The Colorado statesman., 1908-11-21
WILL BE SOUGHT AT THE NEXT
MEETING OF THE COLORADO
GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
RESULT OF MUCH STUDY
EDUCATION IN ROAD BUILDING
PRIME FEATURE OF THE
MICHIGAN LAW.

When the state Legislators recently
elected meet in Denver the first of
the year, one of the first measures that
viii be presented tie their attention will
be hill providing for an act to Gre
ate State Highway Commission.
Colorado at the present time is far be-
hind the majority of states of the Un-
ion in the attention it is paying to good
roads within it's borders. The time has
gone when good road is looked upon
as luxury, and the reports from those
communities that have spent hundreds
of thousands to improve their high
ways shows that the investment has
yielded handsome returns.
The bill to be presented to the next
Legislature is fostered by the Rocky
Mountain Highway Association, and it
is the result of much thought and
study by those interested in the work.
In the preparation of this measure,
copies of the good roads laws of many
states were studied and the best feat
ures of each were combined in the
Colorado bill. Already much interest
is being shown in this work through
out the state and it is believed that the
next General Assembly will adopt some
measure of the kind proposed
Among the state laws studied in pre-
pairing the Colorado bill was that of
Michigan. In that state the law rec
ognizes that the education of the peo-
pie to the need and benefit of good
roads is one of the chief factors in Sc
curing the end sought for. This law
contains two features worthy of no.
tice; the first that one of the princi-
pal duties of the state highway COM
missioner is to give instruction in
the ar. Of building, improving and re-
pairing public wagon roads and
bridges" In this connection it is
made mandatory by the law for the
highway commissioners of the town
ships and counties to meet in annual
session to consider matters pertaining
to good roads. Attendance upon these
sessions is made one of the duties of
the commissioners, and the county
pays their expenses, when attending
such meetings.
Another important feature of the bill
is the clause which compels county of
ficials to furnish to the state commits
sioner full reports of the condition of
the various roads in their counties.
Failure to do this is punishable by fine
or by Imprisonment.
Michigan also gives rewards to the
counties constructing good roads,
These rewards correspond to what is
termed by other states as state aid,"
Oh; l;,yiJ IN,
classes, as follows: Clay-gravel, gray
el, stone-gravel, gravel-stone and ma
cadam. The width of the roads are
specified as eighteen feet, and the re-
wards given by the state range from
$3.50 TO $1,000 per mile. During the
present year the state will eXpend
$4,000 in this work, while there has
been 100000 appropriated for the
year 1909.
This law, 1t has proven, has given
wonderful stimulus to the good roads
movement in the state of Michigan.
1t is 4 measure along these lines that
is now being sought in this state. A
campaign of publicity and education
is now being made, carried on by the
Rocky Mountain Highway Association,
to arouse interest in this work. AL
ready every county commissioner in
the state has been approached, and
they are practically unit for the need
of good roads law.
The authorities at the State Agri-
cultural College have also been aiding
in this work, and the efforts of Prof
H. M. Cottrell, l.. B. House and H. NJ.
Bainer have been specially noticeable.
AT farmers institutes during the past
summer the need of good roads was
discussed, and it will also be a sub
ject at the short courses, when these
talks will be given with the aid of Ian
tern slides.
A grand convention at which all
commercial bodies of the state will be
represented, is also planned for some
time in December. This convention
will be, held in Denver and will, it is
expected, be the largest gathering ever
held in Colorado in the interests OF
good roads.