Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-19
Ap Rtan corrsaponaert.

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County Solicitor Frederick F.. Rich
ardson, radical changes in the meth
q of management OF county roads,
are proposed for the year 1920.
Most stringent regulations are ad-
vocated by the boards legal advisor.
owing to the fact that the counties
bonded limit has been cached. and
In order hat the main trunk ines OF
travel may be properly cared for.
One Of the defects in the present
road system which was pointed out Is,
that the county engineer, the logical
supervisor of road repair Jobs, has
not In the past been expected to su-
pervise repair work.
These matters which were brought
to the attention of the f~reeholders.
were referred to a committee Of the
whole.
Mr.. Richardson's letter which
thoroughly reviews the situation is as
follows:
1.-THE M~iddlesex County road traffic
has had a tremendous increase in the
last two years. and his fact taken in
conjunction with the fact that u
bonding capacity is exhausted re-
Quires the exercise of most stringent
sort of regulation in connection there
with.
This county has at present, 26f.5
miles of country highways and under
the state highway system 1t is plan
ned, In a period of five years, TO take
over 1880 miles Of these highways
which will still leave 213 miles Of
county highways in this county AS a
matter Of fact the mileage win still
be larger because by 1928 we viii have
taken over several additional miles.
"One of the first problems in solV-
ang difficulties in relation to Middle
sex county highways as to properly
Rpportion what are really county |
III oh xrra NC q nd fhhHa hfnhvunN.a which I
more properly belong to cities, munich
paifties or boToughs. h County
Board of ~Freeholders is and should be
mainly concerned with trunk lines of
travel and if it is found impossible to
return to the boroughs such of the
mileage which has been unloaded on
the county In times past 1t is the coun-
tvs privilege from now on to stop the
practice of taking over any more high !
ways that begin nowhere and end no.
where and to confne its efforts and
money or the main trunk lines OF
travel"
This matter is of prime Importance
because 1t is an admitted fact that
h municipalities Of this county are
in a far better position. proportionate-
ly TO spend money on their highways
than Is the county and in a great
many instances municipalities neg
lect to appropriate a fair share of
their own expense IN ma ntaining
their roads. 1t is also Of prime |
importance that symtematized effort
should be made to closely cooperate
with a neighboring county in the for
nation OF a plan or preparing high
ways SO that roads may be so con-
Structed as to have a continuation
In a n~eighboring county where such
roads are through ines of traffic.
The practice we make Of dividing
Sur county into seven sections and
eapportioning the Dad accordingly
has the effect of distributing the cen
trail control which is requisite to the
proper expenditure Of the road repair
money and does not permit of a close
check which should naturally be had
upon these expenditures. The theory
Of county government as well as city
government tending more and more
to centralized control.
Another patent defect is the entire
absence OF supervision on the part of
the county engineer in road repair
work. His technical advice and su-
spervision Should be of the great value
and assistance and his closest coop
GRAFTON should be afforded IN this con-
nection. In our county, our county
engineer has by virtue of past ar
engagements been entirely relegated to
the background in road repair work.
When t is appreciated that Mid
fdlesex county alone spent S1,232,-
449.2A Far highway maintenance pur-
poses in the period from 1907 to 1917
1t Is easy to understand why stringent
regulations are not only necessary,
! but absolutely Indispensable. 1t has
been estimated that sixty millions of
dollars have been spent in the state
of New Jersey for highway mainten-
ance between the years of 1891 and
1917. This fact should also bring to
mind that the cost of maintenance
should be carefully checked up and
accounted for by bookkeeping meth
DDS which win show in detail each
n every transaction.
1T has always been a practice OF
Middlesex boards from time immem-
orial to make out a road schedule in
the early part of the year and there
after each freeholder would proceed
about the road repair of the district
allotted to him in the best fashion he
knew how II this condition was ever
to be commended the time is now
ripe for 1t being discarded to the fol-
lowing limits hereinafter set forth.
1t is readily apparent that o re-
pair work properly does come under
the county engineers department
and hereafter should to a larger ex-
tent than has previously been the
case In this county. In addition to
that the liberal Interpretation that
has been applied to the law limiting
expenditures and calling for adver-
tisements and proposals thereon has
also been discarded although such
liberal Interpretation has never been
c~oncurred In by me and 1t is now
readily apparent that a continuation
of the practice of making road re-
pairs without advertisement where
the amount exceeds $500 cannot and
VIII not be further tolerated. /,
The following recommendations
based on my experience and con-
Cured I'm by the county engineer are
given herewith.
That there be a resolution passed
prohibiting the expenditure of any
county money for road repair work.
except work done by regular county
employees. unless the plans and spec
ifications therefore are first prepared