Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-05-08
The State Trunk Highway Law

The passage of the state trunk high
way bill overwhelmingly by both the
senate and assembly is looked upon by
good roads advocates as a distinct
step forward in highway legislation
in Wisconsin. This bill constitutes
a new unit-the state-for under it's
terms the state will lay out construct
and maintain the state trunk system
of roads. The measure is regarded
as highly favorable for the agricul-
tural counties for the reason that the
state and federal funds will be dis
tributed among the counties on the
basis of mileage, area and assessed
valuation. AS these counties usually
have a large area and mileage, as
compared to such counties as Milwau-
kee, with large assessed valuation,
they will receive a much larger pro-
portion under the state highway law
than they do under the present state
aid law. The state aid law is not
amended or changed in any way.
1t is expected that the highway
commission will at an early date be-
gin hearings throughout the state
preliminary to laying out the trunk
highway roads. 1t will take the bal
ance of the year to continue these
hearings, and construction on the
system will not begin until next year
Under the terms of this bill the
counties will furnish One-third of the
cost of the building of the portion of
the trunk highway in each county.
Under the present state aid law,
counties are paying from two-thirds
to three-quarters of the cost of the
state aid highways. Under the trunk
highway bill a county may assess a
town up to One-half of the county's
share of the building of a portion of
the state trunk highway system in
said town-16 % of the whole COST
provided that no town shall be as
sessed over $1,000 a mile. Under the
state aid law towns pay one-third of
the cost.
The bill in brief provides for the
laying out of a State Trunk Highway
System, not to exceed 5000 miles, to
inter-connect every county seat in the
state. This system will be laid out
by the State Highway Commission
after hearings in different localities.
Appeal from the decision of the COM
mission may be made to a legislative
men and two senators, and their de-
cision shall be final.
In the next five years the state will
receive from the federal government,
for the building of this trunk line
system $1,925,416. Under the federal
act the state is required to appropri-
ate an equal amount. 1t is proposed
to raise this amount and to provide
the funds necessary for the mainten-
ance of the system by increasing the
automobile license fees to $1,000 for
each car.
Under the terms of the bill the
counties of the state in the aggre-
gate are required to provide an
amount equal to that provided by the
state. This means that two-thirds of
the cost of this system will come from
the federal government and the state.
and one-third from the counties. In
asmuch as the expenditure will be
spread over a three year period and
must come from seventy-one coun-
ties, the amount annually required
from each county is small. The main
tenance of the system will be done
under state direction by the present
county organizations and will be paid
for out of the increased automobile
license fees. The federal government
requires proper maintenance or the
federal'aid will be withdrawn.
The state and federal fund for
building this system will be divided
among the counties on the basis of
road mileage, area and assessed value.
Under the present state aid law the
money is divided on the basis of as
sessed value, which gives the richer
counties, like Milwaukee. a much
larger proportion than under the new
trunk line bill. Under this latter bill
the agricultural counties in the state
with large areas and road mileage
will receive a much larger proportion.
The bill finally provides for the cree
ton by the state of a standard design
of road markers on the trunk system.
the numbering of each of the roads
and the issuance of a map of the sys-
TEN by the state.
The trunk line bill merely marks
the first step and the laying out of
plan. That the financial outlay I'M
der the provisions of the bill is small
is indicated by the fact that under its
terms in three year period, $5,776,24S
will be spent, while under the present
state aid law we are spending about
four and one-half million dollars a
year.