The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-09-23
HOW TO GET SURFACED ROADS

Since considerable agitation has
been under way in Bookings county
favoring the hard %surfacing Of roads,
many persons have become interested
in the ways and can of bringing
this about. A state organization of
civic organizations called the South
Dakota Development association has
started a program of education and
legislation, which will no doubt give
an impetus to the building of hard
surfaced roads. Under existing laws
it is possible, however, to build hard
surfaced roads. House bill No. rs
passed by the last session of the leg
islature provides Tor the hard surfac-
ing, macadamizing or paving any road
outside of cities and towns by assess.
ing a part of the cost against the land
that will be benefited by such on
struction, the state and federal govern
ment paying the rest. one Of two
methods must be employed TO set the
ball a rolling.
First, the county commissioners may
adopt a resolution declaring the neces-
sity for such construction, or:
Second. the owners Of twenty-five
per cent or more of the real estate
abutting said road may file a petition
with the county commissioners asking
for such Improvement.
In either case the matter is sub
mitted to the state highway commits
sion, who will fix the boundaries of
a district and classify the land that
will be benefited by such improvement.
A hearing will then be held by the
county commissioners after due 70.
tice has been given and uI.ess he
owners Of the land against which more
than fifty per cent OF the benefits of
said improvement proposed to be as,
sessed file objections TO such improve
ment, such owners of the land may
determine what material shall be used
and the width and thickness Of same
and elect a committee of three Of their
number to represent them In all mat
ters pertaining to said improvement,
and if the highway commission ap-
prove the project and proper credit
can be obtained the improvement may
be made forthwith. The Improvement
shall be paid for by the sale OF bonds
and assessed against the property in
such district, but the county must pay
not less that fifteen nor more than
twenty-five per cent of the cost OF such
improvement to be determined by the
board of county commissioners; not
exceeding ~thirty-fve per cent of such
cost shall be paid by the state and any
money available from the government
of the United States for highway con.
struction and improvement may be
applied in the discretion of the state
highway commission.
A way has also been provided for
the county to get the necessary money
or credit to pay its fifteen to twenty
five per lent of the cost of hard sur.
facing its highways. Senate bill No
40 gives the county commission per.
mission to vote bands for this purpose
Whenever a number of freeholders
Of any county equal to ten per cen
or more of the greatest number OF
votes cast in that county at the next
preceding general election for any
person for governor, shall petition the
board Of county commissioners asking
that an election be held for the pur-
pose Of submitting to the voters of
the county the question Of issuing
bonds for the purpose of building, i'm
proving, graveling or hard surfacing
any or all of the roads and highways
of said county, such board of county
commissioners shall arrange for such
an election and shall submit such Ques,
ton to the legal voters of said county
Bonds can not be issued unless
three-ffths of those voting at such
election vote in favor of same, and they
must not be issued in excess Of eight
per cent OF the assessed valuation O
such county according to the last as
sessment. and including all the out
standing indebtedness Of such county
at the time Of issuing such bonds
The bonds shall not bear more thar
six per cent interest and may run Dol
less than five nor more than forty
years from their date.
Wv. s. S.