its community development contest and other programs. The chamber recognizes that some State aid is necessary for these activities and that Federal research and technical assistance are beneficial. PARC recommendations fulfilling these functions are endorsed. Expansion of Federal programs like the Area Redevelopment Administration are centralizing control of community development at the Federal level of Government. Achievements of these programs have not justified the Federal expenditures involved. Moreover, these programs are causing local government to become increasingly dependent on Washington and are discouraging local initiative. The chamber believes that a number of the PARC recommendations offer hope for alleviating some of the economic problems existing in portions of Pennsylvania. It urges that the PARC programs be confined to operate within the traditional framework of the American political and economic system. If this is done, they should serve a useful purpose. Mr. RICHARD J. SULLIVAN, BROTHERHOOD OF RAILROAD TRAINMEN, Chief Counsel, House Committee on Public Works, DEAR MR. SULLIVAN: We write you in the interest of H.R. 11065, the antipoverty bill, introduced at the request of the administration. We feel this is much-needed legislation and will stimulate economic recovery in the chronically distressed areas of our country. The Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen has a long history of actively supporting social legislation designed to improve our country's standard of living. We are very much in favor of this bill; however, we would like to be placed on record as being against the possibility of using public funds for the construction of electric generating plants at mine sites. It will be appreciated if you would include our position on this point in your record. Kindest personal regards. Sincerely yours, C. LUNA, President. National Legislative Representative. WATER SERVICES, INC., Knoxville, Tenn., June 16, 1964. Hon. CLIFFORD DAVIS, Hon. CHARLES A. BUCKLEY, Hon. IRENE BAKER, Hon. WILLIAM E. BROCK, Hon. JAMES H. QUILLEN, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. MADAM AND SIRS: If you have not already received the letter from the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, dated June 11, 1964, together with the recommendations on their congressional action committee concerning the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1964, you will be receiving same within a few days. The purpose of my letter is to give you my opinion regarding their evaluation of this bill. I would like to go on record as stating that I concur with their recommendations completely and would like to include one which they have not included. I feel that a time limit on the existence of this committee or the duration of this act, however it should read, should be set at a fixed maximum number of years for its life existence. My recommendation is that a maximum of 10 years should be set. I think it also should go on record that part of the conditions that exist in the Appalachian area today are the direct result of the activities of the United Mine Workers and its leaders in their many demands upon the people, resulting in an increased price of the primary product that they mine-coal-that is responsible for much of the poverty. This should be a lesson to other labor unions for its members because there is such a thing as killing "the goose that laid the golden egg." Very sincerely yours, CLYDE A. FARRIS, Jr. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Hon. CLIFFORD DAVIS, Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on Appalachian Regional Development, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in regard to the proposed Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1964, presently being considered by the ad hoc subcommittee. I know that the subcommittee is carefully studying all aspects of the bill, and I take this opportunity to offer my comments, for the record, concerning the highway portion of the proposal. The bills before the committee (H.R. 11065 and H.R. 11066) provide for a developmental highway system of some 2,350 miles, and 500 miles of access roads. The bills would authorize the appropriation of $460 million to cover 50 percent of costs of these highways and roads together with an additional $185 million to pay an additional part of the cost of construction up to 80 percent of such costs. This proposal evidently contemplates a highway construction program amounting to $920 million. Without question, a highway program of this magnitude will stimulate economic improvement within the area. Unfortunately, Appalachia is not the only part of our Nation which needs help. There are many areas in New Hampshire where our economy could be improved by better roads. I know that in other States there are areas having depressed economic conditions which would be helped by better access roads. I have recently been in contact with Mr. John O. Morton, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Public Works and Highways. Mr. Morton confirms that the total highway program in New Hampshire is less than $50 million per year. The New Hampshire Department of Public Works and Highways could provide many urgently needed highway improvements with only a small share of the special fund proposed for Appalachia. Mr. Morton and highway administrators from other States in the Nation are in accord in believing that any such special type of highway spending should be shared equitably with all States. The total amount to be provided for Federal-aid primary and secondary highways for fiscal year 1966 as set forth in the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1964 (which has just passed the House) is $1 billion. If an additional $645 million is to be provided for highway construction, it seems to me that this should be provided for expenditure on the Federal-aid systems in all States under the longstanding Federal-aid highway program. It seems unfair to me that areas in my State that desperately need better roads to improve their circumstances and their economies are to be discriminated against. Our Federal-aid systems to highways has been to date a truly national program of which we can well be proud. Any departure from this concept based on sectional or political considerations poses a serious threat to its continued success. Thanking you for this opportunity to express my views, I am, JAMES C. CLEVELAND, Representative JOHN P. SAYLOR, INDIANA COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION, DEAR REPRESENTATIVE SAYLOR: In January of this year a delegation from Indiana County met with secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Highways, Henry D. Harral, to discuss the urgent need for construction of bypasses on U.S. Routes 422 and 119 around Indiana Borough, Pa. In April of 1964 a delegation from Indiana and Jefferson Counties met with Gov. William W. Scranton and Secretary Harral for a further discussion of the bypasses on U.S. Routes 422 and 119. The presentation made at the meeting with Governor Scranton and at the Pennsylvania Highway Planning Commission public hearing was a result of further study and discussion of not only the bypasses but the overall highway network existing and proposed as it affects Indiana and Jefferson Counties. The bypass of Routes 422 and 119, although urgently needed, are only part of the overall problem and solution. As you can see from the maps contained in this report we are requesting that U.S. Route 119 be improved to a major highway from the intersection with the Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. Route 70 traveling in a northeasterly direction southwest of Greensburg and connecting with U.S. Route 22 several miles west of Blairsville and continuing in the northeast direction around Indiana and Punxsutawney Boroughs and connecting with the Pennsylvania Shortway near DuBois, Pa. It seems to us that this highway proposal fits within the existing and proposed Pennsylvania highway system. Furthermore, it appears that part of our proposal, the improvement of U.S. 119 from the intersection with U.S. 70 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike to U.S. 22 at Blairsville, Pa., is included as a proposed development road as one of the recommendations contained in the President's Appalachian Regional Commission report. Following is a designation of highway improvement projects we recommend be considered for this overall program. Construction of U.S. Route 119 bypass around Indiana Borough and Punxsutawney Borough: U.S. Route 422 bypass around Indiana Borough; U.S. Route 119 from Indiana to Punxsutawney connecting with the shortway at DuBois; U.S. Route 119 from Homer City to Blairsville connecting with U.S. Route 22; U.S. Route 119 from Blairsville intersecting with U.S. Route 30 south of Greensburg with U.S. Route 70 at the Pennsylvania Turnpike. (Also contained in the President's Appalachian Regional Commission report.) The improvement of U.S. Route 119 as requested would provide (1) a connector between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. Route 70 with the Pennsylvania Shortway; (2) the urgently needed access for Indiana, Jefferson, and Westmoreland Counties to the Pennsylvania Shortway and on into New York State west, as well as the eastern seaboard, and southwest into Ohio; (3) access from southern Ohio, primarily Columbus, and Wheeling, W. Va., by way of U.S. Interstate 70 into the center of Pennsylvania's tourist designated counties, bypassing and eliminating further congestion within Metropolitan Allegheny County; (4) the DuBois and Punxsutawney areas of Jefferson County with better access to Pittsburgh, Pa., as well as the Ohio and West Virginia areas; (5) Indiana County direct access to; the Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. Route 70; (6) Greensburg and Westmoreland County with better access to Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. 70 as well as the Pennsylvania Shortway. As mentioned earlier, the delegation from Indiana County met with the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Highways to discuss the urgent need for the construction of bypasses on U.S. Routes 422 and 119 around Indiana Borough. Insofar as this proposal directly affects these bypasses, I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the urgent need for these bypasses and the reasons for their high priority. Indiana Borough forms the hub of a regional highway system which transverses Indiana County. Two major highways intersect in the borough, U.S. Routes 422 and 119. U.S. Route 422, part of the Federal highway system linking New York with Cleveland, passes through the center of the borough and the region in an east-west direction. U.S. Route 119 provides access from U.S. Route 22 through the center of Indiana Borough up into the State of New York. A number of other State roads funnel into the borough from all directions. Principal among these is Pennsylvania Route 286. Most of the State roads converge in a strong lateral pattern on the central business district and create traffic circulation problems greatly affecting pedestrian movements. This is caused by the absence of a system of circumferential roads that would enable through traffic to bypass the central business district. Overall this condition is a threat to the economic stability and future maximum utilization and comfort of the central business district and detracts from its attractiveness as a business center. An improvement that would greatly improve this situation involves a bypass for both U.S. Routes 422 and 119. Serious acute angle intersections involving U.S. Routes 422 and 119 are found in six locations within Indiana Borough. Eleven signalized traffic control systems provide deterrents to through traffic. The greatest volumes of traffic in Indiana County are found on U.S. Routes 422 and 119. Volumes on Route 422 range from a low of approximately 2,400 to 4,600 vehicles per day in the township to a high with a range from 8,200 to 14,000 in the borough. The high volumes in the borough result from heavy local traffic volumes oriented in the business district as well as heavy through flow moving from U.S. Route 119 to 422. The average daily traffic flow on U.S. Route 119 ranges from 3,200 to 7,800 vehicles in the township and 6,600 to 8,200 vehicles are found in the borough along Philadelphia Street (U.S. Route 422) where most of the major arterial roads converge. It is at this point that traffic congestion and the detrimental effect of heavy traffic volumes are most critical. Furthermore, U.S. Routes 422 and 119 show signs of serious continued congestion. Peak hour traffic volume within Indiana Borough exceeds the practical capacity by about 29 percent. If traffic volumes continue to increase, as they have in the past, additional traffic congestion on Philadelphia Street in Indiana Borough (Route 422) is expected to reach 85 percent by 1980, and 12 to 16 percent on U.S. Route 119. Presently there are a number of significant local traffic generators which contribute greatly to the overall volume of traffic. These include the central business district along Philadelphia Street which includes the administrative center of county government, Indiana State College, and a heavy commercial and industrial concentration along Route 119 south of Indiana Borough. Definite plans have been initiated for the construction of other facilities which will contribute greatly to the overall volume of traffic. These facilities include the Keystone powerplant, the Yellow Creek State Park, the Indiana State College, and continued industrial development. Following is a brief description of these proposed facilities and their project completion dates. The construction of the Keystone powerplant will begin in the late fall of 1964 with major construction beginning in early spring of 1965. This facility will be located 8 miles west of Indiana Borough in an area bounded by U.S. Route 422, Pennsylvania 156, and a township road. Employment during construction will peak at 2,000 until the summer of 1967 then drop slowly until construction is concluded in the summer of 1968. Employment created at the coal mines and powerplant will be approximately 1,400 men. Indiana Borough is the nearest residential and commercial area. It is anticipated that many of the employees involved with the Keystone powerplant will desire to locate in this area and primary acess to the plant site is U.S. Route 422. The proposed Yellow Creek State Park will be located approximately 8 miles east of Indiana Borough on U.S. Route 422. Land acquisition is presently underway and it is anticipated that the park will be completed in the next 4 to 5 years. Indiana State College located in Indiana Borough, adjacent to U.S. Route 119 has a present enrollment of 4,600 students. Programs have already been initiated and money appropriated to provide expanded facilities at the college to accommodate a student enrollment increase of 45 percent in the next 6 years. Attraction of new industry through industrial development promotion by the Industrial Development Division of the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce has been very satisfactory to date. From 1,850 to 2,100 new jobs have been attracted. The industrial development division is presently in contact with 2 additional industries that could create 1,300 jobs. The chamber of commerce expressed concern over the present traffic conditions and fully supports the construction of the U.S. Routes 422 and 119 bypasses which would make this area much more attractive to industrial expansion and provide a very essential facility for combating the present serious unemployment problem. The construction of facilities outlined above combined with the growth of the region and present traffic conditions places immediate need for the construction of U.S. Routes 422 and 119 bypasses. The major traffic problem of the region is caused by local-oriented traffic which is forced to compete with regional through traffic and it is expected that the U.S. Routes 422 and 119 bypasses will help to alleviate this condition. If you desire further information or meetings, we will arrange to comply. Respectfully submitted. ISADORE R. LENGLET, Planning Director. |