Evening star., 1939-05-30
Cartwright Discusses
Superhighlway Plan
On Radio Forum
House Committee Head
TuIks on Rouds Bureaus
TronseontinentoI Project

Continued From Page B-8)
national defense in time of war
and the needs of growing peace
time traffic of longer range.
2. The modernization of the Fed
eral-aid highway system.
g. The elimination of hazards at
railroad grade crossings.
4. An improvement of secondary
and feeder roads, properly integral
ed with land-use programs.
S. The creation of Federal land
authority empowered to acquire,
hold, sell and lease lands needed
for public purposes and to acquire
and sell excess lands for the pur-
pose of recoupment.
Interregional Highways.
1t is estimated that a system of
interregional highways providing
reasonably direct connection be-
tween the larger cities would in
clude not more than 10000 miles.
This is about twice the mileage of
the proposed toll system, but a
lesser mileage would not include
all routes that are of primary i'm
portance and interregional utility.
Traffic flow maps would be the most
important guide in fixing the loca-
ton of these routes, but conSidera-
ton should be given to the effect
OF present highway inadequacies on
traffic flow.
In large part the system could be
created by modernizing existing
highways, applying standards for
grades, curvature and surfaced
width approaching those that were
selected for the system of toll roads
studied. In the system as proposed,
all railroad grade crossings would
be eliminated and all highway in
tersections would either be sepa-
rated, closed or protected according
to the Importance of the intersect-
ing roads.
If the bureau plan is adopted the
interregional routes would enter and
traverse all large cities by means of
facilities adequately designed to
promote free movement of traffic to
and through the center of the city.
Aiming these routes at the center
OF large cities may be a surprise to
many people, but that is where most
Of the approaching traffic is bound.
Limited access, belt routes would be
provided wherever it is found that
enough people wanted to pass
around the city rather than go
through.
The small cities and towns would
be skirted, since they would be the
destination of only a small portion
of the traffic.
1t is estimated that 30,0O0-mile
system Of this character, including
about l per cent of the rural high
ways, would carry at least 1919 per
cent of the total rural highway
traffic. Compared with this the less
extensive toll system studied is esti-
mated to attract only 12 per cent
of rural road travel.
Needs for National Defense.
The proposed plan is in accord
with the general needs for national
defense and the Secretary OF War
has concurred in recommending the
report for the consideration of Con-
gress. During the World War all
transportation facilities between
centers of population aRd between
industrial areas were overburdened
and congested with traffic An in
terregional system of highways
would be necessity in turning our
peace-time facilities to production
of the materials for war and in
moving men and materials to any
front where they might be needed
Many inquiries are being received
IN Washington concerning the exact
location of the proposed system. I
want to emphasize that a location
has not yet been fixed. The Bureau
of Public Roads report shows in
diagrammatic form the existing
routes that carry the greatest VOL
ume of traffic This is a guide of
the greatest Importance, since the
system should be designed to &C
commodate the greatest possible
number of users. The report states
that further studies must be made
in close cooperation with various
agencies. particularly State high
way departments and the War De-
partment, before an exact location
is fixed.
I wish also to emphasize that
Congress has never yet determined
the exact route or detailed location
OF any highway-and probably never
will. This can be decided better by
Federal and State highway officials
on basis of traffic flows and other
factual information.
Modernization of Federal Aid
System.
The second major recommended
tion OF the report is that the mod
ernization of the Federal aid high
way system be continued. Many of
these routes will be included in the
interregional system and improved
to the high standards contem-
plated for that system Those that
are not included should be made
suitable for safe and rapid move
ment of vehicles.
Many of these roads were built
for conditions as they existed 10,
Is and 20 years ago. Then the
speed OF vehicles was slower, funds
for highways were limited, and there
was insistent demand to get the
traffic out of the mud. No one fore
saw conditions as they now exist.
Had they been foreseen, it is doubt
full if any greatly different course
could have been followed. AS a
consequence we are now using
many sections of road that are re-
stricted in right of way and have
narrow surfaces, sharp curves,
steep grades and in places they are
indirect in location. The bureaus
report gives typical examples of
main highways that are now unsafe
at many points and illustrates how
complete records of road conditions
are being compiled in the highway
planning surveys. The substandard
roads must be made safe for use
at the speed at which vehicles now