Planning the Appalachian Development Highway System: Some Critical Questions

Abstract

APPALACHIA HAS SEVERAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT JUSTIFY THE TERM DEPRESSED IT COMBINES HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND LOW INCOMES TO AN EXTENT NOT FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES. A PROGRAM TO COMBAT THIS CONDITION WAS DEVELOPED AND RESULTED IN THE PASSAGE OF THE APPALACHIAN REDEVELOPMENT ACT IN 1965. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES AND SEEKS TO EVALUATE ONE FEATURE OF THE APPALACHIAN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - THE DEVELOPMENT HIGHWAY SYSTEM PROGRAM WHICH INVOLVES THE CONSTRUCTION OF 2,350 MILES OF HIGH-QUALITY HIGHWAYS IN THE APPALACHIAN REGION. THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM WAS NEEDED, ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES, TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY DIFFICULT, AND IN SOME INSTANCES, IMPOSSIBLE ACCESS - ONE OF THE REASONS CITED FOR THE LACK OF ECONOMIC PROGRESS IN THE REGION. THE ANALYSIS FOCUSES ON THE VARIOUS STAGES OF PLANNING OF THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM PROGRAM. SIXTY-THREE PERCENT OF THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES PLANNED FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE SIX-YEAR TERM OF THE ACT IS TO BE CONCENTRATED ON HIGHWAYS AND THE DEVELOPMENT HIGHWAY SYSTEM REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF THE TOTAL APPALACHIAN PROGRAM.

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