SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1. A safe and efficient highway network is essential to America’s military and civil defense, and to the economy. The existing system is inadequate for both current and future needs. It must be improved to meet urgent requirements of a growing population and an expanding economy.
2. Total construction needs of all highway systems during the next 10 years are estimated at $101 billion, including completion to modern standards of the 37,600 miles of the presently designated national system of interstate highways. The present program if continued unchanged would make available for highways during that period approximately $47 billion, leaving a gap of $54 billion.
3. The Committee concurs with the governors’ conference in recommending to the President that the Federal share of this needed construction program be increased to about 30 percent of the total, with States, cities, counties, and other agencies remaining responsible for financing the remaining 70 percent.
4. The interstate network is preponderantly national in scope and function. Modernization of the presently designated system in 10 years, together with the most necessary urban-connecting arterials, is estimated to cost $27 billion. It is recommended that State and local participation be $2 billion of this amount, which would continue the present responsibility of the States for this system.
5. Since roads are a capital asset, it is recommended that the Federal share of interstate construction be financed by bonds to be issued by a Federal highway corporation created for this purpose by the Congress. The cost of the interstate system improvement, together with the total authorized funds under the regular Federal-aid highway program to the States, would approximate the revenues which the Federal Government will derive from the motor vehicle fuel and lubricating oil taxes projected at the present rates.
6. The Federal Highway Corporation should have a Board of Directors to be composed of three citizens appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate with the Secretaries of Treasury and Commerce as ex officio members. On matters involving highway locations, the Secretary of Defense would also serve as an ex officio member. The Commissioner of the Bureau of Public Roads would serve as Executive Director. The Board of the Corporation should be responsible for the development of financial policy. It should serve when necessary as an appeals board to resolve major points of difference between the Federal and State authorities which may arise under the program.
7. Toll roads built to acceptable standards and meeting other requirements of the Corporation may be included as segments of the interstate system. However, toll financing is not a satisfactory solution to the full problem of network modernization.
8. Appropriate credit should be given to those States in which adequate sections of the interstate system have been constructed by State
