The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-02-06

HarLLOr0, rep o.-Ino current Roadside Bulletin of the National Council for the Protection of Roadside Beauty will be read eag- erly by all New England and par ticularly by the people of Connecti- cut, for it contains the complete report of the Connecticut Roadside Survey just completed by MT and Mrs w. L. Lawton of the National Council and sponsored by the Fed erated Garden Clubs of Connecti- cut.
 The verdict-New England leads with Massachusetts and Connecti- cat neck and neck, and Massachu- setts likely to outdistance the Nut meg State, will stir all Connecticut into renewed activity.
 The report deals with facts, is H. lustrated with striking photo graphs, makes Connecticut's obvi- ous duty surprisingly clear.
 The necessity for protecting Connecticut's countryside from unregulated commercialism is stressed. Practical methods of arousing our people to a realiza- tion of the marvellous asset of nat ural beauty which we possess are outlined. No state in America so needs farsighted planning for the increasing traffic which growing population and enlarging tourist travel bring.
 The Connecticut state program of roadside development has at- tracted nationwide attention. Un- der Commissioner MacDonalds far-sighted leadership, Luther B. Keith has done such an outstand- ing job that he has been made chairman of the standing commit tee on roadside development of the American Association of State Highway Officials. The importance of the work of the Connecticut Forest and Park association in de- veloping roadside woodland reser- vations, of the value of the Con- necticut arboretum at the Con- necticut College for Women at New London and of the charm of the roadside rests being developed by the state highway department are stressed in words of unstinted praise. Connecticut too leads in having sounded the death-knell of the automobile dump or grave yard, by having passed a law which has resulted in cleaning up some 600 of these pestiferous blots on our fair countryside.
 But the report is not all praise, in spite of pictures that will at- tract the tourist and words of com- mendation that will bring satisfac- ton to every citizen of our state. For there is more than one word of warning; and fancied security may prove 0 hollow mockery for the. billboard blight must be curbed, the hot-dog stand must be regulated, the filling station must be imp owed and adequate protec- tion must be assured or the natural beauty of the state will be de- spoiled, by transforming roads now unscarred by commercialism, as population grows and traffic in- creases, into more "slum boule- vards' like the once beautiful but now, in many places, tragically marred Boston Post road.
 This fact explains the widespread public support which the Kitchel bill for the control and regulation of highway advertising received during the legislative session of 1883. The General Assembly, re- sponsive to the popular will, passed this measure for the protection of our rural highways by large ma jority. The Senate killed it. The only opposition was from the bill- board industry.
 The survey points out not only that Connecticut's rural highways are unprotected, but that. through the provisions of the Town Zoning Acts of 1923-25 and of the High way Zoning Act of 1891 the towns are given power to regulate adver- Using signs and billboards. This power has already been used with striking success in eliminating signs fro mresidence districts and will undoubtedly be used by more and more towns, pending the en- actment of further statewide legis- lation.
 Connecticut's roadways are we'll laid and her roadsides are attrac- lively developed, but like most of the other states she is weak on highway planning and design. There is no trained landscape ar- chitect 'n charge of this phase of highway building. Natural con- tours and beautiful settings are by the trained eye of the architect. The parkway tvne of developn ent is the obvious