Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-08-18
LEGISLATIVE ROAD ACTS
DOWN TO 1878 OUTLINED
No Survey Made in 1913 Because
Engineers and Craftsmen
Were In Service.
MUCH WORK NOW UNDER WAY
Department Will Ask Next General
Assembly for S1,OOO,OOO for
Highways i'm 1922 and for ST.
250 700 for Year 1923.

-'VtpVo LOT caF fU<sS.
Emphasizing that the State and the
counties must cooperate in the main
tenancc OF detour roads while the
highways are being improved, and
that the public must be patient be-
cause work cannot begin ut all points
In the state ut one and the same
time. State Highway Commi ssiOner
George p. Coleman. in an address be-
fore the Virginia Good Roads As.
ISOLATION in Roanoke last January
told of the work OF the State High
way Department. and cited some of
the handicaps under which the de-
partmcnt Is working. Commissioner
Coleman's address follows:
I'm TN effort TO familiarize the peo-
pie of the State with the work of the
Highway Department. we have from
time to time given out reviews Of
the work which the department had
done, Az we'll as the work which is
under way. 1t is particularly neces-
sary today that I've citizens Of the
State should have n full understand
Ing OF these important matters. To
give you this information, II will be
necessary to take up the work from
the organization of the department
In 1906 and bring II step by step up
~ TIC tlIlc.
The General Assembly of 1906
made 4 small appropriation for the
support Of the Highway Department
and to enable the department to CO.
operate with the local road authori-
ties of the counties by furnishing to
them convict labor to assist in the
construction OF their highways.
Stnte-Aid bonds in zoos.
The General Assembly ct 1908
broadencd the participation of the
State by increasing the funds for the
maintenance OF the convict road force,
and. I'm addition. made an appropria-
tion for State money aid to the conn
ties. AT the same time the several
county and magisterial district tond
issue laws were passed.
"Thcse highway laws were amend
cd at succeeding sessions Of the Cen
cral Assembly to meet changing con-
ditions. The department. however,
had always realized that some
definite plan of participation should
lie adopted by the State in order to
get the most satisfactory results to
al parties Of Interest. With this In
mind, we had from time To time
made to the Governor and TO differ.
cnt committees OF the General As
scmbly recommendations which car
policy.
The General Assembly of 1916. act
Ing on the recommendation of this
department, appointed n Legislative
road committee to take under con-
sidcration all OF the various plans
of the highway Improvement and
State participation, and to make its
recommendation 10 the next meeting
OF the General Assembly. This COM
mittcc was composed of three from
the senate, four from the House. and
the State Highway Commissioner.
State Highway systcm.
This committee mapped out State
highway system OF $500 miles of
mainline highways, and RECON-
mcndcd that this system tie construct
ed and maintained entirely at the ex-
pense of the State. mt the same time
recommending that specific appropria-
tons should be made for this pur-
pose.
they went n step further and
recommended that the counties of the
State, through their local author1-
ties, should be required to lay Out
county highway systems. covering
the main highways OF the counties to
take care OF the county highway traf-
hc. and the legislative committee
ways should be constructed and
maintained by the counties with sucl,
assistance as might be given from
time to time ty the State. at the
same time recommending that spe-
cihc appropriations be made by the
State for this purpose.
These general recommendation
were presented to the General AS
sembly in 1918. and adopted. thu
General Assembly of that year max
ing small appropriations. which
should be available In 1919. to NEE
like amount Of Federal aid. to b,
used in beginning the construction o.
the State highway system.
These were the paper plans. the
general idea being that they would
he developed rs rapidly as possible
In this act the General Assembly