Show U. U S. S NOW NOSY HAS MILES OF SURFACED ROADS IS I Good Highways Are Real Economy Poor Roads Cost C st More to Drive Over In Gas Gas- Gasoline oline Tires and Repairs 40 Miles Of New Surfaced Roads Added I Each Year Although the exact state of ot road improvement In tho United States Slates at nt the present time Is not known It is estimated by the tho depart depart- department department ment of at agriculture that the total mileage of surface roads at the end of 1924 was between and miles Indica Indica- Indications Indications are arc that approximately 40 miles of surfaced roads of at I various types have been built dur dur- during I dur-I during ing each year ear since 1921 I Exact figures as to how this thiat 1 mileage has been divided by b types I or states are arc not available A considerable part of the work moreover has hns consisted of ot facing It therefore cannot be assumed as as- assumed that the net mileage of f surfaced roads r ads has been increased during the last three years ears by b the total amount of the new con con- The last complete sur sur- survey survey vey ey of the road improvement I sit sit- situation situation situation was made In 1921 when the total surfaced mileage was reckoned at miles New New- construction and resurfacing since which 1921 h have hf is believed proceeded to Justify at a y r rate the I I Ithen estimate that the net gain since then thon Is well above miles In announcing these facts the department draws attention to certain wrong Ideas that are cur cur- current current current rent about road improvement Im- Im Improved proved roads It says sar sa s are not lux lux- uries urles For Kor the movement of every lUX-I lUX vehicle over a a. road there is a certain cost which Is less Ie if It the road be bo improved than than If it it be left leU in a state of nature Logically therefore the only on I limit that should be placed on ex expenditure ex- ex expenditure expenditure for road Improvement ement is the amount that can be bo saved In vehicular operating costs This amount of course depends upon the number of at vehicles using the road It is pointed out that the th Country loses more in Increased cost ost of operating vehicles chicles by b not improving roads than It costs to to I improve Improte e them In other words word it pays pas for Improved roads whether er it has them or not and it pays pos less le s by having them than thon by not having them Another common error says lays the department Is I I. I that all roads Toads I should be hard surfaced Hard surfacing Sll with brick ss- ss as asphalt I stone or wood blocks is h isun han f un nn expensive e process When its cost is greater than the saving accruing from the improvements hard surfacing Is not advisable It is possible po to make great improvements Im Im- Improvements Improvements In toads roads without hari hard surfacing them and these Im Im- Improvements Improvements improvements are quite effective In reducing the cost of travel tra When vehicles using a II road are comparatively few te an 1 but graded and drained road can be made and maintained in satis satis- satisfactory satisfactory factory condition by b dragging at ot very ver low cost It If the traffic 1 h so great that an road cannot be maintained In continuous ous good condition surfacing with stone sand land clay clayy cia or gravel although more costly than simple grading will generally be compensated by bythe bythe bythe the greater saving In the cost of oC operating vehicles over It It Simi Simi- Similarly Similarly Similarly when the tho traffic Is III greater grent r than a gravel road will carry a bituminous macadam surface can cnn be economically applied It Itis is not necessary nry to use one of oC the surfaced hard types until the th traffic becomes very cry dense When that point Is reached sur hard facing Is necessary and econom econom- ical All roads should b be improved sa says say's s the department to the maximum max maX- maximum maXImum degree that the traffic on them justifies but no road should sho ld be Improved beyond Its Us earning capacity When this principle Is observed the tho required annual expenditure ex expenditure ex- ex expenditure for any type typo of at road rand li is I within the yearly savings In the cost of operating the vehicles which It has lias to carry In other words the tho return to the public In the form torm of economic trans transportation is the sole measure of the worth of at road Improvement To say sa that all roads s should be the department points out Is merely another way of urging expenditures In excess of Income Still another common mistake Is the Idea Ide that there I is II such a a. athing athing thing as u a permanent road This delusion says the depart depart- department department department ment has hu been responsible for much disregard of road ance None of the state high high- highway highway way wn departments however hoever any 00 longer harbor this error It I is row pow thoroughly understood by b these public agencies that all roads regardless rl of type hpe gradually de de- depreciate depreciate depreciate and wear near out under the wheels of ot vehicles and the ac ac- action action lC- lC tion of the weather To 10 keep a 0 road In continuously good or or- order order der it is necessary to start main maln- maintaining maintaining tl It the day da daIs Us its construction or-I or Is completed |