Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-02-15
STATE ROADS
Unsatisfactory
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT is CRITI-
CIZED BY LEGISLATORS
AT BOISE
THE WORK HAS BEEN EXPENSIVE
Changes in Present Law Undoubtedly
VIII Be Made.

a bill which will be introduced shortly
by the highways, bridges and ferries
committee of the senate in which the
powers of the state highway depart
ment are greatly reduced. The high
way department has been sharply crit
icised in all parts of the state and the
people feel that something must be
done to insure greater results for the
money that is being spent. 1t is the
general opinion that in the engineer
ing department there has been too
much overhead expense and that the
highway department has been working
upon a road program that is too elab-
crate for the state. The new bill will
provide that contracts for road con-
struction may be let by county COM
missioners or highway district COM
missioners, subject to the approval of
the commissioner of the department of
public works. This means that the
small contractor will have chance to
do road work in his own or an adioin-
ing county. Most of the road contracts
let in the past have been to the large
contractors who have never had man
or a bit of machinery on any job but
have simply sub-contracted and pock-
eted pretty good sized rake-off.
On Tuesday the house repealed the
two mill road tax levy. Now the ques-
ton that is confronting the legislature
is how to provide funds for road con-
struction work in the neutral zones
and for maintenance the coming bien-
MUM. Governor Davis proposes a two
cent per gallon gasoline tax which is
expected to raise half million dollars
each year He also wants the state
to receive half of the auto license
tax. Quite a number of the Legislators
are opposed to both these measures
In a special message to the legislature
Governor Davis had the following to
say on road matters.
There is no problem more vital to
the people of any state in its relation
to broad development than that of an
adequate system of highways. Idaho
has made splendid record during the
last two years in the building and
planning of a network of state roads,
which will directly or indirectly touch
and benefit every part of the state.
The department of public works has
in less than two years completed
program that would ordinarily take a.
much longer time. Idaho's engineer
ing and project plans have been char
acterized by the bureau of roads of the
United States department of agricul-
ture as among the best in the United
States, The record made for con-
struction is worthy of high commenda-
ton. During the 18 months period just
ended, S6459 miles of permanent and
semi-permanent roads have been built
Records on file show that Idaho has
let contracts as low and in many cases
at a lower price than adjoining states
"It is only natural that so large
program calls forth diversity of ideas
as to proper methods of construction
and financing, ana that some misun-
derstanding should exist regarding the
amount of federal aid allotted to Ida
no by the bureau of public roads. The
exact sum to be allotted for the five
year period was s3,360,3SS.S6. There
remains $2S9,e73.73 federal aid which
has not been allotted to projects.
Agreements are now in course OF prep
aration, however, for approximately
one hundred fifty thousand dollars to
take care of over-runs and additional
requirements, and the balance is held
in reserve to meet like conditions.
"The appeal of the two mill direct
highway levy, which was amply justi-
fled by existing conditions, makes IL
necessary to devise new plans TO IL
nance this important work The pro-
ceads of the two million dollar nigh
xvav bond issue can be used only for
the laying out and construction OIL
state highways. Heretofore the de-
nartment of public works has been
hampered because the entire estimated
revenues from the proceeds OF the two
mill levy were definitely allotted by
the legislature for construction or
specific highways in each county OF
the state, leaving nothing LOT other
necessary and unavoidable charges
In order that operations may be eco
nomically and efficiently conducted
and an adequate road building pro-
gram continued, approximately one
million six hundred thousand dollars
is required for the following items
Boise headquarters. s25,O00.
Return of expenditures on account
of federal equipment, s220,0O0.
Overhead. $4,000.
Additional maintenance funos'
s210,000.
Reimbursements TO counties. sS15,-
600.
Freight on additional war equip
ment. s150.00o.
Total, s1.s00,000.
at recommend that such sum De
raised in the following manner;
BY tax on gasoline at 2 cents per
saIlon on estimated consumption oi
$4,000, 900 gallons for the biennium. to
be collected from the wholesaler
s700.000.
BY raising state proportion for the
motor vehicle license tax to 50 pei
cent, estimated s530,000.
BY direct appropriation, ss75,00o.
Total, II ,605 900.
~T urge upon your honorable bod,