The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-07-10
Ohio FARM BUREAU
ACTS TO PRESERVE
DISTRICT HIGHWAYS
Especial to The Palladium1


mendations that roads be classified.
that trucks and buses be given the
status of public utilities and subjected
TO the same requirements and respon-
sibilities. that weight limit be es-
tablished for each class of road, and
that heavy duty vericles be excluded
adopted by the road committee Of the
Eighteenth Ohio Farm Bureau district
which met in Hamilton, Saturday,
July s.
Widespread dissatisfaction with the
road situation In Ohio, caused by al
legged inefficiency in road construc-
ton and maintenance which last year
resulted in the expenditure OF three
fourths of all available road money
for maintenance purposes alone. and
alarm at the ever increasing growth
of freight lines and motor bus lines,
which cause excessive road wear, far
mers in all parts of Ohio have been
considering action to save the road
surface and relieve themselves of the
excessive and unjust road costs.
The lead in the matter was taken
by Preble county which made consid-
Grafton of the road problem special
matter at one of it's recent meetings.
Following this, the problem was taken
up at the next meeting of the district
farm bureaus, held in Hamilton about
month ago
Appoint Committee
A committee of five, together with
the district director D. E Durham,
was appointed to frame recommends
tons for handling the road problem,
and also to draft list of questions
for the consideration of other farm
organizations, which should cover the
debated points in road construction,
maintenance and operation. W. K.
Swan. of Butler county, was appointed
chairman, with C. F. Laird and R. E.
Morrow of Preble, P P Benham and
c. D. Corwfn of Warren county as the
other members
The recommendations Just adopted,
and the list of questions will be
broadcast to other farm organizations
by the state Grange, according to the
promise Of c. F. Dyer. state Grange
official. who was a speaker at the spe-
eial district road meeting. 1t is ex-
pected that action will be taken by
the whole state in support of the
recommendations while the answers
submitted on the four questions may
result in fundamental changes in the
state road laws
Questions Considered.
Shall the traffic that. uses the main
market road be taxed to maintain and
reconstruct them?
Shall We define and enforce weight
,.1 g. a. i
senger traffic?
Shall the state highway department
have its own system of engineers,
rather than leave the work in charge
Of county surveyors
Shall we increase our hard road
mileage and let our hard roads al
ready built decay? 49,
The recommendations for legisla-
tive action are:
That highways be classified, def
nitely defining jurisdiction and re-
sponsibility of different officials for
their respective classes of roads, and
that a patrol system of maintenance
be adopted.
That the traffic be surveyed on
different roads as a guide to construc-
ton. regulation. maintenance and fl
nancing Ut is claimed that roads
are not always being built to satisfy
traffic requirements. only, while in
other cases they are not equal to the
traffic)
That assessments on abuttlng prop
erty on the freight roads be abolished.
Ask for Adjustment
That until such assessments are
abolished, some provision shall be
made for adjustment of unjust assess
ments and that refund of paid-in as
sessments in excess of actual cost of
the road be obligatory. Tin several
cases bond issues have exceeded the
cost of the road and county officials
have expended the surplus on other
purposes Several county attorneys
are authority TO the statement that
such retention of the surplus is Illegal
That trucks and motor busses be
given the status of public utilities,
responsible for damage and wear and
tear on the highway, for damage to
traffic, and for life and property
transported.
That operation of heavy duty trucks
be confined to heavy duty roads at
critical seasons, and that definite
load weight limit be established for
each class of road.
That local material be used for road
construction when it meets the traffic