Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-07-25
FOURTH OF SERIES
ON HIGHWAY LAWS
Covers Improvement of the
Wisconsin Highways and
Traffic Regulations
Are Explained.

cFhis is the last of a series of four art
icles covering the important highway legisla-
ton enacted by the 1919 session of the
legislature. A reading of these La W
will show that many vital changes have been
made.)
In the amended State Trunk High
way Act and in a number of other
bills are found many enactments of
much interest governing highway inn
provement and the regulation of
highway traffic, the main One of
which are covered below.
An important measure, not in its
immediate consequences, but looking
into the future, is the Wilcox resolu-
tion empowering the state to bond
for highway purposes. This provides
for a constitutional amendment pro-
Viding that the state may bond for
the construction of highways, pro-
vided that the debt thus created
shall never exceed in the aggregate
more than 10 OF The last state as
sessment. At the present time, for
instance, this would empower the
state to bond in the sum of $4,000
600. However, this measure must go
over until the legislature of 1921, and
if it is favorably acted upon at that
time, it must be voted on by the peo-
pie at the general election of 1922.
If the people vote favorably, future
legislation would be empowered to.
bond as Indicated.
One of the evils noted by tourists
in travelling is the danger caused by
advertising signs at highway inter-
sections obstructing the view. The
amended State Trunk Highway Act
bars all such signs from a highway
from; INT thin 1000 feet Of the
highway intersection, unless permits
sion is obtained for erecting the same
from the officials in charge. The lat
ter are empowered to remove signs
erected in violation of the statute.
The triangles formed by adjacent
interesting highways within the
field are also declared prohibited ter
ritory for danger producing signs,
and the barred limit is made 1000
feet from the intersection.
In the much discussed questioned
snow removal, the chief change is a
section providing that if the State
Highway Commission shall receive a
petition signed by at least fifty per-
sons certifying that they would often
travel a certain section of road in
pursuit of their ordinary occupation
and if the State Highway Com mis-
sion shall determine that the public
interest demands it, they may direct
the county officials to keep it open
to travel if it is not kept open by the
local units.
A provision is also incorporated in
this bill making it a punishable mis-
demeanor to remove or deface any
sign, guide post, or marker erected
by the state or a municipality.
Two measures which were passed
of interest to automobile owners are
n raising the legal speed limit of
automobiles on highways from Is to
80 miles an hour, and another relat
ing to headlights on motor vehicles,
and designed to remedy the head
light glare evil. Such vehicles under
these sections are required to carry
lights which will enable the driver to
distinguish objects 200 feet ahead,
and to be of such character as to
avoid dangerous glare or dazzle. The
important section of the bill is that
which enacts that, subject to this re-
quirement, it is made the duty of
the Industrial Commission to inves-
tigate and determine what are reas-
enable standards of lighting equip.