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MODERN ROAD AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.

21st September 1926
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Page 53, 21st September 1926 — MODERN ROAD AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The Proceedings at the Latter Part of the International Roads Congress at Milan. The Much-debated Autostrada.

(By Our Special Correspondent.)

Rows, September 1iith.

THE resolutions of the six main sections, to which I referred a week ago, were duly passed. There were a few heated arguments over some of them, but in the end concord prevailed. This happy result was largely due to the personal qualities and linguistic attainments of Col. C. 'H. Bressey, C.R.E., and Mr. H. H. Piggott, members of the 'British delegation and leading officials of the Roads Department of the Ministry of Transport

Rome, the historic centre of the radiating roads of the great empire of which Benito Mussolini is the revivalist, with its allegory of a sun in splendour throwing out penetrating and re-entrant rays, was indeed a magnet for the British contingent Almost to a man, and certainly exactly to a woman, they mustered on Monday of last week, the 13th inst., drawn by the knowledge that on the morrow they were individually to shake hands with the great man, who has enthused Italians, young and old alike, with the fire of constructive effort to the exclusion of destructive abstention. Nothing has been more remarkable than one's repeated perception of the new spirit which Mussolini has created—of the complete revulsion from anti-natriotic feeling which has been his reward. The youth of Italy is alive to the need of, and to the pride in, work. They are all on the move, be it to salute visitors, to win or end near the winner in a cycle race, or to support Italy's present new faith—the Autostrada.

Italy's Motorways.

I promised more information about these motorway's, the autostrada, concerning the efforts to "boom" which the American and British delegations, in refraining from voting on the somewhat coloured and flowery resolutions, were, in my opinion, most wise. If numerous trade influences were on the alert in Milan and Rome, as to which the barefaced distribution of circulars bore daily testimony, as one took delivery of one's Congress "papers," inside personal influences were certainly pulling the voting around ,to make it appear that motorways were "it." Now, as dispassionate reviews in The Commercial Motor have borne testimony, all is not couleur de rose in this matter. 'Twere a kindness to warn the Italians, but they hearken not I

How, then, did this thorny controversy over these concrete tracks end? Here are the chief resolutions:—

I.—The creation of roads reserved for the use of motor traffic may be considered as justified when the mixed traffic on the ordinary highways in the neighbourhood of, or between, densely populated centres, or passing through places which have a busy industrial, commercial or pleasure traffic leads to a saturation and a deadlock dangerous to the circulation and contrary to transport economy. Also when the absolute preponderance of motor traffic of every kind (passenger, goods, fast and slow units) renders it necessary to ensure for it the highest possible return in the form of speed, non-stop running and safety.

II.—The construction and running of an autostrada, even when not aided by public bodies, must always be the subject of concessions on the p..rt of public authorities.

Even when the line of the autostrada does not materially pass beyond the boundaries of a nrovince, township or borough, etc., the concessionary powers must always be reserved to the State, which is the supreme guardian of public interests and supreme regulator of the juridical and economic relations between public and private persons.

Ths control of the construction and use of an autostrada, as a consequence of the concession, will always. be in the hands of the State and in particular will be subject to the direct control of one of the Executive Departments.

The concession should be limited in duration, and it would be desirable to provide for a power of purchase by the State at any time during the duration of the concession. 111.—The tariffs for the use of the autostrada must, in the interests of the public, be approved by the public authority if only in order to guarantee equality of treatment to all. They must be such as not to exceed the economic advantages of autostrada transport over ordinary road transport, they should not be unduly complicated, and should be so sectionized that they do not hinder the utilization of the autostrada by intermediary centres and the districts parsed through.

IV.—Autostrada must be absolutely independent and separate from all other roads and from all property without their bounds. They must, therefore, be rigorously fenced off throughout their entire length. They must have gates at their extremities and on all roads giving access to them, and there must also be gatekeepers. This rule is quite independent of whether tolls are demandable or not.

So long as heavy motor lorry traffic does not become exceptionally intense and provided that the autostrada is sufficiently wide to allow vehicles to pass one another while still keeping to their right side, it is neither opportune nor necessary to divide the traffic into light and heavy and run them on different tracks.

V.—Level-crossings, either road or rail, must be excluded absolutely. The continuity of the autostrada must be ensured by means of tunnel bridges. Nevertheless, the public secondary and privttte roads can be indirectly linked up by making them open out, singly or in groups, on to the chief ways so as to' take advantage of the bridges and tunnels attached to them. The competent authorities when approving the scheme will be careful to see that the local interests and road systems of the districts to be traversed are affected as little as possible.

The autostrada junction roads connecting up with neighbouring centres and existing highways must be chosen and laid with due regard for the importance of the district to be traversed ; must be sufficiently wide and allow for perfect visibility where they open on to the autostrada ; must be furnished with signals at suitable distances on both Sides and be supplied with a toll bar and a toll keeper.

British and American Reservations.

I remind all who read my summary of the British and American reservations! These delegations officially put in the following decisions, reached in conference, and they were ordered to be entered in the proels-verbal :— Whilst expressing the greatest udmiration for the magnificent work conceived and realized by Italian engineers and administrators in creating the autostrada, the delegates of Great Britain and of the United States of America are of opinion that time has been too short to provide experience on which can be based definite conclusions capable of general application.

It is to be hoped that by the date of the next Congress financial and traffic statistics will be available, as well as reports on the general position of road traffic in the districts traversed by the autostrada. In the meantime, it would he desirable that the organization of the autostrada should furnish from time to time reports which could appear in the bulletin of the Association.

The delegates of Great Britain and of the United States of America have, therefore, decided to abstain from voting on the conclusions presented to the Congress, and they request that this statement of the views of the two delegations may be placed on record.

Mr. Rees Jeffreys moved, Mr. MacDonald (U.S.A. senior delegate) seconded, and Mr. Shrapnel-Smith, as C.M.U.A., President, supported these considered reservations. Time— even less than the three years which intervene between successive Congresses—will, in my humble view, show that finance in the first place, maintenance costs in the second and seasonal traffic in the third together "take the gilt off the gingerbread."

Mr. Shrapnell-Smith, in voicing the English view, whilst congratulating the promoters and Italy on their enterprise, asked why America, which built its first motorway in 1904, had no more ,open now—after 22 years. Was it usual for Americans to allow a lag of that extent in respect of a good thing? Turning to British conditions, he gave the Congress members the (to them) surprising information that Britain has two lineal miles of good (metalled) highways for each square mile of area. These he cited as instances of highly diverse conditions, as cotnnared with those ruling in Italy, where roads are 'officially admitted to be few and far between, and bad withal. If Italy's chief roads are improved, by removing the dust and improving the surfaces, one unique appeal of the autostrada will disappear!

I observe, as the, Congress interpreter put his words into Italian, that these fair and just comments were far from popular with an audience whose minds had clearly been fired by conceptions yet to be reconciled with true values in practice. All credit, none the less, as he gave it, to Engineer Puricelli, tile promoter and executant of the Milan-Lakes motorways.

These ways, already not a little wavy by reason of the undulations developed and the lifting of the concrete, have yet to prove their claims to a permanent place. Will the 1929 Congress, I wonder, be allowed to have complete figures? They are on trial, nothing more. Their layout as to bonding, jointing and sectioning appeared to me to be definitely inferior to those elements of construction in the Reigate-Dorking road, for which the Surrey County Surveyor. Mr. H. Robinson, is responsible.

Milan pays one-fifth of Italy's taxes. It is the country's great commercial and financial centre. American and other motorists are drawn by hundreds and thousands to Como and ReggIore, those glories of Europe's lakelands. But, so far as argument and precedent go, it is to found upon the perticular and the special to base anything whatsoever upon Alilan's case. It is exceptional.

A Few Motorway Data.

The total length of all sections is liii miles. Construction has cost about £12,000 a mile. The State put up one-third

of the money on loan terms, and the motorway reverts to the State. at the end of 50 years. The staff have had the State oath administered and can exercise police powers. There are -road junctions on the average each three miles, with gates and controllers to deal with admission and exit. It is hoped that a traffic of 1,000 oars a day may be reached, and it is asserted that this will be enough to meet all charges.

The tariff varies from 6 lira (say, is.) for a bicycle to 75 lira '(say, 12s. 6d.) for any lorry with pneumatics or any large car for a single journey. There be 25 per cent. reduction on return fares. Season tickets can be had at considerable discounts.

Vehicles with solid rubber tyres pay double .charges throughout. On the annual seek a large motorblas would pay 6,750 lira, say, £56, but motorbuses are not allowed the benefit and are charged per trip, thus :-1.70 to 20 seats, 25s.; above 20 seats, 37s. 6d. It is roughly 8d. a mile for smaller types, and 1s. a mile for larger ones. These are for public-service motorbuses. If of the private or trip categories they pay one-third only of the rates asked in respect of public-service vehicles. • Where owners have more than one vehicle, there is a reduced scale this is 20 per cent, of. all rates for two, 25 per cent. for three, 30 per cent. for four or more. , Vehicles with iron or steel tires are excluded from all sections of the motorway.

Mussolini.

After we had set out for Milan news came of the attack on Mussolini. This dastardly attempt roused great indig • nation amongst the delegates, but it added to their sympathetic desire to have the honour of meeting him. The reception at his villa, which was to have been held to-day, was cancelled, but he attended the striking reception and entertainment by the civic authorities of Rome and spoke at Some length.

The Next Congress.

In conclusion, whilst the special claims of commercial motors have this year only arisen to a very limited extent, if, as venture to forecast, the American intention to extend an invitation for 1929 is approved by the U.S.A. Senate, and -duly accepted by the Roads Congress Permanent Committee, we shall see their development and requirements much in evidence. I hope to find this take place.


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