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Show NEW HIGHWAY PROGRMHGAULS FOR 644 MILES Increases in Mileage Create Demand for Additional Tax Result Half Cent Added to Present Gasoline Levy In Utah's nineteenth legislature a bill Was introduced which contemplated con-templated the addition of about 400 miles to the state road system. In the legislative process it was found that many counties had been omitted from the list of those which were to have additional roads placed in the state system. The result was a mad scramble. Friends of the bill became more or less alarmed, and finally the bill was thrown open to amendments amend-ments from all sides. The result was that the 400 miles was increased to 644 miles. Increased road mileage suggested suggest-ed increased gasoline sales tax, and the result is a four-cent tax instead of the S-cent tax, which has stood the test of several years. Both acts were signed by Governor George H. Dern, and each becomes effective May 11. The only logical basis for this is the fact that the road problem prob-lem not only on the highways, but also on the byways of Utah is ceasing to be a local problem and is becoming a state problem. prob-lem. This must mean that the local authorities must give up more and more of their control over their roadways, and the state authority must replace them. The recent legislature at times appeared strenuously opposed to any move to rob local communities communi-ties of the right of self-government. But in the matter of either roads or schools it assumed a strange noncholance or indifference indiffer-ence to such tendencies. The reaction of future legislatures legisla-tures to these same problems will prove interesting. Will this type of bill become a biennial affair? Will it finally include city streets as well as rural roads? Are there many forcible arguments why it should? The half-cent increase in gasoline gaso-line taxes will yield approximately $300,000 a year. Experience of the past has shown that the state spends on maintenance of unimproved unim-proved roads mostly not on the federal aid system about $100 a mile. Such maintenance will stand only light traffic. Yet about $100 a mile means about $65,000 of the of the new fund for maintenance of the new additions. This leaves $235,000 annually for construction. If the counties match this dollar for dollar, there is $470,000 a year for construction even if increased ' traffic did not bring increased maintenance costs. If this would build 50 miles a year of gravel highway it would still take 13 years to complete construction of the additions to the present system. The figures above may be only approximate, but they are sufficient to indicate that future legislatures will make only meaningless gestures even if they do continue the practice of adding to the state road system. Miles Beaver 6 Box Elder 96 Cache - - 29 Carbon 26 Daggett - Davis 30 Duchesne 37 Emery - 11 Garfield 6 Grand 15 Iron 25 Juab - - Kane Millard - - 32 Morgan 13 Piute 25 Rich Salt Lake 93 San Juan 30 Sanpete 13 Sevier 33 Summit 14 Tooele 17 Uintah 12 Utah -.- 36 Wasatch - 8 Washington 6 Wayne 14 Weber 12 Total - 644 |