Show VIP STATE OFFICIALS WILL AID committee named to bring about closest operation cooperation co in construction of highways prepared by the united states department of agriculture to bring about the most effective operation cooperation co between the federal and state governments in the big program of highway construction now under way A R hirst president of the american association of state highway officials has named at the request of the secretary of agriculture a committee to act with the department of agricultures agri cultures bureau of public roads in carrying into effect the federal aid road act and its amendments following tire are the state representatives selected by sr hirst george P coleman state highway commissioner of virginia S E bradt state superintendent of highways of illinois charles J bennett state highway commissioner of connecticut W S heller state highway engineer of alabama and ira R browning state road engineer of utah stimulated by recent liberal amendments and added appropriations to the original federal aid road act road building bul iding plans in the states have received tremendous impetus many blany of the states have provided by large bond issues and otherwise amounts much larger than will be required to match the federal appropriations up to may of this year 1057 project statements for federal aid roads had been approved by the secretary of agriculture they involve the improvement of miles of roads at tin an estimated cost of of 1 which the federal aid requested was the amount of federal funds available on march 1 for road building was more than which under the law must be matched by an equal amount from the states making a total of which includes approximately from federal and state sources tor for roads in the national forests funds that will become available on july 1 with equal contributions from the states will provide an additional for federal road work making mailing an aggregate sum of ATal available lable for the calendar year it Is expected however that the states will defer taking up part of the available funds ands until 1920 war conditions which almost immediately followed the passage of the first federal aid act la in july 1916 brought scarcity of labor materials tand transportation and restricted M r A S as W z V ys ati S IT at w N j good road between annapolis and baltimore big job to build and keep in repair a highway like this road building projects to those absolutely essential to winning the war thus the road program was held bach for more than a year at a time when demands lor for improved roads fac increased reaRed more rapidly than in any previous period state and federal forces alike ore are working to get highway construe under unde r way as rapidly as concan be let and as soon as road idling forces somewhat disorganized during the war period can again be placed on an efficient working basis |