Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-01-20
FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1922.

Aoolition VI tue present state
Highway Commission of fve|
members and the Office of high-l
way commissioner, and in lieu
thereof the appointment of a COM
mission of ten members. one from
CHI congressional district, and
conducting affairs of the high
way department strictly on al
business basis, are features of a
bill Senator Harry Flood Byrd, of
Winchester, has offered in the
General Assembly at the opening
of its biennial session in Rich
mond. He will urge its adoption
early in the session.
Road legislation will be among
lie most important matters be-
fore the Legislature. Governor
elect-Trinkle was nominated and
elected on a platform in which
he declared in favor of reorgani-
cation of the State Highway De-
partment and as opposed to a
bond issue at this time. Senator
Byrd was for ten years president
of the old Valley Turnpike Co.
He has taken a leading part in
framing many of the best road
laws in Virginia in recent years,
is regarded as one Of the best-in-
formed men of the state on road
construction and maintenance,
and was staunch supporter of
Governor-elect Trlnk1e
The Byrd bill proposes 10
abolish the Office of the present
highway commissioner and State
Highway Commission. so as to
give Gov. Trinkle opportunity
to appoint new com missioner and
commission. The Governor, of
course, will exercise his own dis
erection in appointments.
Instead of a body of FIVE, a COM
mission of ten members would be
created, one from each congress-
ional district, giving each section
representation in allotment of
funds for roads. Replying to
criticisms, that body of ten may
be costly, Senator Byrd said that
his plan contemplated only one
or two meetings a month, and
allowing $40 per diem for each
day served. the total cost of the
ten commissioners would not ex-
coed Sc, 900 or 81, 900 a year. Hell
regarded this inconsequential in
comparison with the large
amounts of money to be handled. |
One of the ten commissioners
would act as chairman and perl
form the duties OF state highwayI
commissioner. He must, however,
be thoroughly efficient, capable
and successful business man. In
stead of the present one man con.
troll in awarding contracts
d mounting to millions of dollars
each year, the commission would
award contracts. Any member
failing to perform his duties pro-
perlv could be removed from oficeI
by the governor
This BILL" said Senator Byrd
divides the state into ten con
structiou districts with officials
IN charge of each district, cores
pondlng to the ten congressional .
districts, and funds would be al
Iotted as between the ten districts
as near as possible with reeardI
10 taxable values, population and
state highway mileage already
completed. The commission
would have charge of the allot-
nent of funds, and it also would
decide on routes, except that q
hose fixed by law and alreadyE
ieclded upon shall not be changed II
The chairman would be author-Io
zed and directed to appoint II
state road engineer, as well as IL
assistant engineers. This bill
las been dra wn only after an ex- ST
laustive study and comparison of "
Highway laws in successful opera S
ion in other states, and it espe- tie
tally embodies some of the best
eatures of the Maryland law" J..
Conduct of the department on NJ
basis very much like a greatIR,
ORG anizes to manaeelCf
is affairs is the aim of the Byrd "
i'll. 1.-The experienced and sue
essful business man who is toll.
e chairman" said the patron OF -
lie measure. would be equivalent n,
, the president of a large corpo,
ltion; the nine others selected
ON the various congressiona sp'
strictsand giving fair represen. TN
ton to each section, would cor MI
l.