The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-07-04

The state highway engineer should
be empowered to appoint all Of his ~
si>lants after proper examination am
with the advice and consent of tn
commission. to receive all bids and -
award contracts, to supervise the w"rf
of construction and maintenance, and,
in fact, he should be given full au!hori
ty in all executive work Of the depart;
ment The state highway engineer
should prepare a map Of such Of the
main highways of the state as should
most properly constitute system Of
state or trunk line roads to be improv
ed either in part or wholly by the state
State road improvement should l." car
ried forward with the ultimate idea OF
developing continuous system OF
trunk lines running throughout the
state and connecting. If possible. with
similar trunk line roads in ndjacrnt
states and with the necessary lateral
roads in each county.
The state highway engineer should
be given authority to call on county or
township road officials for information
concerning the roads under their snper
vision, and it should be made manda-
tory on such officials to furnish such in
formation upon request. This is very
desirable, as It is necessary for the
state highway department to keep post
ed as to conditions existing in different
counties.
In most of the state aid laws the
initiative in obtaining state aid rests
with the county or township autl1oii
ties. This Is wise provision, because.
In the first place, the local authorities
are in better position to know what
roads it will be to the greatest advan-
tage Of the county or township to i'm
prove. and, in the second place. the.'
arc best able to determine the extent
OF the county's ability to share in the
expense of such an Improvement An
other consideration Of great Importance
in this connection is that If the initial
tive were to rest entirely with the
state there would be certainty of
conflict of authority between the state
anu ILe COuullcS, IcSullluS III tHc III
mate failure Of the state aid plan.
The only case in which the reads can
be built by the state without the full
and hearty cooperation of the coun-
ties or townships Is where the state
pays the entire cost of building ana
maintaining the roads. Most Of the
laws provide that state aid shall not
be granted until the application Of the
local authorities has been approved By
the state engineer. which enables the
engineer to exercise sort Of supervis-
DRY power over the selection Of the
roads to he improved to the end that
the various roads throughout the state
shall conform to a general system
All surveys, plans, specifications and
estimates for state roads and bridges
should be made by the state highway
engineers office, thus insuring uni
| formity and q high degree Of excel
lence. All improvements to cost over
say. $1,000 should be let to contract
as it has been found that this means
economy both In time and money and
| Will IuopCA oupCi' ISiou VIII hH'''tis
give better results than could he OBJ
tanned otherwise.
Some of the states provide that the
whole cost shall be paid in the first in
stance by the state, the counties Or
townships being required to reimburse
the state for their share ut a fixed
time after the road is improved
Bridges and culverts should be con
sidered as part Of the road ana the
state should aid in their construction
within proper limitations in the same
manner as for the road itself. When
the work Is let to contract the contrac
tor must of necessity advance money
in the performance Of his contract and
Is therefore entitled to receive partial
payments thereon as the same progress
es, but not over IS per cent Of the con,
tract price Of the work should be paid
in advance Of its full completion aud
acceptance.
The state highway engineer should be
required to keep all roads built by III"
aid Of the state in proper repair. the
total cost of such repairs to be paid by
the state. the counties and townships
to reimburse the state in the same man
ner as for the construction Of the road
The reason for this Is that road main
tenance Is of as great or even greater