I am sure you all know that we have built more roads and spent more
money on highways during the past seven years than ever before in the
history of the State. Through January 1, 1966, contractors have re-
ceived from this Administration $353, 303, 644. This figure does not
include the $75 million that was spent in the construction of the John
F. Kennedy Memorial Highway, nor, for that matter, does it include the
money the State spent for right-of-way, engineering and administration.
During the first seven years of this Administration, new interstate,
primary and secondary roads—that is to say roads built on entirely new
locations—totaled 338 miles. Add to this the 510 miles of roads recon-
structed to meet modern standards, the 452 miles of roads completely
resurfaced and the 184 miles of roads still under contract as of December
31, 1965, and we see that 1, 484 miles of highway have been built or
improved, or are being built and improved, since I took office as Gover-
nor in January, 1959. Last year, resurfacing of roads set a new record,
with expenditures to contractors of $1, 931, 800—more than $500, 000 in
excess of the previous record set in 1964. Including payments for rights-
of-way, payments to contractors and payments for engineering, this
Administration had converted more than $550 million of the tax-
payers' money into roads.

But if the immediate past in Maryland highway building looks bright,
the future looks even brighter. It was interesting to me to note, in a
figure brought to my attention recently, that during the year 1964—the
latest figure available—841. 9 billion vehicle miles were traveled on the
highways of this country. This represents an increase of 5. 1 per cent
over the previous year. The automobile industry assures us that before
1970 it will break the mark of ten million cars sold per year. This had
great significance for all of the country, of course, but it had a particular
significance for Maryland, which is the second fastest growing state east
of the Mississippi River and is situated in an important corridor from
the standpoint of the growing interstate system. This means, among
other things, that Maryland is going to have to grow rapidly in the
construction of highways, and it means, from your vantage, that you
may expect more and more road contracts in the years ahead.

New projects, as you undoubtedly know, will include the Appalachia
project, which will be a freeway type concentrating next year upon the

591