Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-11-25
.BOCCS PLANS STATE
HIGHWAY SYSTEM
State Road Commissioners Thinks
(, He Has Better Plan Inter
County Seat System

State Highway Commissioner
Joe Boggs, who is making a
splendid record as head Of the
States Road Department., spent
Sunday at his home here. Mr..
Boggs has many plans for en-
provements of the states high
way system.
Substitution for the present
inter-county seat highways Of d
system of state highways, desig-
mated by the General Assembly,
on which all state and federal
funds are to be applied until i is:
finished is advocated. by Boggs.
He thinks very county should be
included in the system, lateral
roads should wait on compile
tion of this project in each coun-
ty for state funds; most of the
money for this system should DC
supplied by the State and Federal
Governments and maintenance
left entirely in the hands Of the
state.
This system as compared to-
the inter-county seat, SYSTEM
would reduce the mileage Of
State-aid roads from 5000 to 81
500 miles and afford system
more advantageous to the people,
1t also would produce continuity
of construction in place of the
patch work now being done, he
said.
Under the present arrangement
the state is undertaking con-
struction of reconstruction Of
5000 miles of highway, project
estimated to cost $l2O,OOO,00O, at
an expenditure rate of $1,000
600 annually-a sixty years pro-
gra1nme. A
He would eliminate the COM
plications arising from the facts
that Fiscal Courts have the initia-
tive in laying out projects and
State Road Department all have
a hand in road work.
He would have surveying,
planning, contracting, payment Of
estimates, supervision and 4aox'
ceptance of work done under di-
rection Of the State Road De-
it
To pay for the work Boggs
suggests road tax of 20 cents
of 3 cents, and in lieu
o fad valorem taxes a horse
power tax of rs cents, the horse
power be put on pleasure motor
vehicles and additional tax of 81
the hundredweight up to three
tons ON trucks and 81 the hum
1redweight for the excess over
three tons.
He also suggests a moderate
assessment of land on each side
Of every State-aid project, such
rs has been successfully tried i'll
other States. His idea embraces
two zones, the first zone running
back one mile and the second
zone another mile. The assess
nent in the first zone would be
81 the acre for land valued at
$50 or under, $l.50 up to 500
he acre; 81 up to $3.50 the acre
md 81 the acre for land above
hat value. In the secohdszonc.
he assessment would be so cents
IN acre up to $50 the acre; 81 UP
20 500 the acre; $l50 up to $50
he acre, and 81 the acre fer
an dabove that value,
Mr., Boggs believes these
sources would produce road
-evenue Of 100000 annually,
which would be increased to $9,-
100000 with Federal Aid, enough
o construct the primary system
If roads in seven or eight years.
His estimate is:
.O-cent tax ...... .... $4,OOO,OC0
Automobile tax H.. 100000
land tax ..,. ~. :. 100000
federal aid .... n. ~. 100000
His basis Of apportionment of
he State road fund would be the
'elative mileage of the State
Dad system in each county.
He thinks appointment Of
:ounty road engineers should be
approved by the State Road De-
,artment and he should be resi-
lent engineer for all State aid
Projects, receiving 10 per cent, Of
,ic coll, -, fro,,, +t,a C%o+a ~ Nf