The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-04-06
BENNINGTON COUNTY
DEVELOPE EMENT AND
BETTERMENT
This Department Edited by Secretary
Willard w. Bartlett of the County
Improvement Association

A recent article in these columns by
Stoddard B. Bates, State Highway
Commissioner, reproduced from the
Vermonter, gave comprehensive out
line of the method OF putting in oper-
alton and the working of the patrol
system of road maintenance so far as
it has been adopted throughout the
State. 1t may be Of interest to know
to what extent it has been introduced
in Bennington County and how it has
worked.
At the outset it should be said that
the system applies to only the state or
selected roads which comprise about
27 per cent of the total road mileage
of the county, and that usually only
the most important portions of the
state roads in any town are taken as
patrol routes.
The proportion of the total mileage
that can be patrolled under the pre-
sent plan is therefore relatively small.
In 1913 the first patrol routes in the
county were established in Bennington
and Woodford The plan was dis
continued in Bennington at the end Of
that season. in Woodford the method
has been in use for three successive
seasons. In the past year, 1915, two
additional towns, Pownal and Shafts
bury, adopted the plan. The results
have been very generally satisfactory
to the town officials, the townspeople
and to the travelling public. In Wood
ford the route extends from the foot Of
the mountain or the lower end of Dun
vile Hollow to Searsburg line,
miles; In Pownal from the Massachu-
setts line through Pownal Center to
Bennington line, s miles; in Shafts
bury from Bennington line through So.
SALISBURY, Salisbury Center and
North SALISBURY to Arlington line,
10 miles.
1t is the aim of the State Highway
Department to use such methods that
the work done will not become un-
done before the end of the season
The patrol system possesses the great
advantage over the usual method of
maintenance that the patrolman by
being almost continually employed
throughout the season is enabled to
! give prompt attention to the many
small defects which are bound to ap-
pear under heavy traffic and so pre-.
vent deterioration continuing until ex-
pensiye repairs are necessary.
| The patrol roads in Pownal and
| SALISBURY are on the main line of
north and south traffic through the
county. and there were very few com
plants of the condition of these roads
during the past season.
| The patrol system is established in
a town as follows: The selectmen
and road commissioner request the
State Highway Department to take
over a designated road, from to 10
miles in length, as patrol route. and
offer TO furnish from the funds of the
town a certain sum toward the cost.
The State does not accept smaller
sum than the average amount per
mile which the town maintenance tax
yields, multiplied by the number OF
miles to be patrolled. As much more
is required as seems equitable for
that particular case. The State sup.
plies the additional money, whatever
the amount required, from the auto
mobile fund.
The patrolman is appointed by the
State Commissioner and works directly
under the supervision of the County
Supervisor.
To date several towns have arrang
ed to have the patrol system put into
effect for the first time this season
II is probable that there will be sc
or more miles Of road under patro
in the County for the season of 1916.
James i. Davis,
County Supervisor