The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-04-24


parts of the State were placed ON the
open list. A road in Readfield,
which has been closed to automobiles,
was opened up and the road in Water
ford which has caused so much trou-
BILE the past year, will, on July /, be
open to automobile traffic.
ut must be borne in mind that,
owing to the referendum, all of these
laws except that pertaining to Bar
Harbor, will not become operative
until July II, so that the Highway
Commission cannot be organized until
that time. 1t is therefore apparent
that not much work can be done on
State roads this year unless some
tacit agreement is made with the
present highway commissioner, the
incoming highway commissioner and
the Govarno" and Council. 1t is to
be devoutIy hoped that some arrange
ment may be made, especially in re-
gard to the construction of the Port
land-Kittery line and some other
sections in this State.
And now to come to the principal
law of all, the one providing for a
| Highway Commission of three men,
bers and the authorizing of the high
way bonds. This act, to my mind,
is not as perfect as it should have
been, owing to personal ambition of
some people and the personal pique
of others, together with considerable
politics. Thus it was impossible to
enact perfect general highway law
Nevertheless, the one adopted by the
State Legislature has very many re-
deeming features. 1t gives the State
Highway Commission almost unlimit-
ed power. This is right One of
the first duties of the Highway Com
mission is to select a chief engineer
who shall be the operating head. The
Commission is not limited to a resi-
dent of this State or to the price it
shall pay such engineer. Another
one of its important duties and it will
be among its first, is to lay out
system OF State roads throughout the
State. These roads must be inter
locking and the systems running east
and west must be connected at diff
ferent points with others running
north and south. This will be one
of the most difficult problems for the
| Commission to deal with but its men,
bers have absolute power to lay out
such system unhampered by any
one. These State roads, or such part
of them as 100000 will construct
are to be built wholly at the expense
OIL the State. The munici palities
however, are obliged to pay to the
State $50 per mile annually for their
upkeep. The construction and main
tenance of State roads is to be Who'll
ly within the jurisdiction of the State
Highway Department. None of the
/ bond money can be used in the thick
ly settled portions of towns of $500
population or more. The State High
way Commission, however, is to lay
! out State roads through the cities and
! towns and the municipalities are to
construct and maintain them, and il
| they are not maintained to the salts
faction of the State Highway Com
mission, they can make the neces-
sary repairs and charge the expense
against the municipality
One good section is that when the
Highway Commission commences in
any cohnty to build a State road, it
must be continuous section of at
least seven miles, provided there is
that distance that can be constructed
in the county before it reaches the
! county line, or piece of improved
road. All State roads, after con-
struction, must be maintained under
the patrol system
Another class of roads known as
State aid roads, or roads of local i'm
portance, are to be laid out by the
municipal officers of the several cities
and towns with the approval of the
Highway Department. These State
aid roads shall receive assistance
from the State in exactly the same
proportion as provided by the old
J law, but their maintenance, after once
constructed, is to be under the direc-
ton of the State Highway Commits
sion, and the different towns are to be
assessed by the State $50 per mile
annually for their maintenance. The
balance, if any is necessary to keep
them in perfect repair, is to be pro-
yided by the State.
The Maine Automobile Association
and its officers and members are re-
sponsible for nearly all of the high
way legislation enacted this Winter,
as well as for the improvement that
has taken place during the past year.