Since, in its main lines at least, the strategic network is heavily used by civil traffic, and since purely military traffic imposes few if any highway requirements superior to those required for the adequate accommodation of civil traffic, it follows that almost any improvement that may be made to facilitate movement of traffic will be serviceable to an important civil-traffic stream as well as to military movements and defense traffic.
Development of the strategic network to complete adequacy for both civil and defense traffic can only be regarded as a long-time operation, and a practically continuous undertaking. In some of its sections, however, it provides necessary access to reservations and defense industries. Other sections are likely to be used frequently in tactical maneuvers. The improvement of these sections and the elimination of a certain number of the more serious weaknesses, particularly the strengthening of a considerable number of substandard bridges, should be provided for as urgent necessities. Otherwise the improvement of the strategic network is not stamped with the defense urgency that distinguishes reservation and access roads and some tactical roads.
ROAD IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED
Studies of the Public Roads Administration and the State highway departments and numerous conferences that have been held in which these agencies have participated with representatives of the War and Navy Departments and the Work Projects Administration, and local officials concerned, have determined the more important improvement needs of the various classes of defense roads thus far developed by the expanding defense program.
These needs are described briefly in the following sections relating to each class of roads:
Reservation roads.—At most Army and Navy reservations, rapid preparations are in progress for the housing, provisioning, equipping, and training of greatly enlarged military and naval forces. This involves the construction of barracks, storehouses, equipment and ammunition depots, garages, airdromes, shops and powerhouses, drill and aviation landing fields, rifle ranges, and facilities of many other kinds. For proper internal access to all these varied facilities, the construction and improvement of many miles of reservation roads and streets is an immediate and absolute necessity. As the schedules set up by the War and Navy Departments call for occupation of the reservations by fully expanded forces at a very early date, the building and improvement of these reservation roads must be regarded as the most urgent of all defense road construction.
Reconnaissance surveys by the Public Roads Administration, made after consultation with the post commanders at military and naval reservations, indicate that there is need for the improvement or outright construction of 1,500 miles of road lying entirely within these Federal reservations.
Provision is being made for many of these improvements in the contracts awarded by the War and Navy Departments for general construction within the reservations. These provisions are being supplemented by aid rendered by the Work Projects Administration.
