The Republican journal., 1913-05-15

biles, was opened up and the road in
Waterford which has caused so much
trouble the past year. will, on July LIST,
be opened to automobile traffic.
cit must be borne in mind that, owing
to the referendum, all of these laws ex-
cept that pertaining to Bar Harbor, will
not become operative until July 18th, so
that the highway commission cannot be
organized until that time. 1t is there
fore 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 in
coming highway commission, and the
Governor and Council. 1t is to be de-
voutly hoped that some arrangement may
be made, especially in regard to the con-
struction of the Portland Kittery line
and some other sections in this State.
"And now to come to tie principal law
of all. the one providing for highway
commission of three members and the
authorizing of the highway bonds. This
act, to my mind, is not as perfect as it
should have been owing to the personal
ambition of some people and the person
al pique of others, together with consid-
cradle politics. Thus it was impossible
to enact perfect general highway law
Nevertheless, the one adopted by the
State Legislature has very many redeem
ing features. 1t gives the State high
way commission almost unlimited power
This is right. One of the first duties of
highway commission is to select a chief
engineer who shall be the operating
head. The commission is not limited to
a resident of this State or to the price it
shall pay such engineer. Another one of
its important duties and it will be among
it's first, is to lay out a system of State
roads throughout the State. These
roads must be interlocking and the sys-
tenn, running east and west must be con-
nected at different places with others
running north and south. This will be
one of the most difficult problems for the
commission to deal with, but it's members
have absolute power to lay out such
system unhampered by anyone. These
State roads, or such part of them as ST.
600, 200 will construct, are to be built
wholly at the expense Of the State. The
municipalities, however, are obliged to
pay to the State $50 per mile annually
for their upkeep. The construction and
maintenance of State roads is to be
wholly within the jurisdiction of the
State highway department. None of the
bond money can be used in the thickly
settled portions Of towns of 2, 500 popula-
ton or more. The State highway COM
mission, however, is to lay out State
roads through the cities and towns and
the municipalities are to construct and
maintain them, and if they are not mai7
tanned to the satisfaction of the State
highway commission, they can make the
necessary repairs, and charge the eX-
pense against the municipality
Zone good section is that when the
highway commission commences in any
county to build State road, it must be
continuous section of al least seven miles
provided there is that distance that can
be constructed in the county before it
reaches the county line or piece of i'm
proved 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 impor-
tance, are to be laid out by the munich
pal 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 eX-
actly the same proportion as provided by
the old law, but their maintenance, after
once constructed is to be under the d.
rection of the State highway commits
sion, and the different towns are to be
assessed by the State $50 per mile an
nualy for their maintenance. The bal
ance, if any is necessary to keep them in
perfect repair, is to be provided by the
State.
1.-The Maine Automobile Association
and its officers and members are re-
sponsibe for nearly all of the highway
legislation enacted this winter, as we'll
place during the past year.