The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-02-24
The GOOD ROADS BILL.

and members of the legislature.
AT the last election the constitution
was amended so that the state could
aid in building and maintaining good
roads. The work of the special legis-
lative committee was to suggest bill
which would best meet the needs sand
wishes of the people.
The bill is of great length, as it nee
essarily describes in detail the findings
and suggestions of the committee.
| We append review of number of
its more important considerations:
The bill provides for state aid for
dirt roads as well as roads to he con-
structed of crushed stone or such other
material. In the report the committee
says it hopes that ultimately Wisconsin
will have all its roads constructed of
crushed stone or gravel or some other
material equally as good, but that at
present in many parts of the state
which are comparatively new and thin
~ settled the state and county should
aid in building good dirt roads. and in
many cases should aid in reducing
grades and in making fills, or in short
in getting the roads in proper shape to
be later covered with crushed rock or
gravel. The bill, therefore, provides
for aid in building dirt roads in such
manner as the commission shall pre-
scribe. In this way the dirt road,
properly built, will serve as the founda-
ton for a firSt-claSs road to be built
later, and the state will really be
extending aid in instalmentS in con-
structing in those parts of the state
tirst-clasS highways.
The bin provides that the county
boards shall designate for improvement
system Of highways extending
throughout the county. Provision is
also made that the roads will connect at
the county line. When town votes
at town meeting sum of money sutfi-
clent to detray one-half the cost of con-
Structing piece of highway with crush
ed rock or gravel or other suitable mat
erial, the town presents its petition
to the county board setting forth the
amounts OF money voted and the loca-
ton of the highway to be improved and
the county board is required to appro-
pirate the other half of the cost. The
road is constructed under the Joint
supervision of the town chairman and
the county highway commissioner,
upon plans and specifications prepared
by the latter. If the road is properly
built, it is then adopted by the county
board as county highway and the
county IS thereafter responsible for its
repair and damages resulting from in
Juries due to defects in the road. The |
town and county each puts in one-half of |
the cost of constructing the road, and !
when built the state reimburses the coun !
ty or county and town together, approx |
mately as the case may be, one-third !
OF the cost of construction. The state
thus defrays one-third, the county one
third and the town one-third of the |
cost of constructing the highway.
The county board elects county
highway commissioner who has gener-
al supervision of highway construction !
in the county He furnishes plans and |
specifications for road and bridge |
building or he may obtain the same
from the state department and who |
works jointly with the town supervisor
in the building of roads. The town |
and county thus work together, while
the initiative in the matter is left to |
the town. The county board may APP |
point a committee of three. if it so |
chooses, instead of electing county
highway commissioner.
State aid is also extended to the |
counties in the purchase of crushers
and rollers The committee is of the |
opinion that the state is not justified |
in appropriating money to aid in build
ing roads unless assured that the |
roads will be properly constructed
and this requires the use of crushers
and rollers. The towns are not tinan-
cially able to purchase these, and the
counties, in many cases, will not rea-
sonably do so unless some financial aid
is extended them. Nocounty. however.
can receive more than s., 600 from the
state for this purpose.
The general duty of advising and CO.
operating with towns and counties and
for supervision of the states funds is
placed in the hands of the state high
way commission. The commission is
of three members, to be ap.
pointed by the governor for the term
Of six years, one of whom is to be
civil engineer. They have power to
appoint three assistants and a clerk
who are exempt from civil service.
The members are to give their
whole time to their work and to be
Daid for their services.
Dirt roads which receive state aid
AN be built only where the commits
ion deems it advisable and then only
n the manner which it prescribes
rhe commission is charged with the
luty of carrying on investigative and
work in road building
md must furnish plans, specifications
md estimates for road and bridge con-