Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-03-27
BOGCS EXPLAINS
STATE ROAD LAW
Says New Measure Has Wonder.
full Possibilities Fer Future
Building OF Highways

State Road Commissioner Joe S
Boggs- -Madison's own Joe-is send
ing out to County Judges and RoaC
Engineers, a comprehensive digest OF
new state road law Both Judge
Price and Judge Baxter have received
it. Mr.. Boggs says that ''there is
embraced in this new law quite an ex-
tensive program which will take sew
eral years for its ultimate compile
tion, but to my mind, this law has
wonderful possibilities for the future
and l believe that the next few years
will clearly show that no more for
ward looking movement has ever been
made in cur state than the enact
ment of this law. We have now pass
ed through the State Aid period,
which was necessary for the education
of our people, but the time is now
ripe for the creation of a State High
way system, as set forth in this law,
that will result in the construction and
proper maintenance of the trunk line
roads that will best develop each
county in Kentucky.
Commissioner Boggs in writing
about the new road law, says:
Frankfort, KY, March "a.
To all County Judges and County
Road Engineers
As you are aware, the recent Gen
eral Assembly which has just adjourn
ed, passed a new road law creating 2
system of State Highways which will
be CONSTRUCTED and maintained with
State and Federal moneys. This law
becomes effective July 1st, 1920, and
as this office has been advised that g
great deal of confusion exists in OUT
State at the present time relative to
some of the provisions of this law,
am taking for liberty of explaining
the "high points" of same for your
information. 1 trust by now you have
received q copy of this law and have
carefully digested its requirement.
One of the main features of the new
law is that Il non-salaried, bipartisan
board, consisting OF four members
two from each of the dominant politi-
cal parties Of our state constitutes a
'ffzState Highway Commission, its
.rnelnbers to be representative busi-
tness men of Kentucky who are well
dacquainted with the state as a whole
T. and who are to be not less than thirty
@ years Of age. This Commission. in
i turn selects the estate Highway En-
gineer" who will be the executive head
of the department and whose acts will
S need to be approved OF disapprovcd
by the Commissioner.
,f The new law hes designated sys-
tenn of State Highways, in which is
embraced about $500 miles Of road,
of which, at the present time, about
900 miles have jeen improved under
the State Aid plan. This system iS
designated in tic new one trunk line
system built and maintained under
state supervision.
Two of the most important provi-
sions of this new law, as relate to our
present program are in Paragraph 3
and Paragraph II of the new law. One
z of the provisions Of Paragraph 3 re-
! lating to county appropriations, dona-
tions, subscriptions and gifts on either
Z State or Federal Aid projects now un-
+ der construction or which are being
surveyed and planned for roads as
follows:-
"The said State Highway Commis-
sion shall ascertain al gifts, dona-
tions or appropriations which have
heretofore been made or promised by
any person, corporation, county OF
municipality in aid Of the construct
ion of any road known as State AiC
or State and Federal Aid road, where
such gift, donation or appropriation
has not been completed, and said gifts
donations OF appropriations, or any
promise thereof, shall be binding anC
of full effect the same as when made
and nothing in this act shall be con
strued to affect the validity thereof.
This provision clearly sets fortl
that no reimbursement will be made
on projects of this character whicl
have already been financed or which
will be financed under past promise
up until July 1st, 1920.
The PROGRAM of construction Whicl
has been laid out in this bill will re
uuire at least ten to fifteen years TO
its ultimate completion, even thoug
future Legislatures furnish sufficien
revenues for that purpose, and coun
ties which repudiate their presen
agreements Or promises with this OF
flee in regard to projects which al
now under way or which will be unde
way by July 1st, 1920, will be in grav
danger of not only losing their Fec