The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-24
KELLER REPORTSON | STATES ROAD WORK State Highway Engineer Makes Recommendations CARE OF THE ROADS Points Out Importance of Providing Proper Upkeep of Good Roads
 When They Have Been
 Built

W. S. Keller. state highway engineer. has submitted report on the work of his department. copy of which has been received by John W. O'Neill. president Jefferson County Good Roads associa- ton. Extracts from the report are as follows:
 'I think it proper that make state ment to you showing something of the l work accomplished by this department from its creation, April 1911, to January i, 1915.
 Prior to the establishment of the state highway department there were only a few counties in Alabama (so) actively en- gagged in the construction of good roads. and nearly all of these were large coun- ties; that Is. large from the standpoint of tax valuations. It appeared then that one of the greatest problems to be solved was to get the backward counties to be- gin the improvement of their highways. We can point with pardonable pride to the fact that the following counties have begun actively the construction of roads since the first state aid road was built: "Bibb, Butler, Calhoun. Chambers, Chiffon, Clay, Coosa, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dale, DeKalb, Escambia, Fayette, Frank lin, Greene. Hale, Henry. Houston, La mar, Lawrence, Lee, Lowndes, Marengo Marion, Marshall, Perry, Pickens. Ran dolph, Shelby. Tallapoosa, Walker, Will cox, Winston.
 "Of these counties the following have issued bonds or interest bearing warrants: Chiffon, warrants. s25,ooo; Crenshaw. de Franklin. warrants, s10.ooo: Hale, bonds. $lO0OO; Lamar, bonds, $5O,000: Lawrence bonds, s123.000; Lowndes. bonds, $153, GOO: Marion. bonds, $lOO000; Marshall. bonds, Sl25,0o0 Perry, bonds, s1100O0. Shelby. warrants, s240000 Walker, bonds, s2o0, GOO; total, H H6l1, 900.
 "Our work has not been confined to these counties. which were backward We have stimulated interest in the counties we found engaged in road building and have encouraged them to do better work and in systematic way. One of the gr"atest faults we find in most of the counties is lack of system in the purchase Or supplies and road building machinery and materials and in keeping accurate and comparative cost accounts. uniform system should be adopted in all coun- ties and whenever possible. competitive bids should be received in the purchase of machinery and supplies. There is a tendency on the part of many county commissioners to purchase from local merchants regardless of price. This is to be deplored. The local merchants should be favored, but not to the detriment of the taxpayers of the county. The indis- criminate purchase of road machinery and supplies cannot be too strongly con demned and I believe law should be passed requiring a county purchasing any mac achinery, tools or supplies to an amount exceeding $50o to advertise In local paper and one of the large daily papers of the state for bids. the advertisements to run 90 days before the letting.
 We have encouraged the construction of steel and concrete bridges. We believe, however, that a county should not build expensive bridges to the detriment of road construction. It seems to be folly to build an expensive bridge that cannot be crossed for weeks at a time on account of the bad condition of the roads.
 "A cheap road may be lkened to a cheap horse-void of the ownef's pride and condemned by the unfortunate who has to use him. There is a tendency on the part of some counties to build cheap roads. Such roads rarely outive the term of the commissioners who build them and is a useless waste of county funds
 The maintenance of roads after con struction is the most difficult problem a county has to solve. Unless a road has the constant attention of someone it is sure to deteriorate rapidly, matters not how we'll it may be constructed I am convinced that the fault lies mainly in the failure of county authorities to appre- ciate the difference between construc- tion and maintenance and to entirely sep arate the two. Immediately after a road has been constructed provision should be | made for its maintenance. special fund | should be set aside in every county for this purpose.
 ''Jn concluding this report to you. I de- | sire to say that we have had the hearty | cooperation of nearly every county board | in the state, and I desire as your engin- 1 ger to express my appreciation of the many courtesies shown us by every coun- | ty official with whom we have had off | cial dealings.
 'I am submitting to you in addition to | this statement, a map of the state. show | ing thereon a proposed system of state | trunk roads. As the counties will always | have to bear the larger burdens in the | building and maintenance of trunk roads, l have provided system whereby every | county may be at least touched by such I a road.
 Respectfully submitted for your infor- | nation and consideration. Respectfully,
 wv. S. KELLER, !,