Page:California Highways and Public Works Journal Vols 8-9.djvu/29



CROSS-SECTION of the view of state highway officials on state highway policies and problems of common interest to all the states was contained in resolutions adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials at their annual convention in San Antonio, Texas.

California was represented at the convention by C. H. Purcell, State Highway Engineer, and a member of the Executive Committee of the association.

The resolutions adopted by the convention, and which appear in full in the January issue of American Highways, covers the following subjects: Because—

The rate of progress in construction of federal aid highways is not keeping pace with the increase in motor vehicle traffic; and the several states of the Union, in answer to urgent public demands, have to date built more miles of the Federal Aid Highway System without Federal Aid than with it; and during the past year less than 10 per cent of the funds used in construction of state trunk line highways was contributed by the federal government.

It is urged that—

Congress increase the Federal Aid Highway Appropriation to $125,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1932 and 1933 and that the present appropriation for the fiscal year 1931 be increased from $75,000,000 to at least $100,000,000.

Because—

The Federal Aid System, approved by the Federal Government in 1921, and which connects all the county seats and main market centers of the country, is still less than 50 per cent even gravel surfaced.

It is declared that—

It would be unwise at this time to appropriate funds for any further mileage and that this Association recommend that the federal funds be concentrated on the present federal aid system.

Because—

The present limitation of $15,000 per mile placed on federal aid participation in highway construction is burdensome to many of the states, in that it has no relation to the actual cost of construction; and because the construction of important gaps in the Federal Highway System are frequently delayed due to this limitation. It is recommended that—

Congress reserve the limitation of $1.5,000 per mile and that the Secretary of Agriculture be authorized to fix a base of participation in all cases with the sole limitation that Federal Aid should not exceed 50 per cent of the cost.

Because—

The progress being made in the construction of the United States Forest Highway System is lagging behind that being accomplished on other portions of the Federal Highway System in such states; and the improvement of the said United States Forest Highway System is essential from the standpoint of providing continuous important transcontinental highways at the earliest possible date, which would not otherwise be provided until many years after the completion of the balance of the Federal Highway System.

It was voted that—

A bill now pending in Congress be endorsed. This bill increases the authorization for Forest Highways for 1931 to $10,000,000. The proposed legislation increasing the authorizations for 1932 and 1933 to $12,500,000 per year, was also endorsed, said Increase to be applied on those Forest Highways located on the Federal Highway System until such systems in the several states have been completed.

Because—

The desirability of expediting the construction of interstate highways across the public domain and the progress now being made indicates the urgent necessity for increased federal appropriations for the construction of important connecting links on interstate highways across the forest reservations, unreserved public lands, nontaxable Indian lands, and other federal reservations: and without a large increase of public funds for this purpose it will be impossible for many years to complete transcontinental highway systems; and as the federal government controls a very large percentage of the total area of the 11 western public land states and for that reason should rightfully accept the burden of ownership at least to the extent of building and maintaining roads across its lands.

It was decided that— The Association of State Highway Officials should go on record in favor of the enactment of bills now pending in the Congress of the United States, S. 121 by Senator Oddie. and a companion measure, H. R. 1416. by Representative Colton which bills are