Good Roads movement led to first permanent highways commission

Idaho gave only limited attention to roads during its territorial days and the first two decades of statehood. The odd boundaries of the state with the Salmon River and mountains dividing north from south made it nearly impossible to travel from Lewiston to Boise without entering Oregon and Washington. The legislature recognized the need for a north-south connection but early attempts at building a wagon road failed.

One of the more important reasons for this failure was the belief that roads were largely a local matter that needed to be handled by counties. Idaho would survey highways and pay to have them built, but upkeep was the responsibility of the counties. This responsibility the counties often shirked leading to rapid deterioration of the roads.

Similarly, the state had no permanent position that focused on roads (the state engineer was primarily responsible for managing Idaho’s water). Temporary commissions were formed to survey roads and oversee construction, but they were disbanded once a project was completed. This resulted in mismanagement of projects that caused significant cost overruns and other problems.

There was little incentive for Idaho to build good wagon roads. Toll roads were a simple and cost-effective way of ensuring roads existed where they were most needed, such as into the Boise Basin. However, railroads were seen as a more modern way of solving Idaho’s transportation problems. Compared to wagons, especially freight wagons, the railroad was a much faster and more economical method of moving freight and passengers from one place to another. By 1910, there were more than 27 railroads in Idaho. These railroads were often short lines connected to the Oregon Short Line in Southern Idaho or to the Northern Pacific railroad in the north.

It was not until the Good Roads Movement that things began to change. The movement was born from the needs of three different groups. First on the scene were bicycle riding enthusiasts who formed clubs. These groups wanted better rural roads for their excursions. Second was the postal service that had recently made a commitment to rural free delivery of the mail. Third were farmers on rural roads that often struggled with poor roads. The Good Roads movement exploded in popularity. By 1895, Good Roads magazine had a circulation of one million.

After 1900, bicycle ridership began to fall as automobiles took over. However, automobile owners were just as adamant that good roads were important. In 1905, there were a series of meetings across the state where C.H. Moore, President of the Association, led discussions with a group of experts who touted the importance of good roads and even demonstrated how good roads could be built.

Governor James H. Brady took up the mantle of good roads in his 1909 message to the legislature where he said, “The building of new roads where needed, and the repair of existing roads is a duty that the State owes its citizens. At the 9th Legislative Session, the State Highway Commission was created. Under this law the Commission had conferred on it certain powers relative to roads that have been constructed in whole or in part by the State and then turned over to the counties in which the roads are located. 

"The powers of this Highway Commission should be enlarged, giving it supervisory control of the county roads, so that it may initiate investigation as well as receive complaints and compel remedial action without unnecessary delay. The Wagon roads of the State are the main arteries of trade. In communities of farms prosperity is practically impossible with poor and neglected roads. The same applies to mining districts. The subject seems to me of so much importance as to deserve the painstaking attention of the Legislature to the end that the roads of our state may be properly improved.”

However, Governor Brady’s call for action seems to have fallen on deaf ears and the legislature made no significant moves to improve the state’s roads.

In 1911, Governor James H. Hawley again brought the problem of poor roads to the attention of the legislature. “Our public roads are, outside of a few peculiarly favored sections, a disgrace to the State, and to the counties wherein situated. Our present road law is antiquated and ineffective. Nothing appeals to the intended resident so forcibly as good roads in the locality wherein he proposes to make his future home. There is no good reason why Idaho should be behind the rest of the country in this regard. The greatest benefit of a good road system insures to the farmer, but all other classes are assisted by it. The subject has attracted the attention of many of our people and good roads associations have been organized in several of our counties. Proposed statutes on this subject have been prepared by interested citizens and will undoubtedly be submitted to you. Hoping you will be able to devise a proper system that will cure this evil and put us in line with the other advanced States of the Union, I assure you of my hearty cooperation in the matter.”

Nothing happened in 1911, but on March 13, 1913, the state legislature created the first permanent State Highway Commission for Idaho. In 1919, that commission became the Bureau of Highways, reporting to the Division of Public Works. It remained that way until 1950, when it was reorganized as the Department of Highways. Highways combined with the Department of Aeronautics and Public Transportation Section in 1974, creating the Idaho Transportation Department.