The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-08-03
STATE AID FOR ROADS.
To The Town Chairman:

| 10 Inc Town CnaifllaH.
The legislature of 1911 passed law
| Chapter 337, Laws of l9lD creating q
state highway commission and provid
ing for system of prospective state
highways. An annual appropriation
of $3.50, 900 was made for the purpose Of
providing state aid in 1912 and succeed
ing years to those towns and counties
which vote taxes for the improvement
OF any road or bridge on the system OF
prospective state highways.
The new law makes little change in
the present system in those counties
which have been doing work under the
county aid laws of 1907, except that it
| adds the state as contributor to the
| cost of construction, and gives to the
state highway commission sufficient
! authority to insure that the state S
money is wisely and economically
spent. In those counties which have
taken no action under the 1907 laws, it
| will be necessary for the county board
to take action under this law at the
November, 1911 session. if any part of
the state aid fund is desired for con-
struction in 1912.
The Commission is very desirous of
aiding the towns and counties in every
possible manner, and takes this method
of letting each town chairman know
what his town must do in order to get
county and state aid for road or bridge
construction in 1912. Each town will
fall in one or more of the following
classes:
CLASS I.-Towns which have voted
| for county aid road construction in 1872.
No further action by the voters of the
| town is necessary.
CLASS II-Towns in Glass | which
have borrowed the money and built
their road in 1911. No part of the
state aid fund for 1912 is available for
work done in 1911. Such towns will
have to follow the course outlined for
towns in class LII.
CLASS III. Towns which have not
voted a tax for county aid road con-
struction in 1912. Such towns can vote
a tax of not less than 800 for road con-
struction ornot less than $3.50 for bridge
construction, or both, at special town
meeting.
CLASS IV.-Towns which have vot-
ed tax for county aid road construc-
tion in any year previous to 1912 and
have the proceeds of such tax in the
town treasury. These towns can get
county and state aid in 1912 if they vote
at special town meeting to devote
such proceeds to state aid construction.
CLASS V.-Towns which have voted
tax to build county aid bcidge in
1912. Such towns can, by voting at a
special town meeting to devote the pro-
ceeds of the tax to state aid construct
ion, get county and state aid if the
bridge is built in 1912.
General requirements applying to
towns in every class. If the state fund
is sufficient the state pays 334 per cent
of the cost of roads and 20 per cent of
the cost of bridges. Unless the coun-
ty boards fix other percentages, the
county and the town share equally the
remainder of the COST
County and state aid is available not
only for building stone and gravel
roads but for the permanent improve
ment of earth roads as well, and for
building any bridge over six feet in
span. All roads and bridges voted to
be improved must lie on the system of
prospective state highways. If the
county has no system the town can vote
tax and the town board shall select
the road or bridge to be improved after
the county board selects a system.
Special town meetings must be held on
or before September 1st Town boards
must petition the county board through
the county clerk on or before Septem-
Der lst. Petitions should state the
amount of tax voted and give a descrip-
tion of the road or bridge to be con-
structed.
Counties which wish to build a road
in 1912 with county and state funds
alone must vote a county tax for the
purpose at special meeting of the
county board held on or before Octo-
ber lst.
The Commission will gladly answer
any question concerning features of
the law not explained in this nncessar-
lily short letter. 1t has in preparation
bulletin containing the law in full,
together with notes on and explana-
tions of its various provisions, which
will be sent to you at an early date.
Until the bulletin is available it would
be well to consult the law ITSELF now
generally available in newspaper sup
plement form.
WISCONSIN STATE HIGHWAY Com
MISSION, Madison, Wisconsin.