FOOTNOTES
[167] See “The Motor Bus Field as a Market for Trucks,” Automotive Industries, September 29, 1921.
[168] One method of estimating cost of automobile riding, for a machine costing originally $1000, which having a life of 30,000 miles is then worth for scrap $100, may be given thus:
| Original cost expressed in cents per mile(1000-100)10030,000 | 3.0 | ||
| Cost of repairs, estimated, | 0.5 | ||
| Gasoline and oil | 2.5 | ||
| Tires | 1.5 | ||
| Garage | - | 1.5 | |
| Interest | |||
| Taxes | |||
| Insurance | |||
| License | |||
| 9.0 | |||
The cost is about 9 cents per car mile. If an average of two passengers ride that is 41⁄2 cents per passenger mile. The above is merely an illustration and cannot be applied generally.
[169] See Bulletin 770, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Markets, “Motor Transportation for Rural Districts,” Also Bulletin 931.
[170] “A Jitney Guide to the Santa Fé Trail,” Saturday Evening Post, June 10, 1922.
[171] The statute of Winchester enacted during the reign of Edward I, of England, provided “that highways leading from one market town to another shall be enlarged, where woods, hedges or dykes be, so that there be neither dyke, tree nor bush, whereby a man may lurk to do hurt, within two hundred foot on the one side and two hundred foot on the other side of the way.”
[172] Reprinted by permission from The Saturday Evening Post, Copyright 1922, by the Curtis Publishing Company, Philadelphia, Pa.
CHAPTER VIII
PLANNING HIGHWAY SYSTEMS: SELECTION OF ROAD TYPES
A road is a strip of land set apart or appropriated for travel, public or private. When a road has been dedicated to the public or has been used so long that the public has a legal right of easement therein, it becomes a highway.[173]
The object of a road is to provide a way for transportation. It goes without saying, therefore, that its situation should be such that it can perform this function most efficiently, and a system of highways should perform the same function for the public in the same manner. Efficiency here includes the ideas of economy and satisfaction combined.
In order to make a layout of a system of highways they should first be classified as to use, for the proper treatment will depend upon the use to which the roads are to be put. Anyone attempting a layout will make his own classification suitable to the inherent conditions pertaining to the district covered. The classification of Mr. T. H. MacDonald, Director of the Bureau of Public Roads, U. S. Department of Agriculture, made for another purpose may be adopted:[174]
1. Those used chiefly related to agriculture.
2. Those which are recreational in character.
3. Those which are commercial.
4. Those which are military.
Agricultural roads comprise those leading from farm to town and are used chiefly for marketing, and for social, educational, and religious activities.
Recreational roads are either local, upon which driving is done for pleasure, or through, those followed by tourists in traveling over the country. Either of which may lead to places of interest within or without the state. The national park roads and forest highways can be classified under the head of recreational.
Commercial highways comprise those exclusive of agricultural, upon which the haul is chiefly of a business nature such as freight and express and bus traffic.
The War Department of the United States during the war refused to designate any roads as special Military Highways, saying a road which would adequately serve the agricultural; recreational, and commercial interests would serve the military. However, it might be well to keep in mind this possible use of the highways. A classification of roads into National, State, County and Town has frequently been suggested. Since national roads do not exist as such in the United States the most densely traveled routes and those used largely for through traffic are usually designated state roads, and all others local roads.
Keeping the cost and use of the roads in view the problem before the road planner is:
(1) To secure the most economical routes in construction and maintenance and future haulage, taking into account topography, alignment, grades, and amount of traffic.
(2) To accommodate the greatest number of people commensurate with the money available for expenditure.
(3) To utilize existing roads as far as practicable.
The system will ordinarily consist of one or more trunk lines to be laid down first and several branch lines connecting with the trunk lines. Some of the essentials to be considered are:
(1) Ruling points. These ordinarily will be (a) the main community centers—the large cities and villages, for to and from these will naturally flow the greatest traffic; (b) Natural configurations such as mountain passes, low points in hills, ridges and valleys, rivers and bridge sites; (c) Parks, scenery, and recreational and amusement centers; (d) Articulation with the highways of adjoining jurisdictions, so that they may eventually be united into one continuous passage.
(2) Branch lines and detours. The question will frequently arise whether to run a branch line to some locality or detour the trunk. Much pressure will be brought by the inhabitants along the way and the deciding power will needs have firmness and fairness in the highest degree.
(3) Alternate routes. If two roads of equal or almost equal importance are available a choice must be made between them.
(4) Existing highways and principal streets of cities should be utilized as much as practicable. Although sometimes betterments so great may come through changes that old routes should be discontinued, in which case the
(5) Vested rights of citizens living along discontinued routes and damages caused by any improvements made must be considered.
(6) The widening of existing roads and streets and costs of the same.
(7) The location of railways, trolley lines, and street car tracks may influence the layout for grade crossings should be eliminated, or at least placed where there is clear vision each way for a considerable distance.
(8) Bridges, culverts, and railroad crossings should, preferably, be directly along the highway and at right angles to the obstruction.
(9) Ruling grades, dependent upon the class of road will also affect the layout.
(10) Esthetics. Perhaps the people of the United States have been too materialistic and have paid too little attention to the beauty and interest elements in highway location. Especially for pleasure riding and recreation should the esthetic side be considered.