Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-08
Bill includes
$40 Million for
D. {. Highways
Senute Increases
National Measure
From House Sum
By Harold B. Rogers

BY HoroId B. Rogers
The District would be eligible
for $5,331, 900 in matching funds
in each of the fiscal years
1856 and 1857 under the Fed
eral-aid to highway bill passed
last night by the Senate.
In addition. a part of SO mil
lion added by amendment for
access roads to facilitate evacu-
alton in the event of enemy
attack presumably will go to the
Washington area.
The legislation. carrying
81 900, 100000, for highway con-
struction throughout the coun-
try-largest ever approved by
either branch for such purposes
now goes back to the House,
which had approved a total of
$875 million for each of the two
fiscal years.
The measure will be sent to a
HouSe-Senate conference to
iron out differences between the
versions
Matching Funds
The Federal aid money must
be appropriated later by Con-
gress and must be matched by
local funds before becoming
available for construction.
During the final hours of de-
bate last night the Senate APP
proved an~amendment by Sena-
tor Ferguson. Republican, of
Michigan, adding $40 million
for access roads needed as escape
routes in case of an enemy at
tack. This additional authorize
ton would be added to about $50
million previously authorized for
such defense purposes.
Chairman Martin of the Sen
ate Public Works Committee,
which handled the big Federal
aid bill on the floor, said the de-
tense money would be appor-
toned by the President on rec
concentration of defense officials.
Possibly for Area.
Asked if some of this might be
channelled to the Washington
Metropolitan Area, the PennSyl-
vania Republican replied:
II should think it would be.
The seat of the Federal Govern
ment is very critical area"
The Senate figure 1881 900 q
year for the District. compared
with the $4,708, 900 approved for
the District by the House. Fed
eral aid funds for roads here
this year are 1921, 200.
Maryland would be entitled to
$9,768,000 yearly under the Sen
ate bill. compared with So, 663, 900
in the House version and $5,964,-
303 this year.
Virginia would be eligible for
SIT, 431 900 in the Senate bill,
compared with $15,374,00O in the
House bill and $1O.823,6O4 this
year.
Advance Payments.
Federal highway aid is now
running at a rate Of $3.50 mil
lion annually. The Senate bill
contains feature under which
the President may advance pay
ments to the States one year
ahead of time.
The Senate adopted, after
lengthy debate, a new formula
for distributing funds for what
is called the interstate highway
system. Instead of allocating
these to States on the basis of
population. area and post road
mileage, as at present, both the
Senate and House bills would
split the total annual $3.50 mil
lion allotment for this purpose.
Half would be distributed on the
present basis and the other half
on the basis of population alone.
Senator Ferguson said he will
sponsor soon multi-billion
dollar program for Federal aid
to cities for construction of high
ways to speed evacuation. He did
not say when he might offer it.
The Senator said 80 to 40
cities should have speedy exit
highways designed to carry traf-
fic out of the city in the shortest
possible time.
"You can't have defense
against aerial attack today by
jumping in a shelter" he said.
THE only defense is not to be
there when the attack comes"