Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-05-20
TERMS OF NEW STATE
HIGHWAY ACT

Ano oi5 PieCc VI highway legislation
at this session is bill 379 S, in the form
OF amendments and additions to the
present State Trunk Highway Act. It
was reported on unanimously by the
Joint Committee on Highways. passed
the Senate without a dissenting vote
and is now on the Assembly calendar
and undoubtedly will be passed by an
overwhelming vote by that body. The
Dill provides for the following changes
and additions:
Ihe State Trunk Highway System is
to be increased from 5000 to not to ex-
ceed $500 miles. The Wisconsin High
way Commission and Joint Legisla-
ture Committee acting with the com
mission will select the additional mile
age after hearings, and the same pro-
cedure will be followed asein selecting
the original system
Snow removal, as under the original
act, remains the duty of the local units
the cities, villages, and towns. except
where the county boards take over the
work. One change is made, however
which provides that if the Highway
commission is petitioned by at least
hfty persons, certifying that they
would often travel certain portion of
highway in the pursuit of Sheir or
dlnary occupation if it was open dur
ing the winter, and if the State High
way Commission determines that the
public interest demands it, the commits
sion may direct the County State Road
and Bridge committee to keep the
highway open.
The danger produced by sign boards
on the highways outside corporate
limits will be made thing of the past
under the terms of the bill. 1t provides
that no advertising or other signs shall
be erected within public highway
within a distance of 1000 feet from
the intersection of any two or more
highways. The triangle bounded by
two adjacent intersecting highways
and one thousand feet back from the
intersection of such highways is de-
clared prohibited ground for the erec-
tion of any danger-producing signs. In
both sections mentioned, the power is
given to remove the signs or to change
them IL they are menace to safety of
the travelling public. Violation of the
law is made a misdemeanor.
Another provision is incorporated in
the new bill making it a misdemeanor
to injure, deface or remove any sign,
guide post, mile post, or marker,
erected by the state or a municipality
for the guidance of the public.
A change is made in the method of
distributing the funds for State Trunk
Highway maintenance. Each county,
under the terms of the bill, is entitled
to receive $135 per mile for the main
tenance of the State Trunk Highways
within the county, and in addition, the
proportion of the funds remaining af-
ter the above amounts have been set
aside that the registration fee paid in
by each county is of the total regis
tration fee, providing that no county
shall receive more than $275 per mile.
Any excess over this latter amount
, will be pro-rated among the balance of
counties.
Counties which have bonded or are
planning on bonding will be interested
Ill section which provides that when
in any county the maintenance of the
State Trunk Highways shall not re-,
quire the use of the whole funds avail
able, for maintenance, the excess may
be used by the county for highway
building or to retire bonds or to pay
| interest on the same. A provision,
which, for the present, will affect only
Milwaukee county and a group of sur
rounding counties, provides that when
any county has its State Trunk High
way completely paved, the federal and
| state portions of the State Trunk
Highway fund allotted to that county
shall thereafter be used in extending
through the adjoining counties the
State Trunk Highways radiating and
connecting with the highways which
have been completely paved in the
| first named county.
| There are several sections in the bill
covering bridge and culvert cOnstruc-
tion, providing for immediate con-
struction where the public safety de-
mands it, and immediate rebuilding
when by flood or otherwise, bridge
or culvert is washed out