The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1957-01-31
Costs Swamp
Roads Program

Maryland's 12-year highway con-
struction program, swamped by
tide of rising costs, will be seri-
ously underbuilt and overspent at
the one-third mark, the State
Roads commission has reported.
By the end of 1857, the commits
sion said, 904 miles of roads will
have been constructed at a cost of
S258,419.693 The objective for the
first four years was 1852 miles at
an estimated cost of S219,979,0 900.
Only about u percent of the
mileage objective will have been
reached by December 81 Costs
will have equaled 1T percent of
initial cost estimates.
The Roads commission report in
Guided a breakdown of the roads
built and the amount of money
spent in each county during the
first three years and including
what is programmed for 1857 1t
listed Garrett county for 2903
miles at a cost of $6,996,238.
Some of the projects planned
for 1857 included: Relocation of
446 miles U. S. 219, Oakland to
Weber, S1,566,OOO; two secondary
road projects, $1,132, 1000.
Projects completed in Garrett
county include a 24-foot relocation
on U. S. 40 at Little Savage noun
tain, of 81 miles, at a cost of S543,-
1853; 24-foot resurfacing second
STAGE of U. S. PIG from Thayer-
vile to Oakland, 6.12 miles at a cost
of $162,560 20-foot widening and
resurfacing of Paul street in Loeb
Lynn, .13 of mile, at cost of
$3,3I7; constructing a bridge over
the Potomac river at Kitzmiller at
cost of $406,1 l3; modifying curves,
widening to 20 feet and resurfacing
from SWanton, easterly, a distance
of go miles. at a cost of $276,571.
Listed as partial program was
modifying curves, widening to "a
feet and resurfacing Md AZ from
Friendsville to the Pennsylvania
line a distance of AS of mile, at
cost of $23,O43; modifying curves,
widening to "a feet and resurfac-
ing Md Al in the Loeb Lynn area,
distance of 1.8O miles at cost of
$499, 000
In The Program
In the program for expenditure
authorizations are Primary system:
widening U. S. 219. Deep Greek
Lake to Thayerville, 244 miles,
S823.156: U. S. PIG, from U. S. 40
east of Grantsville to Pennsylvania
line, POS miles, S425,51O; U. S. 219,
Oakland to Weber, relocation and
grade separation, 4.46 miles, ST.
sec, 900
Secondary system: Md. 1875, from
Allegany county line, westerly, .48,
widening and rcsurfacing, $292,054;
Md 38, Deer Park to Bloomington,
modifying curves, widening and re-
surfacing, 286 miles, S65S,670; Md.
1854, .48 mile west of Blooming
ton, westerly, for 218 miles, modi-
flying curves, widening and re-
surfacing, 1888, 486; Md 1876, from
Md. 495 to Md 3S, 3.25 miles, modi-
flying curves, widening and re-
surfacing, $633,000
This makes totals of S3,475,254 for
secondary program and $3,520,9S4,
for primary program, or total of
Sc, 996,23S
Ask for Extension
The Roads Commission urged
that the program should be eX-
tended to fifteen years to match
the period of the new S33 billion
Federal Highway Act, under rec
concentrations made to the Legis-
lature by the State Roads Com
mission.
1t recommends an increase from
3 to 81 million in transfer from
construction funds to maintenance,
to keep in good repair and safe
condition the old roads being re-
built and the many miles of new
roads; an increase in motor We
hiclc registration fees; creation of
$40 million revolving fund over
next five years TO be used eX-
clusively for advanced acquisition
of rights of way; effective road
side control measures.
Except for the receipt of addi-
tional Federal money the report of
the commission stated that Mary
land could not begin to finish her
twelve year program without a
complete revamping of her financ-
ing plans