18 University of New Hampshire [Bulletin 339 



C. UNEQUAL TOWN BURDENS IN THE COMPLETION 

 OF SECONDARY (SAO MILEAGE) 



The town's road responsibility is not limited to the construction 

 and maintenance of its Class V roads. The town must also contribute 

 to the construction of projected Class II mileage within its boundaries. 



By legislative act in 1937 a secondary highway system was estab- 

 lished in accordance with a plan prepared by the highway commis- 

 sioner. This plan shows the location of all completed and projected 

 secondary roads, and divides them into two groups : State aid orange 

 (SAO), Class IIA; and State aid yellow (SAY), Class IIB. 



The orange system represents general use roads which may pro- 

 perly comprise a secondary highway network. All orange roads are 

 State maintained after completion. Projected orange roads are con- 

 sidered as town roads and rank as Class V until completion. In gen- 

 eral, however, towns are not allowed to apply town road aid (State 

 aid for Class V road construction) on any projected orange roads. 



The yellow system represents certain roads which are second in 

 priority from a general use standpoint as compared to orange roads. 

 Yellow roads completed prior to 1937 continue to receive State main- 

 tenance ; but all yellow roads built subsecjuent to April 1937 are town 

 maintained, and all projected yellow roads will be town maintained 

 after comj^letion. Towns are permitted to apply town road aid on 

 projected yellow roads rather than elect State aid construction for 

 these roads. All yellow roads except those completed prior to 1937 

 rank as Class V for the purpose of calculating the mileage basis for 

 State aid on town roads. 



CONSTRUCTION AIDS TO STATE SECONDARY HIGHWAYS 



Construction of State secondary, or Class II, highways is jointly 

 financed by town and State. The initiative for State aid appropria- 

 tions generally rests with the towns. The law provides that "If any 

 city or town desire State aid for the purpose of constructing a section 

 of Class II road such city or town shall raise, appropriate and/or set 

 aside from the amount of money annually raised and appropriated for 

 the repair of highways the following:" " 



Valuation Amount per $1000 valuation 



■Less than $2,000,000 $ 1.50 



2,000,000- 2,999,999 1.125 



3.()(I0,()00 - 4,999,999 .75 



5,000,000 - 14,999,999 .50 



15,000,000 and over .375 



The State's share of this cooperative construction cost varies ac- 

 cording to the total assessed valuation of the town. The law provides 

 that "The highway commissioner shall apportion from the highway 



" p. L. Chap. 84, Sec. 19. 



