».i^#*. 



TIIK Illinois Ajiricullural Association Road Study Com- 

 mittee has rixommended that Illinois rural roads be 

 consolidated into a county unit system. 

 The report of the lAA Hoad Study Committee re- 

 cently puhlished. is subject to the approval of the 

 \()tinp: delegates to tiie lAA annual meeting in Chicago, 

 Nov. 11-17.' 



Under the Hoad Committee plan, for example, a county 

 like I.a Salle with M separate to\vnshi|) road districts would 

 lie reduced to one county road district. 



The IA.\ Hoad (iominiltee recommendations, contained 

 in the re|)ort. came after a year's study of Illinois' deploral)Ie 

 rural road conditions by 25 farmers. These men represent 

 every section ol the state. 



The report suggested further that liefore there is any con- 

 solidatioti. tlie people be ;;iven a chance to vote on the county 

 unit di>lrict. 



■■.More than half of tlic 1" states."' tlie report says. "Iiave 

 permanentlv abolished districts smaller than a county. The 

 record in lhi>se slates siiows greater mileage of roads built, 

 more elTecli\e mainlenance. and more road dollars going on 

 the aclnal roads. 



In criticizing the present s\steni of road administration, 

 the report einphasi/cs lli:it Illinois has a confusing amount of 

 over-organization in its road svstem. '■This over-organiza- 

 lion." it says, ■■is res|)onsible for much of the cxpensiveness 

 of highway service in Illinois road districts and the in- 

 adequacy of the service in manv respects, in manv localities. 



■■Highway comnii^sioners are allowed to s])end large 

 sums of money --onictimrs without the proper understanding 

 of what work should be done and how best to do it. . . 

 F\pensi\e pieces of etpiipment are bought and used only a 

 few days each year. Labor is ineflectivcly employed and 



you've gof to be a daredevil to drive a car across a bridge like 

 thit, yet Illinois has hundreds that are about as bad at this. 



IS THIS THE ANSWER TO 



The ROAD 



Problem? 



lAA Road Study Committee Presents 

 Recommendations For Approval of 

 Voting Delegates at Annual Meeting 



ilirected. The wrong materials, or those which have not been 

 tested are used in many instances. Also, poor methods of re- 

 pair, construction and maintenance are often followed. Tlie 

 results are a waste of tax money. 



■'There is a decided lack of any coordinated highway 

 plan embracing all systems for the state as a whole. There 

 is a great need for the financial planning of highway work on 

 all levels. 



The committee emphasized, however, that there were a 

 number of highway commissioners who were doing a good 

 job with the funds and equipment available. 



"Rural people in Illinois," the report continues, "want 

 better farm-lo-highway roads. They want roads that are pass- 

 able every month of the year. They want them maintained 

 and properly su])ervised. They want the roads they need 

 and are willing to pay a reasonable i)rice for them. They 

 feel they are receiving very little for their dollar in many 

 localities." 



The report points out that the greatest problem facing 

 practically all road administration units is the lack of 

 sufficient revenue. Increased costs of labor, materials and 

 equii)menl have made the job more difficult. 



"Since users of the highways benefit most from them, the 

 Road Committee believes that an increase in the motor fuel 

 tax would be the most equitaidc method for raising additional 

 revenue. Reveiuie from vehicle registrations and motor fuel 

 tax has not increased at the same pace as road costs. The 

 average cost of this tax per yehicle is less than $'50 a year. 

 Only six stales have an average as low. 



"It is evident." the report continues, "that a majority 

 of the road districts are at present unable to furnish road 

 service consistent with the demands of the road users. Local 

 property taxes do not yield sufficient income. Increasing 

 the road and bridce tax rate will produce but meager addi- 

 tional income in districts with low assessed valuations." 



It is the o|)ini()n of the committee as contained in the 

 re|)ort. copies of which can be obtained at all Illinois county 

 Farm lUireaus. that the following benefits would be derived 

 from the county unit road system: 



(1) Main feeder roads would be built continuous where 



needed, 

 more ad(| 

 the cons 

 townsliiij 

 strategic! 

 maintens 

 weeks eal 

 (4)" 

 paid ad' 

 niinistratl 

 for mucf 

 There wf 

 secondar] 



(7) 

 of the la| 

 and rep£ 

 be less (I 



Sur 

 lAA Hoij 

 want goc 

 trict slioi] 

 needs, 

 the handl 

 is necessi 

 "Pr( 

 tiniies. 

 bridges 

 least a p 

 revenue, 

 mission 

 roads an 

 future st 

 be alloc£ 

 sistance s 

 as to en 

 ciency. 



"Tlv 



users. sli( 



tional re 



as follow 



mary ro£ 



cent to r 



road disi 



The 



way orgi 



cicnt am 



compete! 



for the 



give roa 



I. A. A. RECORD 



