The Big Business of Road Building

The Big Business of Road

By SHELTON G. DOWELL Chairman Arizona State Highway Commission With expenditures, investments and expenses for the present fiscal year passing the somewhat imposing total of eight million dollars, the state high way department is, perhaps, the biggest business in Arizona. Few other concerns in the Southwest have an annual operation turnover approach ing that amount.

On the investment side of the ledger between now and the first of July in 1934 will go $6,300,000 for new con struction and $156,000 for betterment of existing roads. To expenses will be charged $989,000 for maintenance of highways and $555,000 for the upkeep of the department.

Staggering figures, it would seem, until we get into some sort of analysis of returns. And such analysis is diffi cult in view of the wide range of profit over a broad field of endeavor and the intangible nature of some of the bene fits. But a few facts stand out.

During 1932, statistics compiled by the department reveal, car miles per day traveled over Arizona highways numbered 1,079,882. Of these 33 1-3 per cent, or 359,961 miles per day, were tourist cars. Multiply that by 365 and note the stupendous total for the year. The figure reflects a fairly comprehen sive idea of the value of the highways.

Arizona has 23,270 miles of roads, to which should be added 608 miles of forest, Indian and public lands high ways maintained by the federal govern ment. The state system comprises 2, 866 miles, of which 1,875 are under the 7 per cent system and 991 under the non-7 per cent system, leaving the total under county supervision 20,404 miles. Mileage of government roads totals 298 in forests, 230 in Indian res ervations and 89 on public lands.

In the state system are 141 miles of concrete pavement and 1,076 of oil sur facing or a total of 1,217 miles of high type roadways, all placed within the last few years. Most of the remainder is gravel surfaced.

Just five years ago the first oil processing was completed as an experiment on a ten mile stretch of highway from the end of the pavement near Tucson south towards Nogales on U. S. 89. It is still a good road. But since that time, engineers and technicians of the highway department have learned many things about oil, and today oil surfacing being installed compares favorably with the highest types of pavement.

cessing was completed as an experiment on a ten mile stretch of highway from the end of the pavement near Tucson south towards Nogales on U. S. 89. It is still a good road. But since that time, engineers and technicians of the highway department have learned many things about oil, and today oil surfacing being installed compares favorably with the highest types of pavement.

By the end of the present fiscal year the smooth black ribbon of oil will run uninterrupted on U. S. 89 from Ash fork to Nogales, clear through the State on U. S. 80, through the state on U. S. 180, and, except for two short gaps, from the California to the New Mexico line on U. S. 66. In addition, U. S. 60 will be in oil from Globe to Ehrenberg.

The Arizona Highway Department's tentative program for this fiscal year numbers 106 projects, divided among the fourteen counties of the state. Of these, 72 are on the 7 per cent system, seven on the non-7 per cent system and 27 are for improvement of highways on the 7 per cent system "into and through municipalities."

In allocating this state's $5,211,000 share of federal aid money, made avail able by the President's public works program, three fundamental objects have been kept in mind. First of these, in accordance with regulations laid down by the national administrator, is closing the gaps in the existing high-way system; second, relieving unsatisfactory highway conditions to permit a proper flow of traffic, and, third, distributing the government appropriation as widely as possible among the fourteen counties with a view to relieving unemployment evils in a maximum number of communities.

Building New Highways Being Constructed to Serve Very Definite Needs of Traffic

In addition to the economic value of high-type highways, the necessity of closing the gaps is obvious. The federal government does not participate in maintenance of roads after completion of construction. All such expense must be borne by the state and paid for out of state revenues. It costs, for example, $400 a mile to maintain a graveled road. After oil-surfacing has been applied, this cost is reduced to $250 a mile. State money must be earned by the department. It is scarce and must be made to go as far as possible.

The department's principal source of income, of course, is federal aid appropriated by the national government, which, as I have said, this year amounts to $5,211,000, plus $748,000 for expenditure on Public Lands. The next important producing item is the gasoline tax which for the 1933-34 fiscal year is expected to yield something like $1,800,000. Then comes the motor vehicle registration fee or license plate fee, which will produce approximately $540,000. Third is the common carrier tax Paid by the transportation companies doing business in and through the state, $120,000. Fourth, is the certificate of title fee paid by the motor owner when obtaining title to his car, $42,000. And lastly, there is the chauffeur's license fee charged to persons employed to operate trucks or private pleasure cars, $8,000.

Highway building has ceased to be a hit-or-miss affair. It has developed into a highly specialized and scientific art.

Under the guidance of the Federal Bureau of Public Roads, state departments must work with purpose to specific ends. Roads are no longer constructed here and there because someone wants them so.

They are located to serve very definite needs and their type is determined by the flow of traffic.

To furnish necessary data, the Arizona Highway Department maintains 77 checking stations along the various routes, so situated that the census of motor travel will show an average flow. At these points traffic is counted once in every month, and the first Wednesday has been set apart as the day on which the count is taken. On that day, it is reckoned, traffic is not likely to be inflated by the pleasure seekers and shoppers of Saturday and Sunday, not depressed by the stay-at-homes of Monday or Tuesday.

During four months of the year, November, February, May and August, a 24-hour count is taken; in the other eight months the count is over a twelvehour period. The twelve-hour counts are raised by ratio based on previous 24-hour counts, thus giving a complete census for one day of each month in the year.

The result furnishes many revelations. It shows which roads the greater number of motorists and commercial cars are using, and it reveals which are carrying the heaviest loads. On these facts rest determination of width