities LOT
building and maintaining streets. Inc
increased uses of thu streets and high
ways by all forms of motor transport,
however, clearly show that there must
be no halt in road building
Expansion of the highway program
| in 1880. which was anticipated dur
ing the close of 1929 when 1t was APP
parent that Congress would increase
| the amount of the annual approprl-
alton for Federal aid from SIS .0OO,OOO
| to S125.O00 900 was stimulated by TINS
assistance from the Government. IL
| justified the hopes of all that Presl-
! dent Hoover would take the leadership
| in encouraging road building
| Before proceeding further on the ac-
cofhplishments of the year, however:
| let us look at some other phases OF
our highway system. While virtually
| 70 per cent of the mileage of all State
| highways have been surfaced, only Al
per cent of this surfaced mileage rep
resents macadam or better. TINS
means that only about 25 per cent OF
the total mileage of State highways
are of a high-type surfacing.
Secondary Roads.
With regard to the local or sec
ondary roads, only about 16 per cent
of the mileage is surfaced and only
about 10 per cent of this surfaced
mileage is of Q high type. on the
basis of all local roads. only about
2 per cent of the total mileage repre-
sents high-type surfacing..
| that there is a demand for high-typt
surfacing, which is essential to with
stand the strain of the heavy traffic Of
today.
Federal aid continued to be the great
factor in stimulating road building II
the year Just closed. The States, how
ever, went beyond the Federal aid pro-
gram and pushed highway construction
to the limit. This is evident by thu
fact that preliminary figures indicate
that the mileage of new surfacing FOL
the year reached 10000 miles on the
Federal aid system, State and loca
roads. To this must be added around
10000 miles of resurfacing.
Included in the Federal aid highway
system at the present time are l93,04s
miles of the country's most important
interstate and intercounty highways
Initial Federal aid Improvements were
completed during the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1880, on 1917 miles in THU
system A total Of $3.50 miles OF high.
ways on the entire system had beer
improved as of November 80, 1880, OIL
about 40 per cent Of the total mileage
The effect of the increase in tht
annual Federal aid appropriation u
$125 900, 900 in stimulating road build
ing was evident in the number of mer
employed on the Federal aid system
In April, 1890. the number of men en-
ployed on this system was 10000, al
compared with 1920 in April, 1929
In May, 1880. the number employed
was 81 400, and in June, 35 300 as com
pared with 26 800 and $4,000, respec
lively. in May and June, 1929. II
August, 1880. the number employed wa!
4S.5l3 These figures represent onl!
the men employed in the actual con
stIuction of the roads. They do no
include the workers required TO manu-
facture and prepare materials ant
porting materials and equipment TO tn
job
1881 Outlook.
Now, as to the outlook for 1881 TIL
close of the ar found favorable sen
timent in Congress for the passage o
legislation to enable the Government Il
build highways across the public do
main in the public land States of tn
West There are also a strong tide o
sentiment in favor of prompt actor
on the measure to assure funds for tn
building of roads through the nationa
forests as a means of fire protection
MOTORISTS RISING TAX