The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-01-27

In each town certain roads deemed
Of greatest Importance have been des-
ignatod as selected or state roads, tbs
selection having been made By the Sc
lectmen and approved by the State
Highway Commissioner.
The selection was based on consid-
erations of both local traffic such as
roads TO railroad stations and other
important centers, and through traffic
to serve adjoining towns and provide
routes traversing the principal valleys
and leading through the important
mountain passes, thus making the
large towns and cities, the mountains
and the lakes as accessible to all as
possible.
In Bennington County there are TIT
miles of public highways of which 2o7
miles, or nearly n per cent, are Sc
lected or state roads. On these state
roads all state aid money must be
spent.
There are five road funds
/. The regular town maintenance
money, it being required by law that
each town shall raise at least 20 pei
cent tax on the grand list for road
maintenance. This money is in the
hands of the town road commissioners
and is expended by him as he sees III
to use it. 1t is not used for snow re-
moval, or the cutting of bushes, the
selectmen being required to furnish
money for these purposes from the
general fund
2. The 5 per cent fund. A general
tax of per cent is assessed by the
State on all towns. The money is paid
in to the State Treasurer and is re-
aportioned by him to the towns on the
basis of road mileage. By this means
the larger places contribute to the
smaller places on the general prlncl-
pal that the strong should help the
weak. This money collected on valua-
ton and distributed on mileage gives
back to the weather. towns a smaller
amount than they contribute and gives
the poorer towns a greater amount.
This money mus. be used for the con-
struction of permanent" roads.
3. Special appropriation At the
March meeting or at special meeting
duly warned, any town has the prlvll-
eye of voting not less than 500 nor
more than 81 900 for road construction
in their town. This sum of money SO
voted is matched by an equal sum
from the State treasury. There is
available an annual sum of 100000
for this purpose.
ANY portion of this sum that is not
matched by the towns is considered as
surplus and may be spent by the State
Highway Commissioner in such towns
and on such roads as he deems of
special Importance to the state and
under the best terms that he can
make with the various towns. For in
stance, if the citizens will raise GER
tain amount of money for certain
state road the chances are that the
State will match the money by an
amount from the surplus fund. II the
towns were to vote the entire thousand
dollars in each case there would be no
surplus, in fact, not enough to go
around as there are GAG towns in the
State.
Under the present law every town
in Bennington County can vote $1,000
and have it matched by the State
which would give the county $34, 900
for permanent road work, without the
per cent fund.
a. The automobile fund The mon
ey from automobile registration and
operators licenses is available for
road maintenance through the admin
istration of the State Highway Com
missioner. The towns are charged
with the maintenance of both town
and state roads and are responsible
for any damage on any of the roads
within their jurisdiction. Under pres
ent regulations the State Highway
Commissioner may annually allos to
town a certain sum of money pei
mile on it's State highways Casually
about $40 per mile) provided they
have spent at least twice that amount
of money on the state roads. The
State co-operates with the towns in
re-surfacing worn down state roads
and maintaining roads under the pa
troll system and with the villages in
applying oil or other dust-layers, pay
ing from this fund.
S. The bridge fund. The last legis-
lature made an appropriation OF
s15 900 annually to be used by the
State Highway Commissioner in fur
nishing the services of an engineer TO
advise towns in planning the building
and repairing Of bridges and supervis-
ing their construction and to pay a