The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19
WOULD SIMPLIFY
ROAD MAKING LAWS
Highway Association Working
to Reconcile Con-
tradictiOns.
rOR UNIFORM LEGISLATION
And to Eliminate All Obsolete
and Useless Regu-
lations.
rOR UNIFORM LEGISLATION

rad laws which have been on the stat
NJ. books Of various States for more than
, hundred years will probably be re-
psal,d as a result Of the movement which
has been inaugurated by the American
Highway Association in conjunction with
Tho American Bar Association. The COM
r,lttees appointed hy the two assocla-
tons have had prepared through the CO.
npsr1tiou ~ the United States ONCE Of
public Roads a complete literal compila-
ton 81 the road laws OF all the States,
as well as the laws relating to indebt-
sdness the use of convict labor and vari-
GUS other subjects which have a bearing
upon IN. management OF the public roads
An index chart for these various laws
I, now be NIX prepared and as soon as II
IA completed tho committees will de-
tsrrrue upon the lines along which re-
vision will be- sought. The Governors of
the various States will then be asked to
recommend To- the legislators as they
meet tho appointment OF special commit
tees 10 confer with the committees OF the
American Highway Association and the
American BAR Association. with a view to
ADEQUATE revision Of existing road laws
The committee of the American High
vay Association was appointed at the
American road congress held at Detroit
in 1913. and q composed OF L. T. Col
grove. president Michigan state Good
Roads Association. chairman. A. b,
Pitcher state Highway Engineer OF
California A. -. Johnson, state High
vay Engineer OF Illinois; J. T.. Penny
hacker former secretary American High
way Association and now chief OF the d.
vision OF road economies OF the United
States once Of Public Roads. and Fred
erick f. wadhams OF Albany. N. Y.
Mr. Wadhams is also chairman OF the
special committee appointed by the Amer
.csn Bar Association TO cooperate with
the American Highway Association.
These two committees are in turn coop
Grating with the committee on uniform
legislation Of the Bar Association OF
which Charles Thaddeus Terry OF New
York liz chairman.
The first step in the revision OF the
State road laws will he to recommend
that all obsolete. useless or unneces-
sary road laws be repealed. The next
step will be to simplify and arrange in
logical order the existing necessary road
laws The committee has found that In
some OF the States AN accumulation of
road laws running back over a hundred
years exists. thus creating almost hope
lees confusion.
Certain basic features OF good admin
is,ratlon will be urged BY the joint com
mlt.ees. such as the payment or road
,sxes In cash the elimination OF n mul
,ltude OF unnecessary road officials now
Characteristic Of many OF the States; the
requirement Of skilled supervision in the
actual construction and maintenance of
roads by providing qualification tests
the constant employment OF highway en-
,greers or superintendent the adoption
Of the arpointive rather than the elective
method for such officials the substitu-
tion ~ continuous maintenance for the
present Intermittent method the proper
utilization OF convict labor where eli
matte and other conditions warrant its
use on the public roads for the prepare
ton OF road materials the general adop'
.,,on 81 the principle Of State aid anc
supervision tho proper safeguarding anc
accounting of road funds.
Wherever practicable uniformity
among the road laws OF the various
States will be urged by the committees, a.
Il Is realized that the traffic Is now con
trolled by economic conditions rather
than by state lines and should not b'
hampersd by conflicting laws Of the vari
Gus communities
II Is expected that an interesting re
port will be made by the joint commit
tees at the fourth American road con
gress. which will be held at Atlanta. Ga.
November s-li, 1914. The American Bal
Absot1d'1oH Will phTliC'phte ia ''o WI
gress and will devote its energies to tn
subject OF legislation. The annual roat
congress Is engaging more and more tn
ectual participation OF great organiza
tons. whose work bears in some essen
,al respects upon the road movement. A
this years congress the National Civil
Service Reform League will have charE
n a specific session devoted to the meri
system in road administration. thus fol
lowing closely the lines OF Legislative
fsform already !naugurated.