ROAD MILEAGE AND REVENUES IN NEW ENGLAND STATES. 17 



petition, the towns making no contribution; 5 per cent in towns of 

 less than $1,000,000 valuation upon petition, the town contributing 

 an equal amount; and 5 per cent in towns of more than $1,000,000 

 valuation upon petition, the town contributing an equal amount. 

 These roads remain town ways, and the towns are responsible for 

 their maintenance and for any accident which may happen thereon. 

 The commission has authority, however, to repair such roads and to 

 charge back to the towns in which they are located the cost of the 

 repairs, not to exceed $50 a mile a year. 



EXPENDITURES FOR STATE HIGHWAYS ASH SMALL TOWN ROADS. 



From the time improvement of highways was started under the 

 highway commission up to November 30, 1915, the Commonwealth 

 has expended $12,167,800 in the construction of State highways and 

 work under the small-town act, including the planting of trees. There 

 were 1,039 miles of State highway November 30, 1914, and 1,101 

 miles April, 1916, located in 329 cities and towns. About 482 miles 

 of road have been improved under the small-town act, and 265 miles 

 under the motor-vehicle fees fund act, 



REVENUES APPLIED TO ROADS. 



In 1914 the towns expended $3,839,094.23 for liighway construction 

 and maintenance. The State highway commission expended for 

 repair, maintenance, and construction of highways in towns, exclusive 

 of the cost of administration of the State automobile department, 

 $2,252,781.07, making a total of $6,091,875.30. The appropriations 

 by towns comprised the followhig items : for highway construction, 

 $1,295,198.40; highway repairs, $2,182,104.25; for bridge construc- 

 tion, $135,983.05; bridge repairs, $61,182.77; amount paid State 

 for State highways covering towns' share of cost, $126,759.43 ; amount 

 paid by towns to counties for county highways, $37,866.33. Tlie 

 expenditures by the State highway commission for State highways in 

 towns and exclusive of cities comprised the following items : for con- 

 struction, $878,235.16; for construction under small-town act, 

 $114,689.61; for road repair and maintenance, $314,489.41; for 

 repair and maintenance of town and county ways under motor- 

 vehicle fees fund, $167,614.74; repair and maintenance of State high- 

 ways under mo tor- vehicle fees fund, $426,299.30 ; for general expenses 

 of the highway commission, $71,322.37; expenditures under special 

 acts, $280,130.48. 



The State highway commission also spent in 1914, for construction, 

 repair, and maintenance in cities, $212,837.76, and the cities them- 

 selves spent a total of $6,693,206.83, making a grand total for high- 

 ways and city streets of $12,997,919.89. 

 61725°— Bull. 388— 17 2 



