The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-01-30

operate WIN the proper 1eQera1 ONO
ials, an appropriation equal to thu
states portion of the federal fund, ant
a provision for maintaining the roads
that may be constructed are essential
! 1t Is probable that few state legis.
latures have authority to make appro-
priations extending over a f1ve-yeal
period, but legislation should be passed
providing for the necessary funds sc
far as Is practicable.
The act, in providing that only a por-
ton Of the amount appropriated should
become available each year for five
years, initiates a five-year program OF
work. 1t Is true that projects might be
submitted from time to time from one
community or another to the extent
that the federal appropriation would be
used up. But the result might be that
number of short sections Of road
scattered over the state, would be i'm
proved, which would not serve as a
part of or as logical branches to a
state system. Therefore, in order that
the roads constructed during the five
years may form complete structure or
units Of structure already begun or
contemplated some fairly well defined
plan should be formulated by the state
highway department. And when the de-
partment has formulated such a plan it
should be revealed to the federal Of
ficials if true corporation is to be had
between them and the state officials.
The plan need not be an actual layout
Of all the roads which it is proposed
to improve, but it should be such as
to indicate what the state officials
plan to do and hope to accomplish.
1t will be necessary for a great many
OF the state legislatures to enact
amendatory laws providing for federal
participation and they will expect their
h ieNEaN nv~4r a.
them as to what laws should be passed.
This the departments can not do in
diligently unless they have a fairly
definite plan Of work in mind. And
proper legislation may be solution NJ
four flfths Of the difficulties encounter
ed by the state highway departments
in this cooperative work.
Furthermore. thought should be Civ.
en- to secure such legislation as will
give the state departments consider
able latitude in the selection of roads
to be improved with the aid of the
federal funds, as these funds can only
be used to improve ANY public road
over which the United States mails
now are or may hereafter be trans
ported"
To Secure Federal Aid.
TO secure federal aid for improving
a particular road. a project statement
should be prepared, setting forth full
information relative to the proposed
Improvement, signed by the official or
officials of the state highway depart -
ment authorized to sign contracts and
forwarded to the secretary of agricul-
ture. II the project as set forth in the
project statement appears to be a
meritorious one. the state department
will be so informed, and should pro-
coed to make the necessary surveys,
plans. and specifications and a detail
ed estimate Of cost and forward them
TO the secretary of agriculture for
approval. 1t is impra ctical to make
any hard and fast requirements rela-
tive to the details of construction as
the local conditions concerning each
project will have to be taken into con-
However, the state officials
will experience no difficulty In having
their plans approved if they study the
trafic needs of the communities serv-
ed by the road and plan an adequate
and substantial Improvement.
The act of congress authorized the
secretary Of agriculture to cooperate
only with state highway departments.
Therefore, they alone can initiate pro-
Jects, and It will be time wasted for
county or township officers or officers
OF associations to petition the federal
officials to improve any particular
road under the provisions of this act.
When the plans. specifications and
estimates have been approved by the
secretary, he will certify the fact to
the secretary Of the treasury, who
will set aside funds to pay the gov
ernment's portion OF the cost and to
the state highway department which
will proceed to construct the improve
ment by contract or day labor as it
deems advisable. Engineers of the Of
flee Of public roads, representatives
Of the secretary Of agriculture, will
inspect the work as 1t progresses and
should 1t be found that it was not
being done according to. the approv-
ed plans and specifications, payments
from the government fund would be
withheld.
Payments from the government
fund will be made from time to time
as the work progresses or upon its
completion. These payments will be
In the form of a reimbursement, /. e..
the state will first pay for the work
and when It has done SO. upon certif-
cation to the proper government off,
cial of the amount OF work done and
the amount paid, the governments
portion will be paid by check drawn in
favor of the official authorized to re-
ceive It, in general. in, favor of the
state treasurer. Legislation may be
necessary to authorize the state treas
urers to receive the federal funds, to
credit them to the proper projects and
to disburse them upon certificates OF
the state highway department, as
some state treasurers are only author
lied to pay out funds in accordance
with appropriations made by their
state legislature.
The act provides that state must
maintain the roads constructs
ed under the provisions Of this act