Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1927-02-10
BY Dwight H. Teter


1920, and the act of the Legislature
Of 1921, West Virginia first began the
intensive road building program
which is today threatened with being
halted because Of lack Of funds.
! While the present State Road Com
mission has had the designation and
building Of roads practically in its
own hands, the distribution by coun-
ties of the $5O,000,000 road bond
issue was determined before the act
created the present Road Commission
in 1921.
The basis for the distribution of
he $50,000,000 bond issue was de-
termined by the mileage of Glass A
roads in the various counties. These
Glass A roads were designated by the
various county courts under the law
adopted by the Legislature in 1917.
There were not to be more than two
main county roads in each county
designated as class A roads.
Glass A. Roads
When the present Road Commits
sion was created, the Glass A road
system was abolished, but the Road
Commission was created to use the
old Glass A road mileage as q basis
for determining the apportionment
of 80 percent of the funds arising
from the $50,000,000 bond issue. The
present Road Commission, therefore,
had no choice in the matter of the
amount of money to be spent in each
county.
The law of 1921 provided that Of
the total $50,0OO,0O0 twenty percent
should be set aside and called a
general reserve fund, the remaining
eighty percent to be apportioned for
construction in the various counties
on the Glass A mileage basis.
The 20% reserve fund was estab-
Iished for two reasons: first, to make
desirable connections of beaefits to
the greatest number Of people, and
second. for economies of construct
ion The 500 fund was found fire.
quently not sufficient to complete
certain roads which formed an i'm
portant link in main artery or high
way. In such instances the connect
ing links were built out Of the reserve
fund. This was necessary because Of
serving first the greatest number of
people and providing the shortest dis
lance between important industrial
centers and centers Of large popula-
ton. The reserve fund was also used
in assisting counties TO construct
state routes. Many counties were
not satisfied with the mileage Of the
roads which the 500 fund made pos
sible, and voted bond issues to com
plete certain roads which were on
the state system. In many instances
the state assisted the counties in
building these roads, the money COM
ing from the 20ao reserve fund
This was an economy from the
states standpoint, as the state there
by saving the amount contributed by
the county.
Federal Aid
During the last five years of in
tensive road construction the state
has received $3,62S, 922.55 in federal
aid. Up until the last legislature,
this federal aid was put into the
general road fund, each county re-
ceiving its share as determined for
the distribution of the 100000
bond issue. The last legislature,
however, changed this law and pro-
vided that all federal aid should
henceforth go into the reserve fund.
Federal aid amounted last year to
$4,000. This year it will be APP
proximately the same.
Some people in practically every
county in West Virginia have been at
loss to understand why certain
roads In their county have not been
completed, why their county has not
received the amount of mileage other
counties have, etc. The truth of the
matter is that the Road Commission
has been able to build only a certain
amount of roads in each county, the
mileage of which was determined by
the amount Of money which the Road
Commission has been able to spend
on that county. The ratio of this
amount of money was determined
before the present Road Commission
was created.
Not Enough Money
] When the $50,0O0,000 bond issue
is exhausted and it is exhausted
right noweach county will have re-
ceived itsafull share Of this money.