10 BULLETIlSr 389, IT, S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



this department through its three appointed members, who are desingated as the 

 California Highway Commission. The State highway engineer, subject to the direc- 

 tion of the commission, has immediate charge of constructing the system of State 

 highways. A statute also exists authorizing the State to aid counties to the extent of 

 paying one-third of the cost of certain roads, but the legislature has failed to appro- 

 priate the funds necessary to make this statute operative. 



General jurisdiction and control of county roads and bridges vests in boards of 

 supervisors. These boards divide their respective counties into road districts, and 

 each supervisor is ex officio road commissioner in his supervisor district, in charge of 

 the highways and bridges under the direction and orders of the board of supervisors. 



Boards of supervisors may establish road improvement districts on declaration of 

 intention so to do and hearing thereon. If a majority of the landowners within the 

 proposed district protest in writing against the ordering of the proposed work as an 

 entirety the board can not proceed further for a period of one year. Improvements 

 made in road-improvement districts are paid for by bonds which are redeemed, both 

 interest and principal, from a special fund constituted partly by transfer from the 

 county road funds and partly by levy of special assessment taxes upon all land in the 

 district. A superintendent of work is appointed by the board of supervisors, which 

 also may appoint an engineer, to be designated "engineer of work." 



A board of supervisors, on receiving a petition signed by freeholder electors equal 

 in number tolO per cent of the vote cast for governor in said county at the last election, 

 praying that the matter of issuing bonds of the county for highway purposes be sub- 

 mitted to the electors of the county, may appoint as a highway commission three 

 residents and freeholders especially qualified to have charge of the improvement of 

 highways and to serve for a term of two years. This commission shall investigate 

 immediately the main public highways of the county and their connections and 

 ascertain which should be improved by the issuance of bonds, the kind of improvement 

 that should be made and the probable cost. With the consent of the board of super- 

 visors, the commission may employ a competent engineer and other necessary assist- 

 ants. The commission then must report to the supervisors the highways proposed to 

 be improved and the amount that should be raised by the issuance of bonds. If 

 the board of supervisors approve and adopt the report, the proposition of issuing bonds 

 shall be submitted to an election. After such roads are improved the board of super- 

 visors may appoint a superintendent or inspector to have charge of the work of main- 

 taining and repairing them. 



Boulevard districts may be formed by the board of supervisors of any county when 

 petitioned by not less than 25 freeholders in the proposed district, and after hearing 

 and submitting the proposition to an election. A majority vote is necessary to 

 authorize the formation of such a district. At such election three persons shall be 

 elected to constitute a boulevard commission. Each boulevard district may lay out, 

 establish, construct, acquire, and maintain one or more boulevards. The boulevard 

 commission may call an election on the question of issuing bonds of the district to 

 pay for such improvements. A two-thirds vote of those voting is required to authorize 

 the issue of such bonds. The boulevard commission is required each year to furnish 

 the board of supervisors with an estimate of the amount of money that will be needed 

 the ensuing fiscal year, and the supervisors must levy a tax on the assessed value of 

 the real property of the district sufficient to raise the amount. A boulevard district 

 may be dissolved at any time on a vote of two-thirds of the qualified electors residing 

 therein. 



Permanent road divisions may be formed by the board of supervisors on petition 

 signed by a majority of the landowners residing in the proposed division and after 

 hearing thereon. Special taxes may be levied or bonds issued in such divisions, if 

 authorized at an election held thereon, a majority vote of those voting being necessary 

 to authorize the tax and a two-thirds vote in the case of bonds. 



