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Show Motorists Travel Far on Newly Improved Roads (By E. E. DUFFY.) Motorists or' today are covering two-thirds two-thirds more distance in a year than they did a decade ago. The United States Department of Agriculture recently announced that In 19:!0 the total usage of gasoline increased in-creased SVi per cent over that of 19211, even though there were only a few more cars. In 193- the average consumption of gasoline per vehicle was 5"G gallons as compared with 538 gallons in 1929. Estimating that the average car travels 15 miles per gallon, motorists in 1930 averaged 8,3-10 miles of travel. Ten years ago motorists averaged little more than 5.000 miles yearly. This sharpened appetite for travel has come about through improved roads, which motorists themselves have paid for through vehicle license fees and gasoline taxes. Although road incomes are augmented from other sources, funds contributed directly di-rectly by motorists have been largely responsible for the construction of continuous, interlocking highways which allow the motorist to cover lengthy mileages at will. Last year the net revenue from the gasoline tax was S19-l,CS3,fMK).. The average gasoline tax rate was 3.35 cents per gallon. Road builders consider con-sider this a bargain price to pay for motoring facilities because of the lowered low-ered cost of operating automobiles. Automobile license fees the country over averaged $13.41 annually and this added to the average gasoline tax payment pay-ment of $18.62 brings the total to $32.03. The average motor car owner can figure out for himself what he gets for his motor tax expenditures. According to the widely accepted Iowa State college figures, hard surfaced pavements save more than two cents a mile in car operating costs over dirt roads, and at least one cent a mile In car operating costs over roads of Intermediate In-termediate types. The motorists, therefore, who in 1930 drove 8,340 miles over concrete rather titan over intermediate type roads saved $S3.40. or more than $50 over his motor tax outlay. Gas tax income is being widely used for road bonding purposes. Bond issues is-sues financed by gasoline tax income impose no additional burden on the motorist and at the same time 'they permit immediate construction of needed highway improvements. ( |