report, Toll Roads and Free Roads.[1] The auxiliary lines consisted in considerable part of State and local roads not included in the Federal-aid system.
The report recognized that the strategic network, in its main lines at least, was heavily used by civil traffic. Its service of purely military traffic would necessitate few if any improvements not required for the accommodation of civil needs. Its development to complete adequacy for the service of both classes of traffic was viewed as a long-time operation and practically continuous undertaking. Improvements of certain sections, partaking of the character of access and tactical roads, and elimination of a number of the more serious weaknesses, particularly substandard bridges, were recommended as urgent necessities. Otherwise the improvement of the strategic network was reported as of less urgency than the provision of reservation, access, and tactical roads.
SURVEY OF NEEDS
Surveys and studies made antecedent to the report, by the Public Roads Administration in cooperation with military and naval authorities and the State highway departments, indicated improvement needs in respect to each of the classes of roads described, as follows:
Reservation roads.—Improvement or outright construction of 1,500 miles entirely within Federal reservations. Since roads of this class were subject to the jurisdiction of the War and Navy Departments, the cost of their improvement was not estimated and no recommendation was offered concerning the authorization or appropriation of essential funds.
Access roads.—Determined need of the improvement of 2,830 miles, to serve 192 military reservations, at an estimated cost of $220,000,000; and additional needs, of indeterminate but substantial extent and cost, to serve vital defense industries.
Tactical roads.—Damage of local roads by military training maneuvers, reported as already occurring, was cited as indicative of an eventual need of construction or reconstruction, the extent of which could not be estimated.
Strategic network.—Determined needs consisted of the strengthening or reconstruction of 2,436 bridges of load capacity inferior to the H15 design standard, a minimum for both civil and defense traffic; the widening of 5,090 miles of roads surfaced less than 18 feet wide; and the strengthening of approximately 14,000 miles of surfaces incapable of supporting in all weather 9,000-pound wheel loads. It was estimated that these deficiencies could be eliminated by an expenditure of approximately $458,000,000.
APPROPRIATIONS RECOMMENDED
To permit a reasonsbly satisfactory accomplishment of the most urgent improvements of the several classes of roads, the report recommended immediate appropriations by the Federal Government in the following amounts:
1. For access roads, including new sections of highway to replace existing highway connections broken by necessary closures at military reservations and industrial sites, $150,000,000.
- ↑ H. Doc. No. 272, 76th Cong., 1st sess., Apr. 27, 1939.
