Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-05

practically 100000 OF Federal al h
due the State.
STATE AID HIGHWAYS.
State aid jobs were completed g.
1920 Joint funds and 20 other -.
aid Jobs were completed from y.
funds Of other years, making ! -.
of 464 State aid jobs completes
ering q mileage OF 1906 miles ~
total expenditure Of $s57.3s7Jz
THIRD CLASS ROADS,: aso !,
were done under the third class ~
way act. at a total cost Of slss ~.
OF the above. 252 were road con.ts
ton jobs. all gravel surfaced, cows.
43.02 miles. and eight were road -
jobs.
SPECIAL RESOLVES: Unde, :.
cial resolves, 7.si miles Of road -
constructed at cost Of sssss,s
Road repair work was done 4. :.
amount Of s22,60s.2s; bridge cone
tion amounting to s2.ss7.ss. ana 49,
repairs amounting to $135sas1 ~
cellaneous charges for inspect,o,
ferries and for claims amounts !
s22.525.17.
MAINTENANCE: 4241.1l mia, :.
road in 4s5 towns were maintaines :
494 patrolmen. The total expend,,s
for this work was $7ss, 7so.ss, Of ~
the State furnished $5s2,2S2.7t :.
the cities and towns furnished s,,;
1875. The average expenditure !.
mile was $1s1.71. OF the above r,o..
amount $34,647.51 was spent for L
pervision and inspection. 7os.si NM
OF improved State highway was mai,
tanned at an average expenditurs !
s527S7 per mile. The expenditur. Z
the other 3531.77 miles Of road Ava,
aged $113.06 per mile.
BRIDGES:--During 1920, q s,,,.
and county aided bridges were ~,
structed and eight were in proce., !.
construction at the end Of the w..
The total expenditure for this vos
was $570,S75.26.
A, summing up Of the work ma.
the direction Of the Commission sho,.
that total expenditures of $4,s52. fa,M
were made; that the supervision char.
for this work, including all sal,r,r
and expenses Of the Commission. 4,
office force and all charges for en,.
, neering, including surveys, plans an,
computations, and all inspection A.,
supervision Of construction work Al
maintenance work, amounted to ns
per cent. Of the above gross expend.
ture. In other words, of every dom,
which passed through the hands Of n
State Highway Commission, a nm,
less than Az cents was paid for nl
aries and expenses and 95x cents uu
expended in labor and material on IN
highway. Work accomplished includr
! 2S0.97 miles Of road rebuilt. 20 brideu
under construction Of which q wen
completed. and 4241.11 miles Of ro,,
under maintenance.
1t should be noted that vast M,
jority Of all jobs Of road work nm
gravel surfaced. This has been TN
Of all Of the work the Commission N
ever done and it will continue to
true, and it does not appear that lers
lation is needed to cause the Star,
money to be expended for gravel roah
and in the judgment Of this Comnt
sion 1t would be very unwiss 70 NJ,
the expenditure Of State and State Il
road money to the construction Of O,
type of road.
:. State aid funds available last YER
were not sufficient to meet the reoust
of towns for State aid by $lssssoN
The Commission have asked In thu
budget estimates for 100000 add
tional State aid money. 1t seems ven
desirable that the State should BE- abb
to help the towns push improved roaiI
work along. particularly when n
towns are willing to appropriate thst
own money for this purpose.
The amount Of money available ID
maintenance was nearly 100000 Ia
little to meet the expenditures in 1874
The Commission were allowed to cam
out their program by the promise
the Governor and Council that fund
for the deficit would be provided ffs
the States CONTINGENT fund, Wild
was done In December. Further pr
vision for maintenance to the extM
Of between 100000 and ;5oo,M
should be, made by this Legislature b
order to enable the Commission b
carry on the maintenance work Is L
has been handled during the past IN
years. If the Legislature does not
provide funds, we understand that ths
work will have to close down vhd
available funds are exhausted. Tha
would mean the stoppias Of all main
tenance work about July first.
We hope you have taken time b
read this letter and that you vii
understand our desire to place ths
information before you is merely .
each member of the Legislature will
understand the exact condition unds
which the Commission have lsbcrs
during the last year. particularly nb
respect to State aid and maintenan0
expenditures. to the end that full pft
vision for these two activities may
made so that the work can be carriE
out in a manner satisfactory to th
taxpayers Of this State during ni
seasons Of 1921 and 1922.
Very respectfully submitted
w. M. AVER,
t P. j. DEERING.
r. A. PEABODY.
- -ls,ct0A