Show Road Officials Open 3 Day 3 I Meet in S. S S L. L V L LJ J- J Shortages Retard f U. U S. S Program Delegates Are Told Shortage of at mate materials and engl engl- personnel will definitely slow up the nations nation's highway building program and the material material mate mate- rial and labor shortage ge also tso makes make the outlook black on the contract side This was pointed out at the opening meetings Monday of thee the three day annual conference of Western Vestern of Highway daIs at the Hotel Utah The opening s session was In tn charge orP of or P P. P G. G Helena Mont actIng acting act- act In Ing association president V Several hundred delegates from the 11 western states arc are attending attending attend attend- ing to o obtain tain first h hand nd knowledge knowledge- of the problems facing the high J way construction program j Dr 1 L. L L Hewes of the Ithe public roads administration who led a apanel a- a panel discussion painted a gloomy picture relative t to getting highway highway high high- way construction programs hitting hitting hit c ting on high because of at labor and material difficulties Lands Lauds Program tHe t- t He pointed out that a good start starts start 4 toward better safety records on on the highways has resulted because of President Truman's recent highway safety conference ence There will wUl bo be a tendency to stress safety more than ever In In- highway construction he sald nid The uThe public however must un It will be more expensive construction as as' the volume of or traffic increases L. L S S. Tuttle administrative as assistant assistant as as- to the commissioner of ot public pub pub-p lie lic roads in a talk expressed the hope that an over all highway construction construction construction con con- program can be launched smoothly S. S Panel Discussion The delegates were welcomed rJ by Dr E. E E. E Monson secretary of at state and acting governor H He told them they have a great Job to perform which means much to to t the states and the nation Mayor Mayo Earl J J. J Glade also delivered a a. welcome wel come speech I Following a luncheon th the convention con con- reconvened d at 2 p. p m. m and heard a panel discussion which featured featured fea tea h hi highway i g h w way a y representatives tr from m Ufah Utah Oregon Texas Washington Wash ington Wyoming and Idaho What was a modern and ado ado- quate highway a short while ago is now obsolete and not only inadequate in th adequate but hazardous asserted J. J M. M Devers chief chiet counsel Oregon highway department We Ve tempered tempered tem tern the grade to the horsepower of the vehicle Now we are forced to conform not to the horsepower but to the size siz speed capacity purpose and v volume lume of ot traffic fc fo for which we build He said the modern type high highway way is a vital necessity He added that a great factor is rights o of way with which th there c are closely related the controls which rights right of way make possible Speaking on federal aid In th the panel Roy W. W chief engineer engineer engi engi- neer acer Utah road commission pointed point point- ed out a large part part part-of of our existing highway system built 10 to 2 20 years ago meets design speed re requirements requirements re of 35 miles mUes an hour Cars Too Fast Therefore automobiles built with a design speed of at 75 miles an hour traveling these highways can only result in a continuation of th the large number of accidents accident and deaths until these highways ar are are rebuilt he said It is my recommendation recommendation recommendation that future federal aid appropriations be increased over the amount provided in the last federal aid bill in an equivalent amount equal to the increased cost of at construction V Attending the sessions Is J. J l S. S Bright deputy commissioner pub lie He roads administration who supervised su att construction of the Alaska highway In an interview he said the biggest problem Is to prevent bi bid prices from tram being inflated due to shortages of steel and other mate materials rials He added We V c would b be lucky If it we we weare are able to get one quarter of the dollar billion-dollar road program started this working working- season He urged careful screening of at drivers to cut the traffic accident toll The meeting opens Tuesday at 9 a. a m. m |