Evening star., 1938-12-04

UAS DSSu In lMpOTCAut 1aCtOT IN
maintaining q highway program for
many years, not only by promotionAl
work, but by technical and engineer
ing studies. Its publications are
utilized by most Of the engineering
schools and highway organizations.
Contrary to the general impress
sion, the good roads movement was
not started by the advent Of the
automobile. The real clamor for
better roads was started by the
bicycle riders In the late 70's. These
early highway users were having q
rather bad time Of it trying to get
through the mud. Then, too, bicycles
were considered q nuisance by the
farmers because they scared the
horses. It was necessary to have
legislation passed which would give
the bicyclist equal rights with the
horse-drawn vehicle. The bicycle in
its early days was no more popular
than was the automobile in the
late eos.
In 1879 the first national good
roads organization was formed and
was called the League of American
Wheelmen. This was the pioneer
road promotion outfit and was made
up of member divisions in every
State. Through it's many publica-
tions and other means the League
OF American Wheelmen spread
propaganda for better roads.
1t was from this group that the
American Road Builders Associ-
alton was organized in 1902 in the
early days of the automobile. The
demand for more durable highways
became pressing as the automobile
began to eliminate the bicycle and
the horse drawn vehicle as means
Of transportation. The constitution
specified that the objectives of the
association should be the promo
ton of the general betterment of
highways and the special construc-
tion Of intercapital connecting high
ways converging at the National
Capital"
The early annual meetings Of the
American Road Builders Associa-
ton were influential in the initial
attempts at obtaining a connecting
system Of highways in this country.
The outstanding highway engineers
and good roads enthusiasts of their
day attended these meetings and
took the opportunity to start the
good roads movement, which has
| continued to the present time.
These were the first organized
efforts toward the construction of
highways to accommodate the new
form of transportation.
With the increase in automobile
registration and the resulting de-
mand for more roads, the annual
conventions became larger and there
was added an exhibit of rapidly
developing highway building ma
chinery and materials. These con-
ventions and road shows have con-
tinued to grow and this year there
was an attendance of more than
10000 members of the highway in
dustry and profession at Cleveland
With steady growth in It's
various membership classification,
1t became necessary to separate the
association into 10 divisions, which
carry on committee studies anc
arrange their own activities. Ir
recent years the association ha.
strengthened its position by organ.
izing State sections or afIiliatins
highway bodies already organized
in the States. The State section.
or Affiliations now total 20.
Since the principal objective o.
the association is the construction
of an adequate system Of highways
by the continuance of a balanced
program, 1t has necessarily concen-
trated on highway legislation. Legis-
lative policies formulated by a Ma
tional Highway Advisory Council
comprised of representatives from
each class of membership and two
members from each State affiliated
organization.
Policies adopted by the American
Road Builders Association as recon-
mended by the National Highway
Advisory Council are embodied in
a platform which was adopted q
few years ago.
The development of the American
highway system must be based on
] q three-fOld program. (1) the deter