Evening star., 1952-09-26
|SobeIoff Commission
Urges Unified Coniro|
For Maryland Roads
by the Associated Press


BALTIMORE, Sept. 26.-Closer
cooperation between the State
and its counties in carrying out a
highway program with response
bility delegated to a single admin
istrator was urged today in a 81
page report by the Commission on
State Administrative Organiza-
ton.
ut is time to reject the idea
that the State, counties and cities
can follow completely independent
courses. and to accept the idea
that the State and local units
should proceed as partners in the
highway undertaking." the report
said
Makes 8 Recommendations.
The commission, better known
as the Sobeloff Commission for its
chairman, Simon E. Sobelof
made nine recommendations after
interviews with State, county and
municipal officials in each o1
Maryland's % counties. The re.
port recommends:
/. The existing dual method o1
managing county roads operations
under which the State perform:
county road work in some counties
while in others the counties dc
their own road work, should bt
continued for the present.
2. The State Roads Commis.
sion sould consolidate all respon'
sibility for State-local highway
activities into a single staff unit
the head Of which should report
directly to the top administrative
official of the commission.
8. The body responsible for road!
in each Of the counties and cite!
should delegate adequate powers
of negotiation to the head Of tht
road or street unit, in order tha'
he may deal effectively with Stat'
and local officials.
| Would Develop Standards.
! 4. Formalized construction ant
maintenance standards for loca
units should be developed through
cooperative effort. Also the Stat'
should review its standards. par
Iticularly as to their application il
those cases where they affect loca
areas.
! S. A closer administrative con
Itrol over the installation of traf
|flc-control devices by local author
tiles on State roads should b
instituted.
s. The existing highway classi
fcation plan and the present sys
TENS of State roads. county road
and city streets should be re-ex
amined, the classification system
revised as necessary and legiSla
tion enacted directing this classi
fication.
Asks Revised Statutes.
7. Existing statutory provision
affecting highway RELATIONSHIP
should be revised. Insignifican
and obsolete provisions should b
removed and general laws shoul
Ibe substituted for local and spe
lcial laws whenever feasible. Au
Ithority and responsibility for tn
highway function at all levels
government should be clearly de
; fined and assigned.
8. In order to assure effectiv
Ilong-range planning and pro
| lgramming, legislation should b
|. Ienacted authorizing and directin
the State Roads Commission. th
counties and the cities, includin
Baltimore, each to prepare a long
|, range highway or street develop
lment plan.
4 9. Legislation should be enacte
permitting and encouraging state
local and interlocal co-operativ
relationships, and providing tn
principles and pattern for desir
able relationships. Regardless Q
such legislation, however, tn
IState Roads Commission and tn
local units must begin to worl
in unison, rather than independ
emily, and with the Roads Com
mission taking the lead.