Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1922-02-11
FINANCING FEDERAL AID PROJECTS
Nevada State Highway News)

Nevada State Highway News)
On or about January 10, this Department sub
mtted to the Board of County Commissioners of
each county tentative outline Of the proposed
state highway construction program to be under
taken in that county during the season of 1922.
The ratio of cooperation betewen the State and
county which has heretofore been in effect has been
on the basis of 50per cent FedesalCovernment,
rs per cent County and Is per cent State When
the Department first began operations under the
Federal Aid Law we believed that this ratio would
work out successfully However, three years ex-
perence has demonstrated the fallacy OF 50 pei
cent Federal Aid, Our business for the past three
years giving an average federal participation Of
approximately 81 per cent, and the average county
participation stands at Is per cent Several things
have contributed in causing this result, among
which may be mentioned that the State has entirely
borne the costs OF preliminary surveys, plans and
rights of way, the heavy maintenance costs, the
construction of the Lahontan Gravel Plant, and
has carried very heavy investment in surplus wal
material received from the Federal Government
The result OF this is that the resources Of the State
have become limited and thefuture burden to be
borne by the State in participation with the counties
must be in accordance with the restricted income
The State of course, has first carried the entire
burden it paid out all moneys then collected
from the Government and counties
When the present Federal Highway Law was
first introduced in Congress it contained progi
sion that the Federal Government would share il
not only the actual construction costs but also il
the full costs of surveys and plans and the hi
passed the Senate in this form This would hav
left the State and counties to bear the overhea,
burden and their relatively small ratio of con
structon and preliminary costs The law final,
passed. however, provides government participation
in only the actual construction COSTS leaving tn
overhead and preliminary expenses to be borne b,
the State and counties. The burden which ha
been borne entirely by the State in the past is toe
heavy, and find we must call on the countie,
to assume some of this burden. Therefore afte
very careful consideration of all available data
we have worked out uniform scheme of co-opera
ton, which, we believe will work in such an equ
table manner to not unduly burden either The
State counties and will, at the same time, permi
the Department to carry through splendid pro
gram each year we'll within the resources of all con
cerned
Our experience through the past four years has
demonstrated that the cost of the initial work
the contract, such as reconnaissance, surveys pre-
paraton of plans and estimates and general super
vision in addition to the contract has had an aver
age cost of II IL per cent of the contract price
therefore we have found it necessary to add II l..
per cent to the contract price, which resulting
amount represents the entire cost of the project
OF this entire cost the State and Government will
bear 80 per cent leaving 20 per cent to be borne By
the counties.
1t is true the Government is participating to tn,
proportion of 1872 ID per cent in the contract price
but when this is prorated against the total cost o
the work it leaves the above so per cent for TIL,
state and government share of the total cost
Under this plan of cooperation we will be able t.
carry through annual program of between on
and half and two million dollars permitting worl
in practically all counties and the rapid improve
ment of the worst sections of the State Hghwa,
System.
PROSPERITY RETURNING