Mr. GENTRY. We do not capitalize anything to get it. We just go ahead and appropriate.

General REYBOLD. That is the way to do this.

Mr. DEMPSEY. General, do you think it is in the same category as an emergency proposition?

General REYBOLD. Yes, sir; I do.

Mr. DEMPSEY. I agree with you. That is all.

Mr. MILLER. Mr. Chairman, if I may be permitted to have the record corrected I would like to straighten out something which could readily give a false impression from some of the statements we have made. I would like the record to show that the American Road Builders' Association is quite in accord with the sound concept and principles of earmarking State highway revenues for highway purposes. We are positively against the diversion of highway revenues. We support earmarking of highway revenues for highway purposes to the utmost at the State level. We do feel, however, that there is a distinction, Mr. Chairman, when it comes to the earmarking of Federal revenues which were enacted as emergency measures.

Mr. CRAMER. Mr. Chairman, may 1 add one additional request of Mr. Miller with respect to the matter we were discussing? Perhaps I misled you a little bit on the question of whether or not a corporation of necessity had to be set up to carry this out. What I meant is that it is my understanding that in order to make it binding on the Congress in the future, both morally and legally, some method of that sort should be used. Will you add that to your research problem? In other words, to what extent is Congress bound over this period of time by using one method as compared to the other. I think that is the crux of the problem. Obviously Congress can do it either way, but there is a difference as I understand it as to the extent Congress will be bound as a result of the different methods.

Mr. MILLER. I would be very glad to do that, sir.

Mr. ROBERTSON. Mr. Chairman, there is one more thing I would like to add, if I may. I would like to express the gratitude of the American Road Builders' Association for the privilege of this appearance. Your committee has always been most considerate in entertaining the viewpoints of our association, and it is our earnest hope that we have been able to shed some light on the many perplexing problems facing this committee.

Certainly, the responsibility of writing legislation providing for a highway program of proportions vastly exceeding any peacetime expenditures of the Federal Government is by no means an easy task. Our association is fully cognizant of the leadership emanating from this committee in the past and looks to the future with full confidence that this learned body will again come forth with a practical solution.

Mr. FALLON. Thank you very much, Mr. Robertson. On behalf of the committee I wish you would see our beloved friend and your associate Tom Keefe and tell him we wish him a speedy recovery and wish he gets back on the Hill very soon. Thank you very much. Mr. ROBERTSON. I certainly will. Thank you.

Mr. FALLON. Our next witness will be introduced by my colleague from New York, Mr. Becker.

Mr. BECKER. Mr. Chairman, with your permission and without any objection, the next witness is the head of the government of West

chester County, a county with a similar form of government to my own county. As Ralph Gamble is here, from Westchester County, I ask for the courtesy of having him introduce his witnesses.

Mr. GAMBLE. Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I know it is late. I just want to take this opportunity to introduce Hon. James D. Hopkins, county executive of the county of Westchester, N. Y., the heart of which I have the honor to represent.

Mr. FALLON. We are very happy to have you, Mr. Hopkins.

STATEMENTS OF JAMES D. HOPKINS, COUNTY EXECUTIVE; JAMES C. HARDING, COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS; HARRY G. HERMAN, COUNTY ATTORNEY; AND HUGH S. COYLE, CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N. Y.

Mr. HOPKINS. Thank you very much, Mr. Gamble. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I thank you very much for the courtesy of hearing the position of our county. I shall be very brief. If I may, however, I would like to introduce some of the members of the county government who are here with me today. Mr. Hugh S. Coyle, chairman, board of supervisors; Mr. James C. Harding, commissioner of public works; and Mr. Harry G. Herman, county attorney.

Mr. FALLON. We are glad to have all of you gentlemen with us today.

Mr. HOPKINS. My name is James D. Hopkins. I reside on Sterling Road at Armonk, in the town of North Castle, Westchester County, State of New York. I am the county executive of Westchester County, having been elected for a term of 4 years beginning January 1, 1954. Accompanying me on my appearance before this honorable committee are the following county officials: James C. Harding, commissioner of public works; Harry G. Herman, county attorney; and Hugh S. Coyle, chairman, board of supervisors.

Westchester County lies directly north of the city of New York. It includes some 457 square miles in area, and is contained by the Hudson River on the west, the Long Island Sound and the State of Connecticut on the east, by Putnam County on the north, and, as previously stated, by the city of New York on the south. Its population is 625,816, according to the last Federal census in 1950.

Since 1914 Westchester County has owned, constructed, and operated a network of parkways. In that year the construction of the Bronx River Parkway was begun, and I believe that it represents the oldest limited-access parkway in the United States and was the pattern for the development of the many parkways which have been built in the United States. In 1922 the Westchester County Park Commission was organized, to acquire, lay out, and develop lands to be used for public parks and parkways. It is fair to say that the county parkway system thus created has attracted worldwide attention.

The oldest section of the system is the Bronx River Parkway, which runs from the New York City line north along the Bronx River Valley to Valhalla, where it becomes the Taconic State Parkway, and joins the Saw Mill River Parkway at the Hawthorne Circle.

The Taconic State Parkway extends many miles north, and will eventually terminate near Albany.

The Saw Mill River Parkway also runs north and south, connecting with the Henry Hudson Parkway in the city of New York and running to the Hawthorne Circle and northward, where construction will soon bring it to Route 22, which in turn travels to the Canadian border.

The Hutchinson River Parkway is a third north-south facility, which connects with a State parkway at the New York City boundary leading directly to the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge to the south, and to the north connects directly with the Merritt Parkway, a Connecticut State parkway. The Merritt Parkway in turn connects with the Wilbur Cross Parkway running to the Massachusetts line.

Mr. FALLON. Mr. Hopkins, will you suspend for a moment there? I would like to explain to those gentlemen in the audience who are not familiar with the three bells which have just rung that it is a quorum call, meaning the Members have to go to the floor of the House. If it meets with the approval of the committee and the witnesses we will take a recess until after lunch, and set the time for 2 o'clock to hear the remaining witnesses.

Mr. HOPKINS. Thank you very much.

Mr. FALLON. We will adjourn until 2 o'clock.

(Whereupon, at 12: 15 p. m., the hearing was recessed until 2 p. m. the same day.)

AFTERNOON SESSION

(The hearing was resumed at 2: 20 p. m.)

Mr. FALLON. Ladies and gentlemen, before the committee recessed for lunch, Mr. Hopkins was reading from his statement.

If you will pick up where you left off, Mr. Hopkins, and proceed right along, please, sir.

Mr. HOPKINS. The Cross County Parkway is an east-west artery which connects the Bronx River Parkway, Saw Mill River Parkway, and Hutchinson River Parkway. There are other elements of the parkway system which I shall not describe in detail, since the four which I have already mentioned are the principal and major parkways maintained by our county. In all, our entire parkway system consists of 89 miles.

In a sense, Westchester County is a natural traffic corridor for vehicular movement from New York City and points south to the northern parts of New York State and the New England area. It is practically impossible to traverse between these points without crossing Westchester County, by reason of its geographical location, bounded as it is between Long Island Sound and the Hudson River, thus being the only land approach to New York City from any direction.

Available statistics bear out this conclusion. During 1954 it is estimated that 55 million automobiles used our parkways. This represents one of the heaviest traffic concentrations in the metropolitan district surrounding the city of New York. Competent engineering consultants have estimated that by 1975, 99 million cars will be funneled into our county parkways. Certainly, traffic movement to the north of the city of New York would be seriously curtailed if it were not for the existence of the Westchester County parkways.

In the acquisition of land and in the construction of parkways the county spent nearly $40 million and incurred a total bonded debt of $35 million. The latter sum the county taxpayer has been amortizing and has paid interest thereon for more than 40 years. Unquestionably, the parkways contributed greatly to the growth of Westchester County; nevertheless, recent studies indicate that our parkway system is used largely by out-of-county residents, and indeed 1 study stated that 75 percent of the through traffic on our parkways was represented by noncounty residents.

The contribution of the State and Federal Governments to the development of this important highway network has been minor; to date, the amount contributed by the Federal Government is $2 million and the amount contributed by the State of New York $10 million.

In 1946, because of this condition of heavy traffic use by noncounty residents, Westchester County secured the enactment of legislation at Albany permitting the imposition of a 10-cent toll upon motorists at 2 points-1 toll station being located near the New York City line on the Saw Mill River Parkway, and a second toll station being located near the New York City line on the Hutchinson River Parkway. It is interesting to note that since 1948 there has been at least a 10-percent increase in parkway traffic over each preceding year.

In 1953, Mr. Herbert C. Gerlach, the then county executive, the board of supervisors, and the Westchester County Park Commission became seriously concerned over the design and capacity of the Hutchinson River Parkway and the Cross County Parkway. The tremendous traffic using those parkways, the effect of the increases each year in traffic volume, and the predictions as to the amount of traffic to be expected in the future, were all factors which led to their decision that a survey of traffic and highway design and capacity should be made of the two parkways. In January 1955, studies prepared by Edwards, Kelcey & Beck, nationally known engineers, and Wilbur Smith & Associates, traffic experts, were submitted to county officials. recommending the reconstruction and improvement of the Hutchinson River Parkway and the Cross County Parkway. It is sufficient to say that these improvements would require to a large degree the reconstruction of both parkways so as to minimize any traffic hazards now existing and to accommodate a much larger volume of traffic. The estimate of cost of such improvement is the sum of $60,740,000.

The present bonded debt of the county of Westchester is $54,502,055.20; thus the recommended improvement of but two of the parkways would more than double the bonded debt of the county, if that form of financing the improvement were to be adopted.

In early 1955, I recommended to the board of supervisors that legislation be introduced at Albany to permit the creation of a Westchester County Parkway Authority which would have the power to issue bonds payable only out of revenues. Such bonds would not be based upon the credit of the county. This legislation was passed by both houses of the legislature, but was vetoed by the Governor.

It is my belief that sustantial Federal aid should be granted for the improvement of our county parkways. Clearly they are an indispensable and essential link in the interstate parkways running from the city of New York and from the State of New Jersey via the

George Washington Bridge to points northward in the State of New York and Canada and extending into all the New England States. The growth of automobile plays in our present civilization requires that our county parkways be improved, yet it is also clear that the burden of such improvement should not be placed on our county taxpayer, but should be spread over the entire nation. It should be spread also by the imposition of tolls upon the motorists who use the parkways.

The parkways, in addition, are important links in the civil defense of the same area. During World War II, military trucks made frequent use of our parkways transporting personnel and materiel; unquestionably, in case of national emergency our parkways would again be so used.

I appear, therefore, in favor of Federal legislation which would permit the allocation of Federal funds to toll highways. Such legislation should not limit the grant of Federal funds to toll highways accommodating both commercial and passenger vehicles. Our parkways are designed for the rapid movement of passenger vehicles, and I urge that no bill be adopted which restricts the vehicles, and I urge that no bill be adopted which restricts the granting of Federal aid to mixed traffic toll highways alone.

I urge also that the amount made available for Federal funds be determined as provided in the report made by the President's Advisory Committee on a National Highway Program. The great amount of highway improvements which are required, as well as the increased costs that have been experienced, since the war, make it imperative that the appropriations be of the substantial amount which that report contemplates. Anything less might seriously impair the achievement of the program which the President's Committee recommended.

In short, I urge that any legislation recommended by your committee contain the following provisions:

First, that Federal funds be made available in the amount recommended by the President's Committee.

Second, that the Westchester County parkways be made eligible to receive Federal aid, even though tolls are collected on the parkways, and regardless of whether the parkways are under the jurisdiction of the county or of an authority, or whether they carry passenger traffic only.

Third, that the Westchester County parkways receive through the means of such legislation a substantial contribution toward the cost of construction—at least on the basis of 70 percent of the cost with the remaining 30 percent to be financed by the State or otherwise. Mr. Chairman, I thank you and the members of your committee for the privilege of appearing before you.

Mr. FALLON. Thank you very much for your statement.

Are there any questions?

Mr. DEMPSEY. I would like to ask Mr. Hopkins a question.

Is the Westchester Parkway on the Interstate System?

Mr. HOPKINS. No; it is not.

Mr. DEMPSEY. I do not think there is anything in this bill to permit this committee to put it on the System. The System has been designated for nearly 10 years. It was done about 10 years ago, by the respective State highway commissions with the cooperation of the