Improvement of these more heavily traveled facilities, comprising in the aggregate about 17 percent of the total street and highway mileage, benefits all but a very small part (13 percent, as shown by the diagram) of the movements that in sum represent the country’s highway transportation.
But, while the improvement of heavy traffic arteries is thus indicated to be a first necessity, and of greatest value to the largest proportion of highway usage, the State highway planning surveys are also establishing other facts that merit careful consideration. These facts show that it is probable that the Federal-aid and State highways in the average State give direct access to about one-fourth of the total number of rural homes, and places of business, social and religious gatherings.
In Oregon, for example, the State highway system, comprising approximately 13.7 percent of the total rural-road mileage serves directly 23.6 percent of all farms, rural homes, and rural commercial, social, and religious establishments.
In Florida, the State-maintained highway system, including 22.4 percent of the total rural-road mileage serves directly 29.2 percent of the farm houses, homes and other rural buildings previously described.
In Vermont, the State highway system, which includes 12.7 percent of the total mileage of rural roads, serves directly 22.5 percent of the total number of rural homes and other establishments.
