The Nome Nugget

OUR CRUMBLING HIGHWAYS
The highways of the nation are being worn out faster than they are being rebuilt. According to A.C. Clark, deputy commissioner for the Federal Bureau of Public Roads, two-thirds of the more than 600 miles of federal-aid highways are "below tolerable standards of adequacy."

It has been estimated that it would cost about $32 billion to make our crumbling highway system adequate to meet the needs of the 52 million vehicles in the nation.

Motor vehicles travel about 21/2 times as far now as they did in 1936. Not only are there more miles being traveled, but it is also true that the trucks on the highway today are larger and weigh more than they did a few years ago. And all this adds up to more wear and tear on the roads.

The highway system that has been built up in this nation is a result of a partnership between the federal government and the state and local governments. Over a period of about 30 years, the federal government has contributed about 14 percent of the total cost of highway construction, but the states have maintained them.

The Automotive Safety Foundation has estimated that keeping up our highways will cost $5 billion a year. Spending this much money on our highways each year must be considered in the light of our other needs as a nation.