ROAD TO RUIN

In 1967 this author took on the food industry; now the highway interests of the United States are the target. With barely contained outrage Mr. Mowbray covers what he considers to be the main evils of the auto-monstrous threat to our future. Land acquisition for highways, based on the provisions of the Highway Act of 1962, is still ruining old, established neighborhoods, toppling landmarks and strangling wilderness areas, while property owners, town governments, and conservationists are often helpless. He pleads the cause of improved mass transit with the aim of phasing out the present multitude of cars. The more cars, the more highways, leading to the dangers he scores initially. Like many crusaders burdened with import, the author tends to rely on hair-raising instances rather than broad-based research. He ignores however some essential considerations such as inter-suburban transportation and also commercial innovations such as piggybacking. However, he has presented a popular version of some important contemporary concerns. A loud if not totally clarified call--and there are, hopefully, many ready to listen.