REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 37 



for the transportation of the United States mails." Under the origi- 

 nal wording of the law, Federal funds could be expended only on 

 roads upon which the United States mails "now are or may here- 

 after be transported." This feature was the most troublesome to the 

 highway departments of the various States. It required a definite 

 determination in each case of the actual post-route status of the road, 

 which necessarily involved delays in many instances. Under the 

 new definition, very few important roads, if any, will be debarred 

 from receiving Federal aid, if all the other requirements of the act 

 are met. 



Following the amendments to the act, the regulations governing 

 its administration and the standards for plans, specifications, and 

 estimates were modified, and one of the most successful former State 

 highway engineers in the country was placed in charge of the Federal 

 aid road w^ork. He has at his disposal a large staff of local 

 and district engineer aids, and no pains will be spared to provide 

 any further Federal assistance that may be needed. An advisory 

 committee, composed of representatives of the State highway depart- 

 ments, selected at the request of the department, by the American As- 

 sociation of State Highway Officials, with due regard to geographic 

 considerations, also has been appointed to work in intimate touch 

 with the Federal bui'eau, meeting with its officers at stated periods 

 and at such other times as may seem desirable. 



LARGE RESULTS FROM PRESENT FEDERAL LAW. 



The record indicates that from July 1, 1918, to November 1, 1919, 

 the department approved 1,345 road projects, involving the im- 

 provement of 12,159 miles, at an estimated cost of approximately 

 $181,143,644. Of this sum, approximately $78,592,167 represents 

 Federal funds. Since the passage of the Federal aid road act, 1,927 

 projects have been approved. These call for the construction of 

 18,596 miles of road at an estimated cost of $225,267,847, of which 

 about $95,498,140 will be borne by the Federal Government. Grati- 

 fying progress also has been made in connection with the National 

 Forest road work. From July 1, 1918, to November 1, 1919, 74 

 projects, involving 923 miles of road, were approved, and plans were 

 completed for the improvement of 50 others, aggregating 946 miles. 



