Show t r ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN UNITED STATES Tb The chief of ot the United State States burvan bu bu- bureau reau rvan of ot public roads road Thomas II IL MacDonald Mac Mac- Donald Is II In constant touch with the road programs of ot the states end Is II ever ever watchful for the Interests of the federal aid appropriations before before be be- fore tore congress each fo ch year pear The Tho estimate of ot to be put under contract the current fiscal year ear year year- said Chief MacDonald It Is le believed will be reached with the probability of ot an increase for 1025 to This latter tatter figure Is II contingent contingent con can upon conditions In fields of other construction rail transportation and labor Public road work Is III retarded retarded retarded re re- re- re when there Is a n large larie construction lion tion program of ot a private character and accelerated when the other construction construction construction con con- work decre decreases The general general general gen gen- eral tendency of the federal aid roa road roadwork roadwork work at Bt this time Ume is upward It If the estimate of at to go goIm Im tinder er construction for 1025 1021 Is not reached n but hut Is reduced by or even the balance available available available avail avail- able for tor new new construction would not be sufficient to carry any ony reasonable program for 1020 and that was the reason for the liberal appropriation made by congress at this session One of ot the fundamental principles of ot the federal budget plan Is tion of ot waste and Inefficiency In the expenditure of ot public funds There Is probably no other field of ot public ex- ex In which at ot this time greater savings are possible through efficient administration Efficient administration tion and organization organisation demand positive positively ly Iy first a continuing road program and second foreknowledge of ot the di dimensions di- di dimensions of ot the future annual program pro pro- gram cram In discussing the road building achievements since the passage of ot the thi federal-aid federal act Chief MacDonald said laid Up to to March 1 of ot this year the federal aid highways which have been completed since 1016 1010 totaled miles mlles and miles were un under er construction and ond reported as 81 69 9 per percent percent cent complete The total roads completed completed com com- and un under er construction amounted amount amount- ed therefore to miles Of Ot the mileage reported as completed on February February Feb Feb- 20 29 1024 miles had been completed during the current fiscal year ear All AH but a very Tery small percentage of ot this mileage Is on the th federal aid highway system as 8 now established In addition to tie the roads of ot the eyet ys tern tem Improved with federal aid parts ports of It have been Improved without federal fedr fed fed- r eral ral assistance A careful study Is being made of ot the Improvement status of It the sy system lem and an an approximate estimate based upon these thue Incomplete Inc studies Is II that at the end of the year there were about miles mUes of ot surfaced surfaced sur sur- urta ur- ur ta faced ed roads roods and miles graded which leaves leavel nearly nOI miles of the federal system yet to be surfaced To bring brIne this system up to serviceable service service- serviceable able ble standards standard therefore within the full deca decade e ahead would mean a surfacing surfacing sur sur- facing program of ot about miles mile for tor each of ot the ten years years this this In addition add addi lion tion Ion to the additions to the system the separation of ot grade crossings reconstruction reconstruction reconstruction recon recon- and much other necessary work That road rond construction Is II progressIng progress- progress progressIng progressing Ing throughout the country without federal aid as a. well as BI with It Is le demonstrate demonstrated demonstrated dem dem- by statistics available to th the bureau of roads which show that total total to to- tal lam expenditures In 1021 1921 a banner road rod year for tor all rural highways and city streets for all places with a population of ot 2500 an and over Including all street and alley altey surface construction repair maintenance street cleaning and street lighting was |