Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-05-23
TERMS OF NEW
STATE HIGHWAY ACT

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Madison. Wis, May 13-The bic
piece of highway legislation at this
session is bill 397S, in the form of
amendments and additions to the pres
ent State Trunk Highway Act. 1t was
reported out unanimously by the Joint
Committee on Highways, passed the
Senate without dissenting vote and
is now on the Assembly calendar. and
undoubtedly will be passed by an over
whelming vote by that body. The bill
provides for the following changes and
additions:
The State Trunk Highway System is
to lie increased from 5000 to not to eX-
ceed 1900 miles. The Wisconsin High
way Commission and a 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 as in 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 fifty persons, certifying that
they would often travel certain pOr-
ton of highway in the pursuit Of their
ordinary occupation if it was open dur
ing the winter, and the State Highway
Commission determines the public in
terest demands it. the commission may
direct the County State Road and
Bridge Committee to keep the highway
open.
The danger producing sign board on
the highways outside corporate limits
will lie made a thing Of the past under
the terms of the bill. 1t provides that
no advertising or other signs shall be
erected within a public highway with
in a distance of 1000 feet from the in
tersecticn of any two or more high
ways The triangle bounded by two
adjacent intersecting highways and one
thousand feet back from the intersec-
ton of such highways is declared pro-
hibited ground for the erection of any
danger-producing signs. In both sec
tons mentioned. the power is given to
remOTe the signs or to change them il
they are menace to safety Of the travel
ing public. Violation of the law is
made misdemeanOr.
Another provision is Incorporated in
the new bill making it misdemeanor
to injure, deface. or remove any sign.
guide post. mile post, or marker, erect
ed by the state or a municipality for
the guidance of the public.
\ 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 Highway
within the county, and in addition. the
proportion Of the funds remaining at
ter the above amounts have been set
aside that the registration fee paid III
by each county is of the total registra-
ton fee. providing that no county shall
receive more than 1910 per mile. ANY
excess over this latter amount will be
pro-rated among the balance of cOun-
ties.
Counties which have bonded or are
planning on bonding will be interested
in a section which provides that when
in any county the maintenance Of the
State Trunk Highways shall not re-
Qrire the use of the whole funds avail
able for maintenance. the excess may
he used by the county for highway
building or to retire bonds or to pay in
terest on the same. \ provision which,
for the present. will affect only Milwau-
kee county and a group of surrounding
counties. provides that when any cOum-
ty has its State Highways 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 high
ways which have been completely
paved in the first-named county.
There are several sections in the bill
covering bridge and culvert cOnstruc-
ton providing for immediate construc-
|-tion where the public safety demands
il. and immediate rebuilding when by
food or otherwise, a bridge or culvert
is washed out.