The Omaha guide., 1957-01-04
Your
Highway
Problems
BY Owen J. BoYIes. Secretary
Highway Commission


The question most often raised
is, Does our state need an ex-
panded Highway Program for all
of our present roads and does our
state need a modern four lane
divided highway"
Here is one answer from MFR.
HerscheI D. Newsome, Master of
National Grange; Mr.. John d.
Laurence, Managing Director Of
American Trucking Association;
Mr.. Arthur Hill, President of the
National Association of Motor
Bus Operations; and eight other
heads of businesses involved in
interstate operations. 4It is our
firm conviction that the economic
development of the United States
and the National Defense are di-
reefly tied TO adequate highways
that provide safe and efficient
movements of persons and pro-
ducts of the nations factories and
farms"
These great highways, using
highways in Nebraska and in all
48 states, are on record as stating
that the nation is face TO face with
a great highway emergency, and
that the Federal Government
should speed up considerably its
financial participation in Federal
Aid Highway Construction Pro-
gram. This is not a local question;
adequate transportation facilities
for the nation means highways in
each and every one of the 48
states.
To you Mr.. Average Motorist,
who has been determined. If you
are a passenger car driver, will
save at least Sol per mile on the
controlled access highway you
use. II we use for illustration
that the savings viii be just sol
per mile and you as an average
driver will travel about 1890
miles, the cash saved in one year
will amount to $500. This ]
believe is rather a substantial re-
turn from the investment of 500,
which Is estimated as the cost IL
each passenger car driver each
year for modern controlled access
highways. It is my belief in sum-
ming up our highway problem
that the following can be accom-
plished, if we as citizens of this
great state honestly and conscien-
! tiously shoulder our responsible
ties we viii see the following re-
suits:
,, l. Greater Safety Modernized
roads and streets will substantial
Iy reduce the traffic accident toll
in bringing our present Highway
system and the Interstate System
TO adequate standards which Is
expected to save at least $500
lives a year nationally. The ac-
celebrated improvement of our
primary and secondary highways
should result in comparable say
inqs. If the dollar costs Of acci-
dents nationally Four Billion
Seven Million Dollars in 1883
could be cut in half, a saving OF
| $1,000 per vehicle could be effect
ed.
2. Reduced Operating Cost i
! Is estimated that driving on inn
/ proved roads and streets viii save
the motorist at least sol a mile
in fuel, oil, tire and brake costs
/ Since the average passenger cai
rolls up 1900 miles year the an
| nual savings would be $500. II
the case Of commercial trucks
average gains would be tremen
dously greater. since time los
alone on congested routes cost VI
10 s.07 or sos per minute. Alonl
with dollars and cents savings
motorists. of course, will also draw
large dividends in terms of IN
creased conveniences and drivnl
comforts.
3. Traffic Congestion heiief
Construction or radial arteries
downtown loops. belt routes an'
by-passes to expressway standards
under the new program viii g
as many cities contemplate doinl
far towards breaking the urba'