BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS. 397 



prevented the fullest cooperation with the States. After more than 

 two years' experience a canvass of the States indicated that the 

 principal causes for disagi-eements or delays in the original Rules 

 and Regulations could be summarized under the following points: 



1. Conflicts witli the State laws or State constitutions. 



2. The limitations as to the expenditure of Federal aid funds for certain 

 costs enterinj? into completed roads. 



3. The details of the plans, specifications, and survey requirements. 



4. Adherence to standard specifications in specific instances in which economy 

 prompte<l modifications. 



5. Difficulties or delays encountered from inception of projects *to final com- 

 pletion, in many cases resulting partially from overcentralization and lack of 

 authority vested in the district engineers or the local representatives of the 

 bureau. 



Practically all of the complaints or misunderstandings voiced by 

 the States were subject to classification under one of these causes, 

 and it will be apparent that these difficulties were greatly accented 

 by the new and untried State legislation enacted in every State and 

 by the new and enlarged organizations required on the part of the 

 States and the Federal bureau itself. 



During the last fiscal year several minor amendments were made. 

 At the December, 1918, meeting of the State highway officials the sub- 

 ject was thoroughly discussed and a general revision of the rules and 

 regulations at once undertaken. These were completed after the 

 amendment to the Federal-aid road act of February, and on March 

 12, 1919, the rules and regulations were issued. As revised, these 

 rules and regulations have been generally accepted as satisfactory by 

 the State highway departments. 



These rules and regulations, however, must be regarded only as an 

 instrument to facilitate road production under laws in force, whether 

 State or Federal, relating to the Federal-aid road work. Several 

 modifications of present procedure are now in contemplation for the 

 purpose of facilitating and expediting action, and whenever it be- 

 comes apparent that revisions can be made which will result in econ- 

 omy of either time or effort, in so far as such modifications are legally 

 possible, recommendations will be made for further revision to the 

 secretary forthwith. 



RESPONSE OF STATES TO THE FEDERAL AID ACT. 



The Federal aid act inaugurated a plan of road improvement that 

 has met with a remarkable response on the part of the public. Very 

 few of the States were in a position to act until the winter of 1917, 

 because of the need of new legislation and the appropriation of funds 

 to meet the Federal-aid allotments. In April of that year war was 

 declared, with its attendant concentration of effort to the one object. 

 Highway construction throughout the country w^as necessarily and 

 unavoidably restricted and confined to the more vitally necessary 

 projects during this period. It was not until after the signing of the 

 armistice in November, 1918, that plans were formulated for the 

 re^innption of the work Avhich had been brought almost to a stop. 

 But during that period the attitude of the public underwent a great 

 change. The experiences during the war had crystallized public 

 sentiment in favor of an improved system of highways to supplement 

 the transportation facilities afforded by the railroads of the country 



