Evening star., 1947-06-29
Road-Fixing
Hits Detour
Numerous Obstacles
Delay Improved
Highways
~
By CIorke Beech

.
By Clorke Beech
Vacation motorists will find little
has yet been done on that fine
postwar highway construction pro-
gram they have been hearing about
since 1914.
The postwar automobile jam will
be in evidence, nevertheless. The
Public Roads Administration pre-
diets that motor vehicle registra-
tions this year will exceed the all
time high
Even last year, when the auto
mobile assembly lines had just be-
gun to turn out postwar cars, the
amount of travel outside of cities
broke all records, according to the
PRA. There were 34,373 900 motor
vehicles registered in 1916, and they
consumed 25,868 100000 gallons of
gasoline, which also broke the rec
ord.
The slow pickup of the road
building program, according to H. S.
Fairbank, deputy commissioner OF
the PRA, has been caused chiefly
by higher prices and scarcity OF
materials.
Contractors Hampered
The Federal Highway Act of 1914
authorized $1,000, 100000, part of
which became available in October
1945, to improve primary, secondary
and urban highways throughout the
Nation - the expenditure to be
matched equally by State funds
A feature of the program was the
new 40,000-mile interstate highway
system, by which all large centers
of population would be connected
by network of ultramodern thor
oughfares.
Bids were advertised in February
and March, 1916. But contractors
were hampered for lack of sufficient
machinery. labor, steel, cement and
other materials. And, Mr.. Fair
bank said, the PRA found prices
surprisingly high.
The Federal road men tried to
hold down expenditures by at first
attempting to limit contractors to a
IS per cent increase in 1910 costs
This was boosted to so per cent,
then to 60 per cent in order to en-
courage bids. Mr.. Fairbanks says
they are now trying to prevent
prices from exceeding those of 1910
by more than 65 to 10 per cent
but he is expecting price decline
in the foreseeable future,
Conflict Avoided
Last summer PRA was instructed
to approve no more road construc-
ton contracts until further notice
except projects to which it had al
ready been committed. This was to
avoid competing with the housing
program for scarce materials. II
was not until october that PRA
could again approve contracts. And
by then the road-building season
was practically over. In most of the
Nation little road construction car
be done in winter.
About half the work contemplated
under the 1914 legislation has beer
programmed and authorized. At the
/ end of April $552, 900 000-about one.
sixth of the total-was contracted
for or under way.
Only 1924 miles of the 1914 road
building program have been CON-
pleted. Under construction at pres
ent are 1000 miles.
The American Automobile ASsoci-
alton says, however, that motorists
generally will find the roads good
Much repair work has been done or
highways which were overused dur
ing the war. And where construc.
ton Is under way, says the AAA, the
detours are well surfaced.
! The 1914 act authorizes the Fed
eral Government to cooperate with
! the States in constructing a system
of new or improved roads which viii
eventually comprise % per cent o.
! the 100000 miles of highways
which lie outside of cities, serving
86 per cent of the Nations vehiculal
| traffic.
Rural Roads Planned
Both primary and secondary road'
are included in the network-a new
wrinkle for the Federal Govern
ment, which in normal times has as
sisted the States to build only mair
highways. During the depression
however, Federal funds were used tt
help the States do little secondary
road building, which was designed
chiefly to make work for the un-
employed.
Before 1914 Federal-aid road con.