The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-18
MILLIONAIRE
MARK NEARED
BY U. S. ROADS
Building to Be Stimulated
by AppOrtiOning of Fed
eraI Funds.

The country rapidly is approach
ing the time when a million miles
Of surfaced highways will be avail
able for our rubber-tired system OF
transportation, according to Frank
Hatfield. president of the Hoosier
Motor Club.
Hatfield declared that at the end
Of 1882 there we're approximately
875,OOO miles OF surfaced roads. OF
which around 275.OOO miles are on
state highway systems. and the re-
mainder local highways.
There are a total Of 100000
miles of highways in the United
States" he continued, of which
100000 miles are on state systems
and 100000 are county or local
roads. Included in the state sys-
TEN, of course, is the federal aid
system. covering some 100000 miles
Of important interstate highways.
s4OO, 900, 900 Available
The $500 100000 fund now avail
able to the states under the ma
tional industrial recovery act will
have the effect of stimulating road
building. Every state will share in
this fund. and, as there is no re-
quirement that it be matched, the
states can begin to use the money as
soon as their programs have been
approved. In fact. no less than
twenty states already have obtained
tentative approval for their pro-
grams and are getting work under
way.
Aside from the new mileage TO
be improved and the resurfacing OF
mileage previously improved, the
federal funds will enable the states
to eliminate a large variety Of traf-
fic hazards. This work will include
the building of bypass highways
around cities, the elimination OF
grade crossings. and the removal OF
'bottle-necks' as a means Of facili-
tating traffic with a greater degree
Of safety
Solid Tires Disappear
Solid or cushion tires rapidly are
disappearing from the highways
and this is certain TO mean less
wear and tear on the roads in the
future. according to Todd Stops
secretary-manager of the HooSleI
Motor Club.
Stoops declared that estimates in
dictate that only 90 per cent of the
1882 truck production had solid or
cushion tires. whereas in 1921 the
percentage of commercial vehicles
so equipped amounted to 29.8 per
cent.
solid tire use" he continued,
now is confined almost exclusive
" to a limited field of specialized
hauling. including road construc-
ton. excavating and the transpor-
tation of structural steel and other
extremely heavy loads, mostly With
in cities.
Restrictions Made Laws
aside from the effect on high
WAYS. solid tired vehicles usually are
of a slow-moving variety which
serve to impede traffic. The general
use of pneumatic tires for CONNER
ciaI vehicles will speed up these
and thereby facilitate travel. This
is true particularly in metropolitan
areas"
The Hoosier Motor Club executive
pointed out that new restrictions on
commercial vehicles now being writ
ten into state laws provide Tor the
elimination Of solid or cushion tires
with a reasonable time for replace
ments.
Several states" he added, have
already enacted laws banning We
hicles with solid tires from the
highways, and it is anticipated that
a number of legislatures will give
consideration to such legislation IN
.te Immediate future"