Norwich bulletin., 1909-05-01

In presenting my biennial report tor
the years 1907 and 1908. it might be
Well owing to tie deep interest MAN
Tested by the people of the entire state
in this question of highway improve
ment, 70 present an epitome. or digest,
so that the progress and development
of tine movement may be shown, says
the commissioner, and after carefully
reviewing and comparing the previ-
Gus laws Of 1887, 1899, 1901, 1903 and
1906 he continues:
I'VE now reach the law of 1o07,which
is the best and most helpful law under
which the state has operated 1t Will
be noted, readily, that il is a complete
reversal of the law of 1895. The total
appropriation on the part of the state
is $4,000 a year, or total of ST.
500, 900 for the two years. This APP
preparation, however, is divided, $780,
900 a year being for the use of award
in the towns generally, and $250,000
year for trunk lines. The basis of
making the apportionment to towns
was changed, so that under this law,
N towns having a grand list Of over
$1,250,000, the state contributes three
fourths Of the expense, while in towns
having q grand list Of $1250,000 and
less, the states contribution is seven
eighths, with the restriction that no
town shall exceed $4,000 in any one
year. The law also provides IN an
nual appropriation Of $4,000 for MAX
ing repairs on state aid roads, three
quarters OF such expense being an OBJ
legation on the part Of the state. In
addition to the $4,000 appropriated
annually for this purpose, the sum was
augmented by the money received from
automobie licenses. In this law, the
choice of the road TO be improved was
vested in the state; also the receiving
Of proposals and the warding of con-
tracts. The expense of advertising for
proposals, inspection of roads, and all
surveying, making of plans, preparing
specifications, and other details, was
assumed by the state. For the first
time. the state accepted the obligation
of paying contractors the full amount
called for under the contract the
towns in which improvement is made
to reimburse the state to the extent of
their proportion of the expense, as re-
quired by the law after the work has
been finally completed and accepted by
the state. Another marked change
from other laws under which the state
had been operating is that the appro-
priations instead Of, as formerly, be-
ing controlled by a statute of limita-
ton, were made continuous, SO that
no town could be denied the money
that had been apportioned to 1t. By a
special enactment provision was made
for Issuing bonds to the extent of $4,-
100000 for carrying on the work Of
the department for a period of six
years. The statute of limitation hav-
ing been removed, all towns thereby
rest secure in their appropriations. Tree
planting was continued, as formerly
provided for under the old law. The
declaration Of intention on the part Of
the towns is retained in the present
law, the same as formerly. A provi-
sion was made in the law to protect
all towns in their right title and in
terest in and to any road that might
be improved under state aid. One
hundred and sixty-one towns made ap-
pltcation for an appropriation under
this law The amount Of such appli-
cations exceeded the total appropria-
ton for the two years by $1,627 200
BY a careful comparison of the laws
under which the state has operated il
will become apparent that under near
ly every law down to the passage Of
the present law, all towns in the state
accpeting state aid for highway i'm
provement were required to assume
obligations that added materially to
the cost of original construction. This
fact forces its own acknowledg ment.
Under the present law, no additional
expense Is entailed on any town accept
ing state aid The expense to the towns
for administration Is minimized and
the whole trend of the law under which
we now operate is to assume on the
part Of the state the major portion Of
the expense entailed in the improve
ment Of any section Of highway in the
state. where 1t is improved with state
assistance.