Page:Needs of the Highway Systems, 1955–84.pdf/19

Rh RELATION OF HIGHWAY NEEDS TO THE NATIONAL ECONOMY The goal of 1964 for achievement of adequacy for all types of highways was adopted because the Congress requested an estimate “* * * of the cost of completing the several systems * * *” and it was assumed that attainment of adequacy at the earliest possible date was intended. In addition, a single date had to be adopted to assure a common statistical basis for use by the various States in their separate estimates. It is not intended to imply that all needs for highway improvement are equally urgent, or that all needs should be met in the next decade at the expense of other urgent national needs.

To meet all highway needs in 10 years, and maintain adequacy thereafter, construction requirements would be as shown in figure 3, which presents the needs for each 5-year period from 1955 to 1984, with indications of the needs of the interstate system, other Federal-aid systems, and the non-Federal-aid systems. The $215.2 billion total represented includes the $100.8 billion from table 2 and the $114.4 billion from table 4.