Public Roads: A Journal of Highway Research, Vol. 1, No. 9

MacDonald, Thomas H.; Breed, H. Eltinge; Upham, Charles M.; Sohier, W. D.; Hazlewood, John A.; Keller, W. S.; Thompson, W. G.; Mullen, John H.; Hirst, A. R.; Watson, M. W.; Babcock, C. M.; Biles, George H.; Duren, George A.; Graham, Alex W.; Rogers, Frank F.; Bradt, S. E.; Wiley, Rodman; Cowen, Clinton; Eldridge, M. O.; Clark, G. G.; Luedke, A. L. · 1919 · ROSA P / United States. Government Printing Office

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Summary

This document comprises proceedings from the American Association of State Highway Officials convention in Chicago, published in *Public Roads* (Vol. 1, No. 9, January 1919). It addresses the urgent need for highway improvement following World War I, driven by increased motor vehicle usage and the recognition that poor road infrastructure was a national weakness. The text presents two primary papers: one analyzing the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 and another discussing the economics of motor vehicle taxation. Thomas H. MacDonald, Chief Engineer of the Iowa State Highway Commission, evaluates the Federal Aid Road Act, describing it as a successful product of cooperation between states and the federal government. He argues that while the act established a sound foundation for highway engineering, it requires specific amendments to address practical operational difficulties. Based on feedback from 35 state highway departments, MacDonald identifies three main criticisms: the restrictive interpretation of the "post-road" requirement, which limits funding to roads carrying mail; the $10,000 per mile limit on federal participation, which is insufficient given post-war inflation; and inadequate total appropriations. He proposes amending the act to broaden the definition of eligible roads, remove the per-mile funding cap, and significantly increase annual appropriations to $50 million initially, rising to $100 million by 1921. MacDonald also suggests revising administrative regulations to reduce delays in project approvals and grant greater authority to district engineers. H. Eltinge Breed, First Deputy Commissioner of Highways for New York, examines the debate over who should fund highway construction and maintenance. He contrasts the argument that the general public should bear all costs due to broad societal benefits against the Illinois model, which funds highways entirely through motor vehicle license fees. Breed rejects both extremes, arguing that exclusive user taxation is impractical because commercial carriers pass costs to consumers, and exclusive public taxation fails to cover the high maintenance costs caused by heavy traffic. He proposes a "marginal utility" compromise: the general public should fund new road construction, while motor vehicle fees should cover maintenance. Breed illustrates this with fee schedules from Connecticut and New York, which grade fees by vehicle weight and horsepower. He concludes that this system is economically viable and socially just, provided that highway departments are efficient and honest in their administration of funds.

Key finding

State highway departments identified the post-road restriction, the $10,000 per mile funding cap, and inadequate federal appropriations as the primary obstacles to effective highway improvement under the 1916 Federal Aid Road Act.

Methodology

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