The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-01-26
FOR BENNINGTON COUNTY
DEVELOPMENT AND
RETIREMENT
This Department Edited by Secretary
Willard w. Bartlett of the County
Improvement Association

1t might be well at this time to have
clearer explanation OF state law in
regard to road construction and main
tenancc.
State Roads
In each town certain roads deemed
of greatest importance have been des-
ignated as selected or state roads, the
selection having been made by the
selectmen 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 traf.
fic to serve adjoining towns and pro-
vide routes trayersing the principal
valleys and leading through the i'm
portant mountain passes. thus making
the large towns and cities. the noun
tains and lakes as accessible to all
as possible.
In Bennington County there are
III miles of public highways of which
2O7 miles, or nearly Y percent. are
selected 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 per
cent. tax on the grand list for road
maintenance, This money is in the
hands of the town road commissioner
and is expended by him as he sees
fit to use it, 1t is not used for snow
removal. or the cutting Of bushes, the
selectmen being required to furnish
money for these purposes from the
general fund.
t2J The percent fund. A gener-
al tax OF per cent. is assessed by
the state on all towns. The money
is paid in to the State Treasurer and
Is reopportoned by him to the towns
on the basis OF road mileage. BY
this means the larger places contrl-
bute to he smaller places on the gen
cral principle that tho strong should
hep the weak This money collected
cn valuation aud distributed on mil
cage gives back to the Weather
towns a, smaller amount than they
contribute and gives the poorer towns
4 greater amount. This money must
be used for the construction of ''per
manent' roads.
tS) Special appropriation. At the
March meeting or at a special meeting
duly warned, any town has the priyi-
lege Of voting not less than 500 nor
more than $1,000 for road construc-
tion in their town. This sum of mon
ey 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
instance, il the citizens will raise
a certain amount OF money for GER
tain state road the chances are that
the State will match the money by
an amount from the surplus fund. If
the towns were to vote the entire
thousand dollars in each case there
would he no surplus, in fact, not
enough to go around as there are 246
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 $4,000
for permanent road work, without the
5 per cent. fund
t4) The automobile fund The
money from automobile registrations
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
lOr any damage on any or the ROADS
within their jurisdiction. Under pres
ent regulations the State Highway
Commissioner may annually allott to
a town certain sum of money per
mile on its State highways Casually
about SO per mile) provided they
have spent at least twice that amount
OF money on state roads. The state
co-operates with the towns in resur-
facing worn down state roads and
roads under the patrol
system and with the villages in APP
plying oil or other dust-layers, pay
ing from this fund
60 The bridge fund The last
legislature made an appropriation of
$4,000 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 super
yising their constructor and to pay
a part OF the cost of building or re-
bridges of spans between