The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1914-06-16
THE STATE AID ROAD LAW
Prof. Terrell Explains Benefits Of New
Measure to Kentucky


Prof d. '. Terrell. Professor Of
Highway Engineering Of State Uni
,ersity, has publ she'd IN the Trans,,
.nf Nav. the official publication of the
College OF Civil Engineering. the fol-
low excellent digest OF the road laws
passed by the 1914 Legislature, IA
which he presents Some OF the oppo,
tunities for men engaged in road
building. and discusses the toad prob
lem from an educational standpoint
Prof. Terrcl's Article
The dream uf good roads tor Ken
lucky is now one that can I've realized.
since the 1914 Legislature passed three
very important bill which when
put into practice, will put good roads
within the reach of even the poorcs'
counties IN the State First a bull
revising III, road laws OF 1912. This
bill does not make any material
change III the old laws, except to maxi
the selection of road engineers aud M,
thods OF working Girt roads optional
with the fiscal courts. second. House
Bill so which reads as follows:
IAN Act Declaring CERTAIN Public
Roads System OF Public State High
WAYS and fublic Works OF the State OF
kentucky.
lie II enacted by the General AS
scmbiy OF the commonwealth OF Ken
lucky:
section There is hereby ere
aztec ;, stem OF Pubhc State E'Sh'
ways which shall consist OF roads
connecting the county seat OF each
county OF the commonwealth with the
county seats OF the ADJOINING coun-
ties by the most direct and practical
route, and the county seats OF the
border counties OF the Commonwealth
Win the State line on the most direct
and practical route leading from Said
county seats To- the county seats OF
the adjoining counties IN the adIaccn,
states. These roads shall be the FIRST
to receive State aid. and after such
roads are constructed IN any county OF
the Commonwealth. then all other roads
TO which state and Is furnished thereai-
ter may be deemed public State high
ways; and all such roads eligible 10 lie
ceive State aid under the provisions OF
this act shall be deemed public works
OF the Sommonwe; lth.'
1t can be seen from the text of
tins bill that tie General Assembly
intcn Is that every county seat snail
he come ctcd With every other cnuu. =,
seat OF the State with a hard suriact
road. The value OF such system OF
roads can not be estimated. The
way was gotten out by the Depart
ment of Highway Engineering. Whit,
the proposition of the State aid was
before the General Assembly and was
published number Of times by the
Louisville Times. later by the Cou-
rier-J Journal, farm and Family. Les
ington Leader and the Southern Good
Roads. When this system OF
roads Is completed there VIII then he
in the State about six thousand miles
OF State Highway. These roads should
and no doubt will be, when con-
structed. FIRST class roads IN every
respect.
The Legislature did not forget tina.
II would take money to build these
roads, and therefore passed bill pro-
yiding Tor road fund by creating a
per cent tax on 500 worth OF prop
erty. This VIII bring into the State
Road Fund about SDOOO annually.
The State proposes IN tins act To
pay half Of the cost oi construction
or reconstruction OF any road IN the
State, provided that the road be built
under the direction of the State Road
Commissioner. However, no county
can receive in one year more than :
per cent. OF the total amount paid into
the State Road Fund. IL is moi the
intention at this bill To work hard
ship on the county, but to he p the
counties bet dollars worth of worl
Tor every dollar expended, and II was
designed especially To help the poor
counties, Tor such counties are much
indebted To the Representatives OF
Jefferson county Tor the stand "hel
took in procuring the passage OF the
bill, while Jefferson county VIII pay
into the road fund over SlOO,OOO a
year. and II can not take out MOI,
than sl&,WO IN one year. AT the
same time the county with a million
dollars worth OF property VIII pay INT"
the road fund $500 and can get out be-
tween SIX and twelve thousand dollars
by properly complying with the law
Under the law county can vote
bonds Tor the construction or recon
struction at roads not To exceed i've
per cent. of the valuation OF the coun-
~. and the State will pay to the
county It's proportional part IRON the
State Road Fund until II has paid an
amount equal to one-hali OF the bond
issue, The law also provides Tor AN
additional O-cent tax which shall be
used for sinking fund To pay OF
the bond. Under the. system
county with sl.OOO.OoO worth OF proper
ty can vote ss0,OOO IN bonds and can
pay this on IN zen years. The coun~
~ with S+UO.OOO worth OF property
Fan vote S-Uo,0W IN bonds and can
pay them out IN eleven years: Since
he state proposes to pay hall OF any
bond issue, II does not look IKE bad
,rDnoSit,ou In houd any county 10