Show HIGHWAY BUILDING TOPS MILES new years year record I 1 ls set for united states state washington more than miles of all classes ot of highway were completed in the fiscal year 1937 topping the former record ot of miles in 1934 the bureau ot of public roads ot of the department of agriculture reports the average tor for the past tour four years under emergency appropriations to provide employment to those on relief rolls has been about miles a year although the volume ot of such work remained large the past year was definitely a period ot of transition from an emergency program to the more normal federal aid road construction st operations the bureau stated emergency funds available for new projects were reduced t to a small remainder at the end of the year considerable emergency work under construction was carried over into the new year and when this is c completed mp ete t the e emergency program will have been practically concluded near normal program scope the more nearly normal program includes for improvement of the federal aid system for secondary or farm to market roads and for elimination of hazards at grade crossings in the fiscal years 1938 and 1939 funds for federal aid and secondary roads must be matched by the states but the funds for elimination of crossing hazards are direct grants grade crossing work in the fiscal year 1937 established a new record with 1149 eliminations of which 1086 were financed under the program authorized by the emergency relief appropriation act of 1935 also existing grade separation structures were reconstructed and crossings were protected by safety devices in road building miles were constructed with funds apportioned to the states and the work was done in operation cooperation co with the state highway departments at the end of the year miles of road to take of federal funds were under contract and 2074 miles involving 36 had been approved but no not i yet contracted for balances available for new work totaled in large part newly apportioned funds tor for the fiscal year 1938 |