The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1917-03-22
The New Road Law

Inc SldIS TOdO law enacted at
the last regular session # the
legislature is one of the best
pieces of road legislation pos
sessed in any STATE. We here
with give a summary Of the law
which should be read with inter
est by the tax payers Of the
county.
The law codifies all existing
road laws, provides for federal
aid and permits the construction
of permanent highways under
state supervision. The first sec
ton deals with the investment
of authority and control, and
classifies the roads into Class A
and Class B, rs follows: Class
A includes all main county roads
to be established and receiving
federal and state aid. Class b
includes sall other roads. The
right Of way on Class A roads
shall be 40 feet wide and on Class
B 80 feet.
A bipartisan road commission,
consisting of two active men,
bers, is created which will have
power to dispose of or withhold
federal or state aid for the pur-
pose of enforcing its rules and
regulation. This authority is re-
quired by the federal statute.
The commission may make all
rules govarning traffic on perma-
nent roads. The members are to
receive a salary of $500 per
year and shall engage in no other
business. 1t shall disseminate
and collect information, hold
meetings and make a campaign
for educating the public on all
phases of modern road construc-
ton. 1t shall supervise the con
struction of all Class A roads
and test all materials to be used
in the construction of same.
Local officials may be required to
make monthly reports TO the
commission. The law prescribes
the method of establishing, con
structing and maintaining Class
A roads. County Courts are re-
quired to establish two or more
main thoroughfares through the
county, at least one of which
shall pass through or connect
with the county seat and all of
which must connect with like
roads established by adjoining
counties. The commission is re.
qulred to prepare a map Of the
state showing a suggested gen
eral state wide system Of inter
county roads. The work is al
ready being done by the present
road bureau and corrections are
being made by the various coun.
ties and should be available as
soon as possible in order To get
the benefit of the 1916 appropri-
alton. If a court designatos a
route deemed impractical by
the commission. it may designate
another route and the court shall
order the route surveyed and To-
Gated under its own supervision
No county can receive the benefit
of the benefit of federal or state
aid unless the court establishes
the main roads as provided by
this law.
A main county road may in
cludc roads or streets within a
city or town and the county may
take over and maintain bridges
on streets and alleys. The funds
for the construction of Class A
roads consists Of federal and
stote appropriations, a general
county levy not to exceed %
cents on the 500 valuation. and
such additional levies and bonds
IS are voted By the people
Bonds and levies may be voted
upon in case % per cent of the
legal voters petition the court.
and no election can be called un-
til the engineer has been on the
ground and made and submitted
to the commission an estimate OF
the cost for its approval. Three
fifths Of the votes cast in a dis
trict are required, in case a dis
trict already has bonds, to make
possible a county or group Of dis
tricts bonding 10 include the dis