The Glenwood post. (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) 1897-current, 1920-03-06
rHE aLENwooD Posi-. SATURDAY, MARCH .. 1893

4AAS NA&A&I w WV : ~SS ~
each county raised all the money
expended on it's roads thru direct
taxation, supplemented by such
appropriations as its representa-
tives could drag down from the
legislature, and it is interesting,
too, to note that as we have been
weaned away from the pork bar
rel, better and more work is be-
ing done.
Outside the money raised by
taxation in the county, we are
now drawing from two federal
sources, and from state funds.
These outside funds are avail
able, for the most, only on such
roads as form part of the general
scheme of state highways. l
shall sketch, briefly, the sources
of these outside funds, the re-
strictions as to their expenditure,
and mention the projects that are
being constructed or planned, out
of each. In this l shall not con-
fine myself to the county lines,
but shall include projects that
are of direct benefit to the coun-
ty.
Federal Aid Projects.
sometimes called post road prof.
ects). An act of congress, effec-
tive last March. provided regu-
lar funds available annually, for
constructing or improving high
ways that are used for transport
ing mails, either by rural carrier
or star route The provisions are
liberal, and permit the use of
these funds to a considerable ex-
tent on portions of a highawy not
actually traversed by a postal
route. The road must, however,
be part Of the state highway sys-
TEN and usually the contribu-
ton from the government is fiji
ty per cent Of the construction
expense. Colorado lost a goodly
part of the share it might have
obtained for this years work be-
cause the state highway commits
sion could not provide funds to
match the government contribu-
ton. But still they managed to
secure large part, and in some
instances were helped in this by
county administrations which un-
dertook to provide half of the
states share (or one-fourth of
the whole).
In Garfield county, the grad
ing, draining and surfacing of the
road between Rifle and Meeker
is being done under this act. An
application is now pending for
an Appropriation to be spent on
the eastern end of the highway
thru our canon, and an appropria-
ton has already been made for
the proposed new road over Bat
tie mountain in Eagle county. |
shall give details as to the prog
ress on these projects, farther on.
2.-Forest Projects is the des-
ignation a~~lied to road construc-
ton from the second source OF
federal aid to which l have al
luded. 1t seems to be the policy
of the forest service to fit its road
work as far as possible into the
state highway system, tho this is
not always followed, and is not
a requirement. Unlike the fed
eral aid Cor postal road) money,
it is not handled thru the state
highway commission. Instead.
the work is done by the forest
service itself, under the super
vision OF the federal bureau OF
good roads. The requirements are
that the proposed road must
cross, or lead into, national for
est, and must be of substantial
benefit to either the forest itself,
or community located near a
forest. Consequently the work
done is usually in regions where
it is not so conspicuously in the
public eye. But the very nature
of the restrictions on the fund
suggests that it might pay Gar
field county to look into this and
see whether more money can be
obtained for use on roads on
which state aid is not obtained.
found the local forest officials
eager to explain the system, and
| am convinced they would not
require much urging to enlist
their activities. The road over
Tennessee pass. one of the best