Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-06-08
Annual Report of the
Maine Highway Commission

| <1AuudA ASCpOlC VI VIC
Maine Highway Commission
The Maine Highway Commission dur
ing the past year has been asked to
| make but few changes in the location
| of the designated State aid roads,
! but probably not less than 100 requests
have beeen made by municipal officers
| for changes in the location of work
from one part of the designated State
aid road to another part of the same
road, according to the annual report Of
| the members of the State Highway
| Commission, Philip ]. Deering of Port
| land, William NJ. Aver of Oakland and
! Frank A. Peabody, which has been
| filed with the Governor and Council.
! We would like to call attention at
! this time to the provision of Section
F., 20 of the state highway law" say the
| commissioners, (which provides that
| each year between the fifteenth day
| of July and the fifteenth day of August
| the municipal officers shall prepare and
file with the commission suggestions
| for the Improvement during the next
! calendar year of state aid highways
| In accordance with the provisions of
| the same section the commission care
| fully examines each Of these suggeS-
| tons and reports back to each board
| or municipal officers prior to February
| 10, its approval or disapproval of the
| location suggested. This, of course in
wolves a considerable amount of work
and thought, and while the commission
is anxious to meet the wishes of the
municipal officers with request to the
location of State aid work, we would
| at this time urge municipal officers to
refrain as far as possible from request
ing changes in location after the loca-
ton has once been approved. Hereaf-
ter, the commission will not entertain
requests for changes unless such re-
quests can be substantiated by better
| reason than the personal convenience of
one or more members or the new board
Of selectmen.
THE commission desires to renew its
recommendation made one year ago
that for Ill towns located upon the
state highway system at least, the
travelling public will be convenienced in
far greater numbers and the town will
relieve itself of the burden of mainte-
nance by the continuous expenditure
of the State aid joint fund upon the
completed.
Patrol Maintenance
During the past year the first at
tempt at patrol maintenance on any eX-
tensive scale was undertaken. Under
the provisions Of Chapter 272, Public
Laws of 1915, 1919 miles of road located
in 423 towns were under constant daily
care Of 1913 patrolmen. Patrol work
started about April 18th. and continued
until the first of November. Substan
TALLY s275,000 was expended on this
work. AS must be expected with the
undertaking of any new method for do
ing work there was more or less OBJ
lection on the part of the municipal Of
ficers and there has been more or less
criticism of the work done by patrol
men.
THE objection of the municipal Off
GERS to having patrol maintenance or
ganized has generally shown itself to
be on account of concentrating this
work in the hands of one man and
consequently not being able to employ
a considerable number Of voters for
longer or shorter periods. when no
other form of employment was in sight.
The commission thoroughly believes
that for the most part patrol maintei
nance has been successful The COM
mission has received comments to this
effect from many people who have
measured their judgment solely by re-
suits obtained on the roads. Many re-
ports have been received indicating
that until the snow covered the roads
it was easy for travellers to distinguish
between sections which had been under
patrol and those which had not been
under patrol, even though no patrol
work had been done for a, period of
six weeks. Many Of the most interest
ed supporters of the good roads move
ment have suggested that patrol main
tenance ought to be extended to cover
all of the main thoroughfares in every
town.
Compensation to Injured Employees
''The State Highway Commission. in
common with other departments of
state have carried their own insurance
under the workmen's compensation act.
We have carried on construction work
during the year amounting to Sill. 1e4.-
TO- with accidents to seven employees,
necessitating medical attendance to the
amount Of s43.5o and the payment of
compensation amounting to s201s.
Federal Aid
by act Of Congress, approved July
II, 1916, the State Of Maine can draw
federal aid for the highways for the
coming four years as follows: 1917,
s97, 10000: 1918, 146,250.0o; 1919, 1896, 600
90; 1920, SPAS. 10000.
1.-THE provisions Of the law are brief
ly as follows: The State must furnish
an equal amount: the Secretary of
Agriculture and the State Highway
Commission must agree upon the roads
! to be improved: and the State must
agree tc maintain the roads after con-
struction. Funds apportioned for any