for payment of the Federal share of the right-of-way costs of post-war projects only after construction has been actually begun. The States are required to advance from their currently reduced revenues, for the period of the war, the whole cost of rights-of-way acquired. Their inability to do this in many cases means that essential rights-of-way will be lacking when construction should be started, and the purpose of the wise provision that has been made for advance planning will thus be in large measure defeated. Moreover this right-of-way obstacle is likely to be most serious in the case of the very important projects that are being designed to relieve traffic congestion in cities, projects that will afford, if they are ready, large employment in the precise places where the need of employment will be greatest.
To remedy this unfortunate defect in the preparatory measures that have been taken, I strongly recommend congressional action to permit the Federal Government to pay promptly its proportionate share of the costs of rights-of-way acquired in anticipation of post-war highway imrovements.
While the interregional system proposed constitutes, as a whole, the most heavily traveled section of the entire highway system of the Nation, it is obvious that there will be imperative need after the war for a large expenditure to repair the deterioration now in progress and eliminate critical deficiencies on other roads of national importance. Neither for planning nor for construction, therefore, do I believe it would be wise to limit the assistance of the Federal Government to routes included in the interregional system.
The plan suggested by the Committee, which would provide for the designation of an interregional system approximating that proposed, as, in effect, the primary routes of the Federal-aid system and, the appropriation of Federal funds for these and other classes of highways in accordance with need, but with particular provision for the urgent municipal needs, is in my opinion the wiser course. I, therefore, join with the Committee in its recommendation to that effect.
Sincerely yours,
Philip B. Fleming,
Major General, United States Army,
January 5, 1944.
