Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1956-02-02
AAA Offers
New Highway
Aid Program


Comprehensive plans for new
and different approach to an en-
larged Federal aid highway build
ing program, which foundered in
a sea of controversy over financ-
ing provisions in Congress last
year, were announced by the
American Automobile Association
yesterday
The "AAA Motorists Program
for Better Highways" as outlined
by Andrew ]. Sordoni, of Wilkes
Barre, Pa, president of the s.
million.member motoring organi-
cation, calls for q 15-year, three
phase, pay,as-you-build program
financed by moderate, graduated
increases in certain Federal auto
motive taxes.
while affecting all highway
users, the proposed graduated
taxes would result in heavy
trucks bearing more nearly their
equitable share of road COSTS"
said AAA President Sordoni.
The AAA plan, advanced short
ly after President Eisenhower
again urged a greatly expanded
Federal bodybuilding program,
calls for full review by Congress
of the overall program at the
close of each five-year segment
in 1861 and again in 1866.
Experience has Indicated" Mr..
Sordoni pointed out, that long
range predictions both as to high
way use and highway-user rev.
enues have fallen short of actual
ity. Future chronological improve
mentS both in vehicles and fuels
may entirely change present con-
cepts of highway financing. For
these and other reasons, we be-
lieve Congress should plan ahead
for Is years, but give these plans
a thorough going-over once every
five years in the light Of condi-
tons then existing"
Specifically, the motorists pro.
gram as advanced by the AAA
calls for Federal expenditure dur
ing the first five-year phase of
So billion, S75 million, of which
SIS billion would be for the 100000
mile national system of interstate
highways and So billion, 875 mil
lion for expenditure on Federal
aid primary, secondary and urban
systems.
While AAA officials indicated
that the rate increases advanced
were illustrative" of a more
equitable approach to the prob
lem, they emphasized that GER
tain basic principles should be in
corporated in any Federal road
legislation:
/. 1t should be on a pay-as-you-
build basis. 2. 1t should be
balanced 15-year program, pro-
viding not only for completion of
the interstate system, but also
for increases in Federal aid out.
lays for both rural and urban
roads.
3. Such program requires a
large increase in Federal funds
available for highway purposes.
4. Federal excise taxes on gaso-
line, diesel fuel, lubricating oil,
tires, tubes and comeback, form
realistic basis for measuring
highway use, and revenues equal
to the proceeds from these taxes
should be applied to financing
the overall Federal aid highway
program.
5. Heavy trucks are not now
paying an equitable share of Fed
eral aid highway costs; adjust
ments in the Federal tax struc-
ture should be made so that this
class of vehicle more nearly
meets its fiscal responsibilities.
-e. Federal share of cost of i'm
proving the interstate system
should be 80 percent of the total
cost. z. The Bureau of Public
Roads, with proper statutory au-
thorization, is the logical Federal
agency to administer the expand
ed highway program.
8. Congress should declare its
intent to strive for completion of
the interstate system within Is
years; should authorize funds for
the first five-year increment to
the overall program in 1856; and
should indicate that the second
and third five-year increments
will be authorized in 1861 and
1866, respectively.