The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1922-02-03
REQUIREMENTS FOR
FEDERAL AID ROADS

The federal highway act recently
signed by President Harding IN gen.
erai way resembles the federal AID act
Of 1915, but contains several new tea"
lures. Administration OF the act BY
tho secretary Ut agriculture. ana IN
dor him the bureau ct public roaus'
remains unchanged.
ADportionment Ct the fund to the
at tates is almost the same az IN the pre-
vious act, the fund being divided into
three parts, one part apportioned ac'
cordinx to population. one acccrdinSl
to area and the third according to
mileage Of rural and star man routes.
A new feature In the tsipulation that
no state shall receive less than one
half Ct one per cent Of the total fund
which amounts to $365,625 This sttn.
ulation will increase the amount re-
ceived by four of tha smaller states
in the union.
Considerable change. however. is
made by the act in the manner IN
which a state may use its allotment.
Each state must select connected
read system not exceeding per cent
e1 it's road mileage tor Improvement
with federal aid. This system Will ne
divided into two classes, one OF which
will be known as interstate highways
and the other as intcr-county high-
ways. The interstate highways must
not exceed three.sevenths OF the sys-
tenn selected: on them not more than
GO Der cent Of the states allotment
can be spent without the joint ap-
,roval Of the secretary Of agriculture
and the state highway department: The
inter-&ounty hi&kways,~ "a
OF the remainder OF the s41e y
ed, wili receive the remaf - l
states allotment.
Except in states where. more than
per cent CT the area - approprte1
public land. the amoAnt g federal AZ
received on any projecS mus not ex.
ceed 50 per cent Of the watimated cost.
In states where more than : per cent
Of the area IL unappropriated public
land the so per cent allotment Is IN
creased by an amount equal to cne-
half the percentage OF unapprOpriare.l
rublic land in the state. BEFORE any
funds can be pald to state, the. state
must appropriate money. undaF<she di-
rect control Of the state highway de-
partment, to match the federal ailot.
ment. aud fer the maintenance Of fed
eral aid highways.
What the new appropriation VIII
mean to the country can he j,s.ged -
-thc uss@4o whicfssxue Sa75 .VO0.<0o Pfc
viously appropriated has been put. ac'
cording to officials of the United
States department OF agriculture. Prac.
tically $20O.OOO.000 OF that money has
been put to work in projects which ars
either entirely completed or now un
de. construction.
The new federal aid allotment eo'
Montana Is $1.5ie.SS5.
On February z. shculd the board o1
commissioners Of Powder River coun
ty negotiate a sale Of 100000 In coun
ty highway bonds at par or bette
II would be necessary to build the Pre-"
posed road according to provisions o
the new federal aid law. The count!
must produce favorable opinions from
attorneys Of reputable bonding hous:
or the validity Of the highway bond is
sue in order to dispose ct the bonds
ard pending such an opinion it is sal;
no injunction proceedings will b.
brought against the commissioners h.
Interested taxpayers.