BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS. 495 



During the spring of 1922 a survey was made in four Wisconsin 

 counties of the total highway funds raised from all sources of revenue. 

 This analysis, the purpose of which was to yield a better knowledge 

 of the distribution of the burden of highway construction and main- 

 tenance costs to various classes within a community, included a com- 

 parison of urban and rural contributions to highway improvements. 

 Financial researches are now in progress designed to develop the 

 fundamental principles of sound highwaj^ financing. 



A survey of the mfluence of highway improvements on rural land 

 values was also made in four Wisconsin counties in January, February, 

 and March. The relative influence of earth, gravel, and concrete 

 roads was observed by a study of assessment values, checked by true 

 sales. 



With the opening of the new year a complete survey of highway 

 transportation, finance, and valuation in California is planned to 

 obtain fundamental data applicable to the Pacific Coast States. A 

 similar survey is to be conducted in a typical agricultural region. 

 In this survey emphasis will rest upon the movement of produce 

 from the farm to the market. 



Surveys in transportation, finance, and valuation are also con- 

 templated in a combined industrial-agricultural State and a typical 

 southern State. When the researches in Connecticut, an industrial 

 State, in California, a Pacific coast State, in an agricultural State, 

 a typical industrial-agricultural State and a southern State are 

 completed it is hoped that a sufficient amount of highway transport 

 data and financial and valuation data will be assembled to guide 

 highway policies in States and sections which are comparable to the 

 regions selected. 



EXTENSION ACTIVITIES. 



In the 30 years of its history the bureau has contributed con- 

 spicuously in many ways to the development of an intelligent public 

 sentiment with regard to road improvement, and since the consolida- 

 tion by which the agricultural engineering activities of the depart- 

 ment were made a part of its duties, it has also carried on a suc- 

 cessful extension work with respect to irrigation, land drainage, and 

 matters connected with the structural arrangement and convenience 

 of the farm home. 



Though it has been somewhat overshadowed by the immensity 

 of the Federal-aid task, this educational work is still actively carried 

 on. 



By means of lectures and addresses before public meetings, con- 

 ventions, schools, and colleges, by exhibits at State fairs, automobile 

 shows, and the conventions of engineers, by Department and 

 Farmers' Bulletins issued from time to time as need required and 

 information justified, by means of articles in the technical and 

 popular periodicals and daily press, and tlirough the agency of the 

 motion picture, information acquired by the bureau has been made 

 available to the public. 



In the loss of its monthly magazine, Public Roads, publication 

 of which was suspended in December after thi-ee and a half years of 

 valuable service, the bureau was deprived of its most important 

 educational medium. It had come to be recognized by the engineer- 

 ing profession as one of the more important and useiul engineering 



