The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-14
ss5, 100000 FEDERAL AID
 FOR RURAL ROADS
Recent Legislation Provides for System of Improved High
 ways.

'
 The, sum of $85.00Os00o of Federal funds is made available for the con-. struction of rural roads, by the pas sage of the Federal Aid Road Bill which became a law on July Il, 1916. Of this sum. $75,000.000 is to be ex- pended for the construction of rural post roads u4der cooperative ar-I engagements with the highway depart ments of the various states, and $1O.- 000.o00 is to be expended for roads and trails within or partly within the National forests. The act limits the Federal Governments share in road work in cooperation with the states to 50 per cent. of the estimated cost of construction. Federal aid may be extended to the construction of any rural post road, excluding all streets or roads in towns having a popula- ton of 2,500 or more except the por- tions of such streets or roads on which the houses are, on an average, more than 200 feet apart.
 : Five million dollars is made avail able for expenditure during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1917, and there after the appropriation is increased at
 the rate of five millions a year until
 1921, when the sum provided is
 twenty-five millions, making total
 of seventy-fve millions. In addition,
 an appropriation of one million dol
 lars a year for ten yearss a total of.
 ten million dollars, is made available
 for the development of roads and
 trails wholly or partly within the Ma
 tional forests.
 The class of roads to be built and
 the method of construction are to be
 mutually agreed upon by the Secre- tary of Agriculture and the State
 Highway departments.
 Apportionment of Funds Among < States.
 The act provides that after making
 necessary deductions. for administer ing its provision-not to exceed per
 cent. of the appropriation for any one
 fiscal year-the Secretary. of Agricul- ture shall apportion the remainder of
 each years appropriation in the fol- lowing manner:
 Ope-third of the ratio which the area sof each state bears to the total | area of all the states.
 One-third in the ratio which the population of each state bears to the L COCdl pOpuldIlOu OI dllf ClS StdtSS. One-third in the ratio which the
 mileage of rural delivery routes and star routes in each state bears to the
 total mileage of rural delivery routes
 and star routes in all the states.
 Estimates of Funds Needed for Pro- jects.
 Project statements setting forth the proposed construction of any rural post road or roads in a state are to be submitted by the State Highway department to the Secretary of Agri- culture, and upon approval by the secretary all necessary surveys, plans. specifications and estimates must be
 furnished. The roads projected must be of a substantial character, and items covering engineering, inspection
 and unforeseen contingencies are not to exceed ten per cent. of the total estimated cost of the work. Upon completion of the work as approved by the secretary, the amount set aside for the project is to be paid
 to the proper state official. The. Sec retary of Agriculture is given author ity in his discretion to make partial payments as the work progresses, but not in excess of the Federal Govern 
 ment's pro rata share of the labor and material which have been actual ly put into construction work, nor in excess of $10,000 per mile, exclu- sive of the cost of bridges of more than 20 feet clear span. All construc- tion work is subject to the inspection and approval of the Secretary of Agriculture.
 States Charged with Maintenance. The various states securing aid un- l der the provisions of the act are charged with the making of needed repairs and the preservation of req sonably smooth surface, considering the type of the road, but are not ob- l ligated to make extraordinary repairs or undertake reconstruction. If, aft CT due notice, estate fails to main tain federally aided road properly,
 the secretary is required to refuse fur l ther aid until the road has been prop erly repaired at state expense.