The Privatization of Roads and Highways - Ludwig von Mises Institute

Public Goods and Externalities: The Case of Roads 147
These statistics are, however, misleading in terms of the
actual importance played by the turnpike system, for highway
mileage is not a homogeneous commodity. Miles cannot be
equated one to another. On the contrary, some mileage is more
strategically placed, is of better quality, and supports more
important and valuable traffic. And in each of these respects the
(quasi) private turnpikes surpassed the public highway system.
In terms of strategic location, for example, Jackman tells us that
“the greatest industrial and commercial centres at this time [1838]
were linked up by practically continuous turnpike roads.” 67 In
comparison, the less industrialized areas of the country were
served by the parish highways. Although these served “large and
important sections” of the country, the typical rate of industrialization
and commercialization was lower there. Further, the
parish, or public highways, in comparison with the turnpikes
“were generally in a bad state.” 68 And, as for the quality of traffic,
“turnpike roads were constantly treated by the legislature on
the assumption that the traffic upon them was more important
than the traffic upon an ordinary highway.” 69
The early American experience of private road building was
entirely in keeping with that of England. 70 Replying to the view
Commons to Consider Acts Regarding Turnpikes, Roads, and Highways,
1821” and “Report of the Royal Commission on the State of the Roads,
1840.” The Webbs give rough support to these estimates in stating that
23,000 miles of roads were administered by the Turnpike Trusts in 1835.
They add the fact that, in the same year, 1,100 Turnpike Companies collectively
levied an annual revenue of more than 1.5 million sterling and had a
debt of £7 million. Webb and Webb, English Local Government, p. 152.
67 Jackman, The Development of Transportation in Modern England, p. 234.
68 Brit. Mus., T. 1157 (4), “Highways Improved,” p. 2, quoted in ibid.
69Joshua Scholefield and Archibald W. Cockburn, eds., Pratt and MacKenzie’s
Law of Highways, 18th ed. (London: Butterworth, 1932), p. 467, quoted
in Tripp, “The History of the Modern Highway in England,” p. 43.
70See also Bonavia, The Economics of Transport, p. 53, concerning the Italian
experience with private roads, or autostrade.