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that turn out today. harris irs.gov. you'd never guess there'd been any controversy over our new highway. you well, the size of this crowd, it appears that most of your like the idea now i'm sure most them do but i'll have to admit there are two or three folks out there. i never thought would show up today, even ahead of our business improvement. a descendant of our founder here today, maybe they finally seen the light, jack. i sure hope their grandfather connor's not turning over in his grave at what's happening here today. well, if he is, bob. it isn't because you and i didn't fight it all the way. now that it's built. let's hope we have been wrong. hello, ralph. how? dairy farm? have we convinced you farmers yet? no, but what done is done not just cut ribbon. i can get on in the markets and see this road is worth the trouble. it's caused me.

ladies and gentlemen it's worth the thank pleasure today on the occasion of this important event to introduce to you the illustrious governor of our great state, the honorable theodore white. thank, spencer. distinguished ladies and gentlemen i compliment on this large gathering here today. it shows clearly that you, the people of connersville, recognize the true significance of this ceremony to each and every one of you. you have had your even disagreements about the highway and, the public hearing room on the streets and in your homes. and i think you'll all agree that such discussions are healthy far from them comes the majority will. we are gathered here today to dedicate a new highway that

represent the majority well of the citizens of your community. one segment of a great national system of highways that one day soon will connect the major cities of our land. you good people of connersville about to reap the benefits almost reap the benefits. let's hope that's the case, governor. let's hope the future proves that 18 months ago the right decision was made. 18 months ago, when. on. see if you can find a seat. well, we can't have the town's pretty schoolteacher standing gently. every year. a meeting will come to order.

this is a public hearing on the location of improved u.s. route 110 through conner county and vicinity of connersville. since federal funds will be used in this project, the law requires public hearing to discuss the economic effect of the proposed highway location. the law also says that ample notice of the hearing must be given so that all interested parties may appear and be. judging from the size of this crowd today, i would say that the state is given plenty of notice. now, as your mayor, i've been asked by the state highway department conduct this hearing. so let's get things started by turning the meeting over to mr. paul jacobson, the state highway division engineer will explain the proposal. mr. jacobson thank you, mayor spencer. for the record, am paul jacobson speaking, a division engineer for the state highway department department. now, as you know, the state is

proposing to improve federal aid route 110 in the vicinity of connersville this highway be part of the interstate highway system created by the federal aid highway of 1956. ah, help you understand our proposal. i'd like to begin presentation by showing you a short film that will give you some of the background on the current highway program. and how. in this century america has a nation on wheels. we ride on wheels to work to shop, to play, to go about any place we want to go. we depend on wheels to bring us the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the things we use. but when we depend on wheels, depend also on highways and roads and streets, the wheels to

roll on. and therein lies challenge building highways, roads and streets fast enough. keep up with the need after. world war two the nation began developing case of acute congestion that cost us millions of dollars a year in time equipment and lives by 1956 there were more than 65 million cars on our roads with 90 million forecast. by 1975. clearly it was a time for national action. congress responded the federal lane highway act of 1956 providing the stagger in summer $51 billion to be spent by states on highway construction. by 1971, the most talked phase of the act is the interstate highway system, a 41,000 mile network of our most important roads, most these roads will be for six, even eight lane expressways constructed for through traffic. they will take the over the road

driver from city to city coast, coast at highway speeds, even through large population centers. the federal highway act offers relief to the local, too, by giving him access to his home work without interference through traffic, billions of dollars will be spent city streets and expressways and for other highways of the primary system. the farmer to directly from the billions for the improvement of state and county highways, as well as the farm to market roads of our rural system. these new highways will have a far reaching economic impact on the entire nation. they provide a heavy duty link between parts of productive american. they are a shot in the arm for cities that have begun to feel the impact growing downtown traffic congestion. they open up vast new areas for suburban living and they encourage industry, disperse out

of city congestion. they stimulate business and, create new jobs, particularly among the nation's road builders who are fulfilling their tremendous responsibility with specialized equipment and, modern techniques to build roads, the highest quality at the lowest cost. they stimulate, too. and the industry supplying road builders, manufacturers, heavy equipment, explosives agric steel, concrete, petroleum, chemicals and many others they create other jobs, business opportunities in related fields car, truck and bus manufacture, touring as well as services, catering to the motor traffic. perhaps most important of all, they will save lives, bringing about at least a 50% reduction in the death rate on major highways. state highway officials charged with the response ability of designing and building the new highways are actually planning into every mile. all the factors that mean

control access. for example, the most important that promote safety by eliminating cross roads, private entrances traffic signals and grade crossings, properly planned median strips to separate traffic, wider traffic lanes take into account highway driving speed added lanes to increased traffic volume. wider firmer well shoulders to provide extra roadside lanes for emergency needs. smooth easy curves and gentle grades to ensure adequate sight distances and bridges and overpasses over railroad tracks and intersecting highways across all highway planners recognize the safety value of such factors as adequate lighting at critical points and easy to read. highways. signs. modern electronic equipment, such as the type that turns on reduced signs in bad weather or even removes ice from key spots

automatically important to or such good maintenance practices as an expensive full scale ice removal calcium chloride. drainage maintenance and weedy. but the road to better roads is not easy. there are many problems, notably antiquated state left over from horse and buggy days, laws that must be brought up to date rising land prices, greatly increasing the cost of future highways unless the land can be and set aside now. and the shortage of trained engineers. however, the solution to all the problems lies most of all in public understanding. for only one, each citizen becomes better informed about his state's program only when he helps develop the popularity so essential to highway progress can the nation meet the highway challenge. so the better, safer roads of

tomorrow will become roads of today. right now. that you an idea of some of the factors we consider in arriving at the recommendation under discussion. this the highway system presently in our this is us route one in the state proposes improve the us route 110 with a controlled access that will be part of interstate highway system. the present route one cannot be widened from 2 to 4 lanes divided by median strip and the alignment will be brought up to present day standards. now, at this point, we propose leaving present route 110 and bypassing town of connersville. there be easy, convenient access to from the new highway where. the adequate signs. we also propose to improve that portion of present route 110

that runs through connersville to widen the pavement from 18 to 22 feet and to correct the alignment in several places. we believe 110 offers the best, most economical path for the new interstate highway through conner county. relocating it elsewhere would mean excessively land costs in normal right way problems and greater construction costs. now our decision to make route 110 a controlled access highway is based these traffic count figures about 8000 vehicles use the present route 110 through connersville every day. by 1975, we estimate 16,000 vehicles daily. and perhaps that explains why congestion is increasing every day main street and why the accident rate on route 110 has become one of the highest in the state. now our traffic count points out another fact of the 8000 vehicles that travel route 110 each day, only 1500 are destined

for connersville. the other 6500 are merely passing through. therefore, we are recommending that the new highway bypass the town in the belief that it offers the most advantages both to connersville and the state from. your point of view it'll keep main street free of the excessive congestion caused by through traffic. it will relieve local people, especially children of the hazards of through traffic and it will keep through traffic off the street in front of the elementary school from the point of view, it'll give traffic a shorter distance to travel without getting tied up in business traffic. it eliminates hazardous curves and costs less than buying the additional of way necessary. if we did go through town now, we have the situation carefully and sincerely that our recommendation is in the best interest of the most people.

that concludes my presentation, spencer, and thank you. thank you, mr. jacobson. you've just heard the state's proposal. is there anyone who bob harris. you look like you have something to say here, but i have mayor. i think mr. jacobson is forgetting. bob, would you identify yourself for the record? oh, i'm robert harris, owner harris's drive-in restaurant and. i am speaking as chairman of the committee on business of the connersville chamber of commerce, i think, mr. jacobson is forgetting there's lots of us in this town who make our living from people driving down main street, seeing our signs and stopping what we need is more people driving down main street, not less you don't have traffic, you don't have business. take me for example, i got four men working for me and they get families feed. if i don't get business those families don't eat.

so that's why i say speaking for the chamber commerce, if there's any highway improvement done, let us improve the roads that. bring more people into connersville. jack, you wish to say something. i am jack conner. i'm a businessman too. i would like to say a few words as an individual backing up. what bob harris just got through. sam, my family's been around connersville a long time. my grandfather started this town. the rest of us, connors, have helped it grow. i think it's the best little town in the state. this town was made what it is because of the highway running through it. i don't think can deny that route. one town brought people into town to shop, to market their farm goods. of course, none of us ever got rich, but most of us are right

comfortable now state comes along and wants to build a and better route 110 and instead of bringing it through connersville where it will do the most good, they want to go chopping up a lot of farmland outside of the town to fix it so that people won't have to come to connersville i say that's wrong, i say the road should come through town the way it's always done done. mr. i'm ralph kane. i run the king dairy farm out west of town and i have got plenty to say too about highway. i figure there's something wrong when a man's got to give up his farm land for a road he can't use. when the road he does use needs so bad. now you're planning to this big new superhighways smack dab through my farm. those folks can get from one side of the county to the other minutes faster.

and you are not planning for me to drive on it from my farm now, is that right. yes, it is, mr. king. but the traffic load on route 110 prohibits us from permitting private entrances. you will be able to get on the new highway, though, by driving just a short way down route 134, i suppose i could do that. and that's part of what's griping. i don't see why i should have to drive 2 to 3 miles out of my way down a road. well, a chuckles to get out to a new road that runs more than 200 yards from my house. well, i don't blame you for complaining about 134, but i can tell it's on our federal aid secondary road list, and very shortly it'll be improved. well, that's some good news, but i still say it's wrong to take a man's farm land for a road he can't. mr. king, the hardest part of being a highway engineer is explaining to people why we have to take their land for a new

highway. believe me, we're the first to admit that we must inconvenience good people. but it's our job when we plan new highways to try to do the most good for the most people at least, cost and inconvenience. as i said before, the state, the bypass around connersville in the best interests of the most people. it seems to me, mr. jacobson, that there is much thought being given to other people. what about us right here in connersville? oh, maybe i can help answer that question. my name is henry loomis, editor of the connersville courier, but i am speaking as of the traffic improvement council, which mayor spencer formed last year our first. i'd like to say that our agrees with the state's recommendations now the improvements proposed for present route 110 through connersville fit in perfectly with a massive street and highway plan that. we've worked out for connersville and we feel there are some very good reasons why this bypass will be of great interest to all us.

now you've already heard some of them from mr. jacobson, but there are others now. do any of you realize that a controlled access highway connersville would mean a barrier dividing the town in half the? traffic improvement council has studied similar situations in other towns and we feel if the economic development of connersville will be stimulated by this proposed bypass and the businesses will actually increase as that rate by keeping people away from town. yes, sir. jack exactly. by keeping those out who didn't plan to stop here anyway. now what good do through drivers your business if they don't stop? plenty of them stop at my place. well, i'll admit you may be an exception, but generally speaking through traffic adds nothing to connersville but the bumper to bumper congestion, which is choking us to death. now, if we can get rid of excess traffic, we'll find that connersville can take a deep

again. and people who want to shop here will. and the lack of congestion will make others want to come and they'll be the ones who will drive by your sign by. that's all fine and dandy for you. people in town. but what about us farmers? well, i can say that a new could expand your food market potential both to the north and south. now, you probably saw the story route map in last week's paper. you'll be able to drive farther if you want to in a day's time. now, isn't that so, mr. james? yes, it is. there is another benefit to you, mr. king, that nobody else had mentioned today. the economic development likely to take place along a new bypass route, how other cities found it. industry tends to locate along good highway outside of town, land values go up. people move to new suburban homes where they can drive work in a short time. mr. jacobson. yes, mayor. do you have any specific evidence where such development could take place?

well, it's already happened along route 128, the circumferential highway around boston and the new york thruway, the gulf freeway and and then a number of places in california here, of course we can't guarantee it'll happen here, but there are plenty of examples to show what could happen. and that would have an effect. the property of everyone along the highway including yours, mr. king. that's a long time proposition. right now i'm a farmer and. i still want to know why you want my land for your role. when you could. the present right away on land the state already owns or because we feel we must. now, all of our studies have shown that your land is the best place for the bypass to go. then you better figure out a for me to get my 60 head of cows back from the east pasture to the barn for milking. well, that roadblock on the way, because if don't there's going to be a lot of awful hungry youngsters in connersville.

we will study the situation. king and if necessary, we'll our plans to include an underpass so you can move your cows. bob did you wish to add something. robert harris again, mr. jacobson i want to get something clear as this bypass was plan definite or proposed. but it's the state's recommendation based on a careful study of all the engineering facts and the social and economic data available to us. this meeting is being held. invite any new information and points of view concerning the effect of our recommendation. a record is being kept. your comments and will be thoroughly reviewed before. we can take any action then will consider what i say about the bypass. yes, they will. then still against it. yes, mr. aspen, did you wish to

say something for use to answer? do i'm having rathburn, the fourth grade teacher at the new elementary school. i i came here today just to listen. i didn't expect to say anything, but after hearing some of the arguments against the new highway proposal, i would like to say just one thing. well, i'm just amazed at the number of people here who seem to be thinking about themselves. but isn't there a lot more to it than that? well, i'm a schoolteacher. i, i work all day with children. and they're your children. so instead of thinking of just what this new road and and all the thousands of roads just like it are going to mean to you, shouldn't you give some thought as what they are mean to your children, your children will have a better country to live in because of these new roads. will they be able to drive anywhere safely, even from coast to coast, without fear of in front of them and and without

fear of accidents? because the people that are planning and building these new roads are to standards such controlled access and and wider pavements, more lanes and wider shoulders. well all the things that mr. jacobsen's film talked about. this highway means your children will be able to leave lives in towns and cities that have had a chance to expand and, to grow from all that. some people have said here today, you'd think connersville would just curl up and die if the highway bypasses the town. well, it seems to me we're just being to the facts just as we're being blind to our children's future. can't you see that this highway means a whole new way of life for the children and a way of life. we have a chance to help plan and and to build. well, i think that the least we owe the children the best and the safest life we can give them. and i think that we owe them the

right to live long enough to enjoy that life life. thank you very much, mr. chapman. i was there anyone who? henry. henry again. i was about ready to. give a detailed report on the street and highway plan to convince this group the state's proposal is going to help, not hurt us. and so and gentlemen, it appears connersville is joining the long list cities and towns across the

nation already benefiting from the highway program. and so it is with great pleasure that i congratulate you as these ribbon cuttings managed today. official opens a new chapter in your and proud history. by. me and.

friend friend. i am pleased to introduce our guests. ida fales black, author of comedy harriet