The San Francisco call., 1905-01-08

roads would probably all be standard
roads. Such roads when once construct
ed are maintained with comparatively
little expense, which in time. with the
State aid to help out the county fund,
would help to construct more and more
standard roads.
Under the present law each Road
Commissioner and roadmaSter works
his road according to his own ideas.
which are often very crude and fire.
Quently wasteful.
Road building is a trade or business
as much as house building is. No sane
man would spend many thousands or
dollars each year in any construction
or business in the way our road funds
are expended.
There ought to be certain standards
and regulations adopted for the con-
struction, repair and maintenance of
the different classes of roads. which
should be published in each county
under some general requirements to
be prescribed by State law. and public
money should only be expended in ac-
cordance with such requirements.
In that case the people could see and
watch if the requirements were COM
piled with, and money would not then
be wasted, as it now often is.
For the purpose of gradually better
ing existing roads the law should also
ton of all road taxes collected be ex-
pended only for permanent improve
ments of such roads until they are
brought up to the standards and re-
QuirementS adopted.
Summarizing our conclusions we rec
ommend that our road laws be CHANGED
to provide as fundamental features the
following:
irst-C.assification of public roads.
into local roads, general county roads
and standard county roads receiving
State aid.
Second-That the State law shall
prescribe certain general regulations
and standards for the construction.
repair and maintenance Of local and
general county roads and authorize and
require the Board of Supervisors in
each county to provide further gen.
eral regulations and standards. within
the limits allowed by State law for
such construction, repair. maintenance.
within each county. and that the State
law shall prescribe all regulations and
standards for the construction. repair
and maintenance of standard county
reads receiving State aid.
All such regulations to be published
so as to be in the hands of all the
officials, including local trustees and
road overseers and citizens generally.
and that no public money shall be ex-
pended except in accordance with such
regulations and standards
Third-That local roads shall be un-
der the control of a board OF three
trustees in each district. elected as
School Trustees are now elected, who
shall employ a road overseer for each
district in a similar manner as school
trustees employ teacher.
The construction, repair and mainte-
nance of local roads shall be under the
immediate control of the road trustees
and overseers of the several road dis
tricts under the general supervision
of the County Board Of Road Com
missioners and county road superin-
tendent.
For the construction. repair and
maintenance of local roads. local taxes
shall be levied and collected in the re-
spective road districts upon estimates
furnished by such local trustees within
the limits to be prescribed by law.
Fourth-That there shall be in each
county a County Board OF Road Com
sioners and county road superin-
tendent, who must be properly quail
lied civil engineer.
That such County Road Commission
ers be elected by the qualified electors
of the county at large, and that those
first elected shall hold office for two.
four and six years respectively. ana
thereafter one to be elected at each
general election and hold off1ce Tor SIX
years, and that the county road su-
nerintendent shall be elected by the
Board Of Supervisors in each county.
FifthJThat such County Board OF
Road Commissioners shall have 1urls-
diction over all matters reiatinE 70 lne
construction, repair and maintenance
of the general county roads and stand
ard or State-aided roads, and that they
and the county road superintendent
shall exercise a supervisory control
over the local road trustees ana over
expenditures for local roads In SINH
lar manner as the County Board or Ed
ncation and School Superintendent SUI
nervise the local School Trustees.
Sixth-That the general county roads
and standard or State-aided roads shall
he constructed and maintained BY tax
alton of all the taxable property In the
county as q whole, including that in
cities and incorporated towns, and that
the State shall contribute from the
state treasury a certain sum per mile
annually for the maintenance OF such
roads, when constructed according 10
prescribed State standards and require
ments, and when such roads have been
accepted by the State, as constructed
according to the requirements provided
by law, such State aid to cease when
ever said roads are not maintained ac-
ccrding TO such standards and require
ments. That the State shall pay for
the construction, repair and mainten-
ance Of all streets or public roads 'front.'
ing upon or passing through State
property.
Seventh-That all work on general
county roads and standard or State
aided roads, either construction or re-
pair. or maintenance, shall be done by
contract, under proper safeguards and
restrictions, and shall be let to the low
est and best bidder. and that for the
purpose of repair and maintenance
such roads shall be divided into con-
venient sections.
Eighth-That for the purpose of
bringing existing roads to the stand
ards and requirements adopted the law
require a certain minimum proportion
of road funds collected to be expended
only for the permanent improvements
thereon until such roads are brought
nm 70 c.ych standards