Evening star., 1932-02-28
BUILDERS DEPICT
ROAD NECESSITIES
Need of Highways Shown by
A. R. B. Association
in Reports.

Public roads have created a vast sub
sidy to agriculture, industry, and TO
other forms of transportation in that
without highways the wheels Of busi-
ness would cease to turn stated H. 8.
ShertZ, in q report to the American
Road Builders Association in Detroit
mo other medium of transportation
has been developed which does not de-
pend on the highway for its building or
continuation" Mr.. Sheriff explained.
Waterways serve those on the shores,
railroads aid people at sidings along
the route, airplanes reach only their
landing fields. Improved highways
fully equipped with motor vehicles con-
meet passenger and freight stations with
vast territories inaccessible in the days
when the horse furnished the power on
the highways. From the raw material
TO the manufacturer, to the distributor,
to the retailer, to the consumer the
highway plays an indispensable part.
New industries and more widespread
use Of commodities developed as a re-
suit OF highway improvement have in
creased tremendously the freight ton
mage Of other transportation agencies.
The highways have persisted because of
the service rendered to the public, and
their usefulness has been multiplied
many fold through the development of
motor vehicles.
The highway needs no defender for
1t has legion of friends. Whether in
war, as Roman roads still existing bear
mute testimony, or in the peaceful pur-
suits OF the post roads, recognized In
the Federal Constitution, the highway
has served well. Improvements in We
h1cles have been followed by better
ments in highways to make best use Of
the new vehicles.
Without highways other methods of
transportation would be paralyzed," he
declared
THE greatest usefulness of the high
way lies in public control by highway
users rather than by agencies that wish
highways regulated so that private
profits may be increased. Since the
earliest historic times the highway has
been serenely useful, interviewer with
daily life
Whitehurst Report.
Similarity of methods of assessment
In II representative cities in the United
States is noted in report of the CITY
Od1c1als' Division Of the American Road
Builders Association, presented bv a
committee of which II. c. Whitehlirst
engineer Of highways, Washington, D.
C., was chairman.
The following points Of similarity are
noted:
Street railway paving costs are maid
by the utility company.
The cost Of paving the entire width
OF the street, except the street railway
area, Is usually assessed against the
abutting property.
Heavy grading is, in most cases, paid
for by the city.
Abutting property is assessed for side
walks and alley improvements.
Intersections are paid for by the CITY
in about so per cent Of the cities can
vaSSed.
In the majority Of cases the city re-
tains discretionary powers In the selec-
ton Of types.
Recommendations for Standardization
are as follows:
The selection of type should in all
instances be discretionary power of
the city officials.
intersections should be paid for by
the city from general funds.
Part Of the costs, in cases OF pave
mentS with excessive widths, should
be paid from general paving funds.
Contractors should be paid In cash
from available funds.
The repaving of surfaces 40 years or
more in age should be financed by
general assessment, while for pavements
of less age the cost should be taken
from the general paving funds.
Track Pavings
Paving in street railway tracks Is not |
so much a matter of the improvement
possible In construction as 1t Is queS- |
tion of where the street railway COM
panies are to obtain the funds to make
the changes, repairs and renewals
shown desirable through research de-
velopments, according to Harry Shaner,
commissioner of public works. winston
Salem, N. c., in a report to the Amer
ican Road Builders Association.
"A reasonable portion of the funds
set aside by cities for street work
should be used In the pavement Of
street railway tracks," declared Mr..
Shaner. The street car rider should
not continue to pay such q large share
of the cost Of pavements that are laid
primarily for the benefit Of users Of
other forms Of Transportation"