UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Washington, D. C. Vv October 23, 1916 
ECONOMIC SURVEYS OF COUNTY HIGHWAY 
IMPROVEMENT. 
A Compilation and Analysis of Data in Eight Selected Counties, Showing 
Comparative Financial Burdens and Economic Benefits Resulting 
from Highway Improvement During a Period of Years. 
By J. E. Pennypacker, Chief of Road Economics, and M. O, ELDRIDGE, 
Assistant in Road Economics. 
CONTENTS. 
Page Page 
Patrodiretion sre see cece ences Sees = ss ana tS he WiASe COUN, Wasccsecccce sce scns cones ore sae if 
Comparative analysis of economic effects of Branklin' County. Now. -cee noe ee eee 52 
EOadl Am provement) 9255) aces Sense cess 25 Dallas\County 7A lasses —.so2 0 ass aos eee 62 
SDOESY! vania, County, Viaesaa- sas eee 10s hauderdale County. Miss=_. 32. eee 68 
DmwiGdie COUNLY;-Va<.< <.---8sssee eset ee 235" Manateo:County,, Wa: soi 2: -2<a0- oe eee eee 79 
Hee: COUNTY: Vidiateemesesee ner © Peer cere 36 
INTRODUCTION. 
In order to obtain direct information as to the benefits and burdens 
imposed upon communities: through the construction of systems of 
improved roads, it was decided in 1909 by the Office of Public Roads to 
make a series of exhaustive studies in selected counties. These studies 
_weré designed to cover a period of approximately 5 years, or a sufficient 
period to show the road improvement from its inception until such 
time as the full measure of its usefulness could be demonstrated. . 
The counties selected were Spotsylvania, Dinwiddie, Lee, and Wise 
in Virginia, Franklin in New York, Dallas in Alabama, Lauderdale - 
in Mississippi, and Manatee in Florida, as in those counties bonds 
had been recently voted for the construction of improved roads and 
it therefore was possible to make a series of studies to cover the road 
improvement from the outset to completion. 
The information which has been assembled during the years 1910 
to 1915, inclusive, comprises general descriptions of the character 
47234°—Bull. 393—16——1 
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