Ohio enacted State highway aid laws in 1904. A system of main market roads is im proved and maintained jointly by the State and the counties; the county and town roads are improved and maintained by the local authori ties, tinder State supervision. Under this ar rangement the total amount of State aid to the end of 1915 has been about $8,500,000.
Iowa entered the movement the same year and has, since 1904, a State Highway Commis sioner. Road improvements are made by the counties under State supervision and advice. Main roads, not exceeding 15 per cent of all roads in a county, are improved and maintained as county roads; all others are town roads. Conditions in Iowa call rather for care in main tenance through dragging than for construction, hence the total expenditure of State funds has not exceeded $300,000 by end of 1915. This great agricultural State, with its large road mileage, and exceptional number of automo biles, thus ranks lowest of any of the important States, except Indiana, in the Good Roads Movement.
The expenditure of State funds for road im provement throughout the United States has proceeded in accordance with one or other of the methods outlined above. A commission, with an executive commissioner, or one of these, constitute the models for organization. The diversion of motor-vehicle fees to State road improvement is practically universal and represents the consensus of opinion that these are the principal, though not the sole factor, in occasioning the need and demand for good roads. The distinction between State roads and State-aid roads is quite common, while a large field for strictly local effort is generally left free. There is a strong tendency to financing by extension bond issues rather than by direct appropriation. Generally the action of the State goes beyond being merely informational and advisory.
But there is still much variety both in the manner of giving State aid and in the SUMS given. In California the advisory board of the State department of engineering has general supervision of road work and a subdivision of this board is the State Highway Commission. The State may assist in the improvement of any road of State importance, but under the act of 1910 a specific sum was provided for the improvement of a system of State roads, which in a general way is defined in the act. The sys
tem is thus constructed and maintained wholly by the State, but the counties refund a part of the cost in small yearly instalments. Funds are derived from bond issues and by special appropriations, amounting by the end of 1915 to about $15,000,000. California thus ranks with the States which have entered largely into road building. She has special conditions in nearly every part of the State which render State aid peculiarly necessary and advisable. Other Pacific and Mountain States may like wise be expected to become foremost in State action because of similar conditions.
Missouri has established the office of State Highway Commissioner. There is a State stamp tax on certain documents, the proceeds of which are divided among the counties in proportion to the number of school children. Special appropriations are made for dragging roads. The amount of State aid to end !of 1915 was about $1,500,000.
Georgia has a law for utilizing convict labor on the roads but has no State Highway Depart ment, nor does it otherwise take part in road improvement. Delaware has a State Highway Commissioner for one county only. Alabama has a State Highway Commission. Roads are improved jointly by the State and the counties, each paying one-half the cost, but to the end of 1915 the sum amounted to only one-half mil-.
lion. Kansas gives no money for construction, but it has a State engineer, a part of whose duty it is to furnish plans, specifications and advice. Nebraska has a State Board of Irri gation, which gives assistance in highway bridge work and advice on road work. Okla homa has a Highway Commissioner, whose duty it is to give advice, plans and specifications. Nevada has a State Engineer who has charge of the State-aid road work but no large appro priations have been made. South Dakota has a State Highway Commission, but merely ad visory.
Wisconsin has a Chief Engineer of the State who has general supervision of road improve ment. Selected county roads may be improved jointly by the State, county and town, each pay ing one-third the cost. Specifications and plans are furnished by the State Highway Depart ment; the roads are maintained, however, by the counties. About $4,000,000 of State aid funds had been expended to end of 1915.