THE GENERAL AUTHORIZATION BILLS AND PROPOSED STANFORD IIBRARIES NOTE.-During the sessions of the committee, from January 23, 1928, to February 15, 1928, inclusive, testimony was given on the general authorization bills, and proposed amendments to the Federal highway act. Interruptions in the presentation of testimony makes it necessary to assemble the testimony of individuals, irrespective of the date given. II ROADS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ROADS, Monday, January 23,-1928. The committee was called to order at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. Cassius C. Dowell (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order. The committee has met this morning for the purpose of considering first the general authorization legislation and the bills that are along that line. I have been requested by Mr. Colton, the author of the Colton bill, that his bill, which relates very largely to the Federal-aid subject, be also at least considered during this hearing on the general appropriation bill; and, if there is no objection to this method of procedure, it is the one that I suggest might be more expeditious than any other, in consideration of the legislation before us. If there is no objection, I would say that I would like to proceed along that line. Are there any suggestions anyone desires to make? Mr. CRAIL. I see that there are two bills by Mr. Colton, Mr. Chairman. Which one are you referring to? The CHAIRMAN. I assume that any of them will be under consideration, at least; and the witnesses present will be heard on any part of them that they desire. If there is no objection to this, gentlemen, we will proceed with the hearings; and I will ask Mr. Markham, the representative of the State highway commissions, to present what evidence he has for the consideration of the committee. STATEMENT OF W. C. MARKHAM, WASHINGTON, D. C., EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY OFFICIALS Mr. MARKHAM. Mr. Chairman, the State highway departments, as probably you gentlemen know, have a national organization and have officers who represent the State highway departments; and it has been our custom from time to time since the passage of the Federal highway act to have these officials before you to present to you the work which has been accomplished since the last meeting, in order that the cooperative work between the States and the Bureau of Public Roads may be brought to your attention in connection with the proposed legislation before the Congress. This morning and tomorrow we are hoping to have the bills in which the States are variously interested presented to you by several parties, and in that way to cover all of the legislation, so to speak, that is before you, irrespective of what bill has been introduced. Therefore, this morning Mr. Frank T. Sheets, State highway engineer of Illinois and president of the American Association of State Highway Officials, will present to you our views concerning H. R. 383 and any other bills pertaining to the special authorizations. There have been several of them introduced, among them H. R. 5518, which to our minds includes some amendments that should be made to the Federal highway act in order to make it more adjustable to the conditions which now exist; and H. R. 7343, which calls for more funds for the Government to spend within its own lands and in the Indian lands. Also, in the same connection, before these men leave the city we would like to review House Joint Resolution 136, which is prepared for the purpose of cooperating with the suggestion made by the President in his message to the Congress in reference to cooperation in road building with the various Pan-American Republics. Now, Mr. Chairman, I have the pleasure of presenting Mr. Sheets. STATEMENT OF FRANK T. SHEETS, PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY OFFICIALS AND CHIEF HIGHWAY ENGINEER OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS Mr. SHEETS. I am president of the American Association of State Highway Officials and chief highway engineer of the State of Illinois, residing at Springfield, Ill., the State capital. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen: I think that the first question that confronts us in considering the legislation before this committee is this: Is the Federal aid law a success? I propose to present to this committee testimony for the State highway departments as a whole, as a spokesman of the American Association of State Highway Officials; and further, the testimony of myself as the highway executive of the State of Illinois, a State which has expended approximately $200,000,000 in connection with the Federal Government in State highway work during the past nine years. Perhaps a few moments devoted to a survey of the general accomplishments which have taken place under the provisions of the Federal aid law would be appropriate. I think the first thing that stands out in the minds of everyone who has followed the highway situation nationally is that there has been a general stimulation of highway activity; first, by the demands on the State highway departments, which was the compulsory feature under the provisions of the Federal law-and I doubt if there would be a State highway department in many States if this legislation had not been passedand, second, the creation of State highway funds as such in practically all of the States, either by the adoption by the States of adequate mortor-vehicle license fees, or by gasoline taxes; and, third, a general betterment of highway conditions nationally through the copartnership of the Federal Government and the States in highway construction. This copartnership activity has also been extended by very large activities on the part of the States alone. Fourth, highway maintenance has been established as a compulsory necessity. It has been the experience of the taxpaying public that many roads were built, but very few adequately maintained. Under the provisions of the Federal aid law, every highway built by the State and the Government was insured adequate and thorough maintenance. Another general improvement that has resulted is that of highway administrative and engineering standards. The Federal aid law has brought to the States a unified control of State highway activities. In the good old days of long ago there were in the average State three to four thousand administrative policies. To-day in practically every State their administrative policy is directed by the State highway department and the Bureau of Public Roads acting jointly. Second, there has been a general improvement in engineering policies. Standards of grade and of alignment that were acceptable years ago are unthinkable to-day; and the quality of work that is being done under the provisions of this act takes the same position in engineering technique as is taken by the great improvements such as the building of railroads, waterways, and other great public improvements. There has been a development of the science of structural design of pavements, an improvement in construction methods and construction practice, and improvement in highway maintenance methods and in the operation of the highways themselves, all these being the direct outcome of the stimulation and concentration of highway work. I think that the third outstanding achievement of the Federal aid act is the unified action which has been taken by the State highway departments voluntarily, which led to the formation of the American Association of State Highway Officials on a going basis. This is an organization in which the States voluntarily participate, and which has done a great deal of constructvie work in establishing standard policies of highway administration, standard engineering policies, and advancing of the general science of highway improve ments. As an example of the cooperative work among the States, we may point to the resolution which requested the Secretary of Agriculture to appoint a joint board for the purpose of devising ways and means of establishing a continuous marked line of travel, and devising a system of standard marking signs and caution and danger signs. This work, that was taken up through the leadership of the American Association of State Highway Officials and the United States Bureau of Public Roads, has now resulted in there being set out nationally a system of roads which the traveling public can find, and the marking or the provision for marking of these roads with guide signs and route markers, and with danger and caution or directional signs which are national in standard and uniform in application over all the States. The CHAIRMAN. Will you advise the committee if all of the States have accepted the uniform markers of the U. S. highways, and if all of the State highway commissions are using this in their respective States? Mr. SHEETS. In answer to that question I would say that these matters have been adopted by the American Association of State Highway Officials by vote of the State highway departments themselves; and, further, that definite plans have been made, as I understand it, by all but two States of the Union to erect these markers and these signs. In many States this work has already been completed. In others it will be completed within the next few months. |