The Sidney herald., 1957-09-19
Prsleat's Report on Canadian
United States Mexican Hi-way

katchewan are served by this
highway from the north coun-
try through Prince Albert, Sas-
katoon, Regina, Moose Jaw and
other towns. Canada has over
$4,000 900 square miles while the
United States has 100000 square
miles: Saskatchewan has over
246, 900 square miles and Montana
has 146,316 square miles. The
international situation covers
many angles.
We know there was an extra
1000 miles added to the Inter
state System; by looking at the
map there may be some states
which don't have room for the
five and six Interstate Highways
converging into one city. The
map shows a worse situation
than the Primary system ever got
into. There will be some mileage
available, it appears, and our
designation will absorb enough
for the Saskatchewan connection.
Do you like the way Interstate
Highway mileage is located over
the United States? Do you like
the formula provided in this hi
way act? Well, here it is: What
are the key provisions of the new
law? The new law provides for
a 13-year program for the In
terstate System. S24,825 billion is
authorized for expenditure on the
Interstate System during 1857 to
1869. The Federal basic share of
the costs of projects on the In
terstate System will be 900 of
cost. The remaining 1919 will
come from the states Except for
public land states adjustable) APP
portionment, among the states for
the first three years is authorized
on the basis of the present for
mula, which gives 2/3 weight to
a states population, 1/6 to its
area and 10 to the rural road
mileage. Appointments for the
subsequent years will be predi-
Gated on the basis of periodic
reports as to cost of completing
the Interstate System in the
states. Therefore, the first three
years in a large state like Mon
tana, with a small population, the
formula of 2/3 population,
1/6 area and 1/6 rural road
mileage for three years, looks
bad. Certainly this formula ia
vors all states with a large popu-
lation, because the area and
rural roads count each for l/6.
A glance at the map showing
the Interstate mileage system
causes one to wonder about the
fairness and justice of the formu-
la used. For example, Arizona, a
state sparsely settled or popula-
ted, the area of the state is not
large; they have two major In
terstate highways designated east
and west, a third one running
west from Phoenix to California,
another one from Elroy north to
Flagstaff, and another one cut
ting the northwest corner of the
state. l say the state is way out
in front with more than its
share of mileage. There are other
states also, burdened with five to
eight interstate highways running
into the same city. Montana seems
to be short-changed on interstate
mileage, but when you take 2/3
of the population and only 18th
of the area of Montana into
consideration. the result is small
err mileage Of interstate highways
for the Treasure State.
AS a further Qualification of
the detectives of the Canadian
United States-Mexican Highway
Association, the highway begins
at the lake region north of
Prince Albert, through Saskatoon,
Regina ~(serves Moose Jaw thru
Regway-Raymond Ports of Entry,
Plentywood, Antelope, Reserve,
Medicine Lake, Homestead, Froid,
Culbertson, Sidney Wibaux, Eka-
laka, Alzada, south through Wy
oming to New Castle, direct to
Cheyenne and Denver. Two routes
through Mexico are available
from Denver, both r interstate
roads. Mexico has oiled roads
through to Guatemala and Hon
duras, then through Ell Salvador,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Pan
anna. Roads are passable; strenu-
Gus efforts are being made for
construction of these roads to
make an outlet for their coffee,
bananas, rose wood, which are
main export items. This highway
canadian = United States = Mexi-
can highway is over 1000 miles
long and offers the finest eli
mates, to fit the seasons.
1t is well to remember that this
highway from Wyoming to Eka-
laka, fifty-two miles, and the seq
ment from Wibaux to the yell
lowstone bridge near Sidney, are
the only two gaps left to con-
struct in the United States.
Our designations ought to have
priority on the two above named