The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-07-20
STATE-AID GOOD ROADS.

With contracts let and the work
begun upon about sixteen miles of
highway. the actual construction of
State roads in the various counties of
MARYLAND under the new State Aid
Road Law is now weil'under way.
Plans and estimates for thirty pieces
OF roads varying in length from one
half to two miles have been sent out
by the Highway Division of the Mary
land Geological Survey by the
County Commissioners.
Within a few months, therefore,
there viii be established specimens of
modern, permanent stone roads, to
serve as example of practical economy
and general satisfaction.
Some criticism has arisen, however,
in certain instances which should be
corrected and the fact thoroughly ex-
planned. One such criticism has been
unfavorable comment upon the State
Geological Survey Commission over
the selection of pieces of road to be
improved, theLCommission being held
accountable for the particular selec-
ton in these instances. Criticism
was further made that numerous
comparatively short pieces of road
from one-half to two miles EACH were
to be improved instead Of longer
stretches. At the offices of the State
Geological Survey Commission. how
ever. the following explanation of
the situation is given:
The Commission whatever its oDin.
ion may be as regards the advisabiitv
of improving.a certain piece of road.
cannot act in the matter unless the
county authorities first petition the
State for aid on that road. The Com.
mission has veto power-it can re.
fuse State aid.onithe ground that the
improvement of a road petitioned for
would notsbe a sufficiently public i'm
provementstO justify the expenditure
of State funds, bat this situation has
not yet arisen, land if there is any dis
satisfaction in any part of the State
over the selection of the roads to re
caiYe State aid, the responsibility
must be placed on the county author
tiles. As a matter of fact, in Balti-
more county State aid has not been
asked on less than one mile. in any
place, and.in one district aid has been
applied for on a stretch FIVE miles in
length
1t is generally held that the inter
ests of county will be better served
by building small sections of road in
different parts Gof.the county, rather
than one long piece running through
one section, for two reasons: First.
that the general distribution of pieces
of good highway will enable all sec
lions to share equally in the advan-
tages therefrom: and, second, that
the educational feature of such dis.
in illustrating the value of
properlyIsbuilt roads, will be more
when widely distributed.
lnasmuchsas' the.recent flood so wide
ly damaged the roads of some coun-
ties, it is believed that the County
Commissioners will now be glad o:
the opportunity to build small pieces
Of road here and there under the
petitions filed for State aid this wear,
and by so doing give all sections an
opportunity TO profit by the State
Aid Act.
The recent food demonstrated very
emphatically the wise policy and
economy of building bridges of con-
crete on county roads, a matter which
has been urged by scientific road
builders for some time past.
A striking example of the value of
concrete bridges in the event Of
freshets was given at Sherwood. Bal
timore county, where a concrete
bridge withstOOd the force of the
water, although the stream rose six
feet above the bridge and everything
else within reach was swept away.
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