A Study of Highway Transportation in Indiana

Abstract

Although large expenditures have been made by the state and local government of Indiana to improve highways for motor vehicle travel, highway Improvement has failed to keep pace with traffic demands. Moreover, there is the dismal prospect that without effective remedial measures, inadequacies relative to traffic demands will continue to increase while highway travel doubles by 1975. This engineering study reveals the extent and difficulty of the highway problems of Indiana. More than one-fourth of the road and street mileage is deficient and now requires resurfacing, reconstruction, or entirely new construction to be adequate for traffic. An estimated expenditure of $5.2 billion is necessary to correct present (1957) and future deficiencies and to provide for maintenance and administration during a 15-year program. Development or improvement of adequate road and street systems, however, cannot be achieved by rule of thumb or by piece-meal legislation. They are engineering processes and their accomplishment requires effective and continuous long-range planning. Such planning and operation must be based on firm, consistent decisions of concern to transportation policy, administration, engineering and finance.