Resolutions Adopted by American Association of Highway Officials

NOVEMBER, 1933 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS 13 Resolutions Adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials In Nineteenth Annual Convention, Milwaukee, Wis., October 11, 1933. Federal Funds for Highways Appreciated. Support Pledged to the National Recovery Act

RESOLVED, That the American Association of State Highway Officials, first and foremost among its approving declarations, wishes to record appreciation of the funds supplied by the Federal Government through the highway grants made available by the last session of the Congress, and desires to pledge its unqualified allegiance and full measure of support to the National Administration in carrying out the aims and purposes of the National Recovery Act relating to highways with all possible speed and with the utmost assistance to unemployment. Nearly all of the States are well along with the awarding of contracts under this program, and this Association now urges upon each State Highway Department the paramount importance of having the funds available completely under contract at the earliest possible date, and, in any event, before January 1st next, to the end that the work so contracted may be completed insofar as is practical before July 1, 1934. Further we offer the facilities of the State Departments, with the allied direction and supervision of the Bureau of Public Roads, to the National Administration for an additional judicious use of Recovery Act money in highway building during the last half of 1934. We direct attention to the fact now becoming increasingly apparent that funds can be more quickly and effectively translated into the assistance of unemployment in this way than through any other plan of public expenditure.

FUNDS FOR "FEEDER ROADS" WHEREAS important secondary roads or feeder roads are becoming more and more a State obligation: Be it RESOLVED, That when a State Legislature adds this duty to a State, sufficient funds should be provided to take on the added obligation.

DIVERSION OF ROAD FUNDS WHEREAS the past year has seen an increasing disposition on the part of various States to use more vehicle license fees and funds derived from gasoline tax for other than highway purposes: Therefore be it RESOLVED, That all gasoline tax revenues and all motor license and registration license fees are essentially State revenues, and should be expended by the State or under the supervision of the State or in co-operation with the National Government, upon some properly selected system of roads. Any other use of these funds may easily undermine a great national enterprise and is unsound governmental policy.

AMEND FEDERAL HIGHWAY ACT WHEREAS the Industrial Recovery Act as passed by Congress on June 13, 1933, made exceptions in the limitations of the Federal Highway Act approved November 9, 1921, as amended and supplemented, upon highway construction, reconstruction, and bridges within municipalities, and upon payments per mile which may be made from Federal funds; and WHEREAS the exceptions as noted in this act of 1933 only apply so far as emergency money made available under this said act: Therefore be it RESOLVED, That this Association recommends to the Congress of the United States that the Federal Highway Act be amended so as to remove the cost per mile limitation and limitation on construction within cities and municipalities.

ADVOCATE REGULAR FEDERAL AID WHEREAS the usual Federal aid granted the several States under the provisions of the Federal Aid Act approved November 9, 1921, was suspended for the fiscal year 1933-1934; and WHEREAS the granting of such regular funds has resulted in great benefits in the orderly planning and execution of road programs; and WHEREAS it is necessary and desirable that these programs be logically continued: Therefore be it. RESOLVED, That this Association petitions and requests the Congress of these United States to make appropriations of regular Federal aid to the States in the amount of not less than $125,000,000 per year for the two-year period beginning July 1, 1934, and in addition thereto for each year the usual relative grants for roads through national forests and public domain.

STATE LAWS SHOULD NOT CIRCUMSCRIBE ENGINEERING POLICIES WHEREAS economic conditions are changing rapidly and the science of highway engineering is constantly advancing, necessitating flexible administrative and engineering policies as a means of meeting successfully changing conditions and bringing rapidly into current practice the results of engineering experience and research; and WHEREAS there has developed a tendency to incorporate in the statutes subjects which are primarily administrative or engineering in character rather than legislative, with resulting crippling of administrative and engineering initiative: Therefore be it RESOLVED, That legislation should establish broad and flexible administrative and engineering policies which will safeguard the public interest, but which will at the same time permit highway administrators and engineers to meet changing conditions without legal restrictions as to road type, width, design, cost or other technical principles.

POLICY CONCERNING U. S. NUMBERED ROADS WHEREAS the system for designating, numbering, and marking interstate and other through routes for long-distance travel, as established and carried out by this Association, has in the past proved itself sufficient and adequate to serve the convenience of the traveling public, and continues to prove its value, especially in the Middle Western States during the period of the Century of Progress, as a most satisfactory method for numbering and mapping routes of first importance: Now, be it RESOLVED, That this Association reiterates its purpose to continue the policy of numbering and marking routes as now practiced; and recommends for consideration by the Executive Committee the further consolida-(Continued on Page 27)