The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1916-12-13
WANTS STATE
HIGHWAY PLAN.
highway board.

! highway board
The board would be non-political One
member would be the head of the school
4 Of civil engineering at Purdue univer-
4 sity. and the other two would be APP
I pointed by the governor. one from each
I of the majority political parties in the
/ state Members OF the board would
receive $500 year and expenses. The
/ board would elect one of its members
chairman and would appoint state
/ highway engineer. who would be the
active executive officer of the state
highway department. The fact that the
engineer would be appointed independ-
emily Of the governor would make his
appointment free from politics The en-
gineer would hold office during the
pleasure Of the board. and his compen-
sation would be fixed by the board
No amount Of salary would be fixed by
the bill. leaving it open for the board
to pay whatever price IL lnds neces-
sary to obtain the right kind of man
The state highway board and the
state highway engineer would constr
tute the state highway department me
engineer would have power 10 appoint
and fix the compensation Of all as
sistant engineers. clerks and other help'
subject to the approval Of the board.
The board would hold meetings when
ever ii deemed them to be necessary
and all reports TO the governor or the
general assembly would be made by the
board instead of by the engineer.
The state highway engineer would
have power to call on county road Of
hcials for all required information con-
corning roads and bridges. and such Of
metals would be required to supply such
information. Local road officials would
be authorized to consult with the en-
gineer in regard to any, road PROPOSE
ton. thus rendering the services of the
engineer available to them in planning
and directing their work
The bill contemplates that the high
way system of the state shall be out
lined in the beginning in a compre-
hensive manner The engineer would
cause to be made and kept in his office
a general highway plan Of the state.
Each county surveyor or county high
way superintendent would be required ,
to prepare and furnish a map showing
all of the main highways in the coun-
ties, and to designate the highways that
are of sufficient Importance TO be in !
cIuded in a system of state roads, TAX /
ing into consideration the demands OF
traffic and the development of the re-
sources of the state. These would be |
adopted by the state highway board /
The engineer would have authority to
add to this system Of state roads to [
meet public demands. but the state road I
system is limited to 10 per cent Of .
the total road mileage of the state. (
The engineer would determine the char
acter and have supervision Of all work t
done under the act. and would prepare /
all specifications. plans and estimates.
In order to obtain state aid in the \
improvement Of a road. the board Of 4
county commissioners would make APP
plication to the state board, and it would I
be up to the state engineer to decide \
whether the application should be
granted. The state highway board also /
could initiate highway Improvement !
projects where the county commission
ers fail or refuse to do so. This would |
also enable the board to extend greater /
amount of aid to poor counties.
work costing less than $4,000 could
be done either with or without contract. |
but all work costing over $4,000 would
have TO be done by contract. unless no
satisfactory bid could be obtained
Rights of way LOT rUaCS SidAA ne Pio-
vided by the counties. free of cost to
the state.
The cost Of road construction would I
be borne 80 per cent by the state and
80 per cent by the county, except where
the work is done without county funds.
The cost of maintenance would also be
divided $3.50. between the state and the
county. but all maintenance would be
done By the state highway department
or contracted for with the county COM
nissioners. and all would be under the
supervision of the highway engineer.
If any county refused to do the main
tenance work, the state board would
have power to do the work and charge
it against the county.
A state highway fund would be Gre
ated by the levy of a tax OF one-fourth
Of one mill on each dollar Of taxable
property. which would yield approx
nately 100000, and from the net pro-
ceeds OF motor vehicle license fees, I
amounting to about S55O,000 annually.
This would make a state road fund Of
about s1.040,000 annually The state