REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 43 



contractors and labor. This condition was not general, however, and 

 was partially caused by the unwillingness of contractors to under- 

 take new contracts rather than an actual lack of sufficient oi-ganiza- 

 tions. (4) Difficulties experienced in disposing of road bonds. This 

 situation existed only in certain States and was due largely to the 

 advance in interest rates generally after the rates for the bonds had 

 been fixed. 



There have been other difficulties, but these are perhaps the 

 most important, and it is clear that they relate to matters 

 over which the Federal and State highway departments have had 

 little or no control. It has become more and more apparent that the 

 physical tasks involved in the building of highways are so great thf*^ 

 for a considerable period, progress will be greatly hampered by eco- 

 nomic limitations. On the other hand, it is equally apparent that the 

 rate of progress will be accelerated as conditions gradually become 

 more normal. Even under the existing handicaps, a large mileage 

 of highways is being completed. All details of engineering and 

 administrative procedure which have been responsible for any slow- 

 ing up of the work have been carefully studied, and, as far as prac- 

 ticable, changes designed to eliminate the causes have 'been made. 

 As a result, the preliminary operations can now be carried on much 

 more rapidly than the actual construction. 



ADVISORY BOARD OF HIGHWAY OFFICIALS. 



In order to provide for the full correlation of the work of the de- 

 partment and of the State highway agencies, the advisory board has 

 been enlarged to include all the members of the executive committee 

 and the officers of the Association of State Highway Officials. There 

 is thus available to the department, in formulating administrative 

 policies, the adviee and experience of the State executives in actual 

 charge of highway Avork, representing all parts of the country. The 

 board functions through correspondence and periodical meetings with 

 the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the Bureau of Public 

 Roads. One very vital question now under consideration by it re- 

 lates to the classification of highwaj-s into groups or systems of like 

 importance. This matter is fundamental to the future of highway 

 development. Only through a carefully prepared building plan can 

 the work of the several highway agencies, from year to j^ear, be 

 placed on a systematic basis, a basis that will provide systems of 

 highways so developed and connected that all classes of traffic will 

 be adequately served. We can not ignore the fact that the actual 

 construction of highways will be limited by physical factors for some 

 years to come, and it seems clear that the only sound policy to fol- 

 low, in the circumstances, is that of building roads in the order of 

 their economic importance. 



