EOAD MILEAGE, CENTRAL AND WESTERN STATES. 17 



Bhall be designated as president of tlie commission. The governor also appoints a 

 chief State highway engineer and an assistant State highway engineer. The State 

 highway commission has general supervision of highways and bridges constructed, 

 improved, and maintained in whole or in part by aid of State moneys; aids local 

 road officials by giving advice and causing to be prepared plans, specifications, and 

 estimates for highway and bridge work; lets all contracts for the construction or 

 improvement of State-aid roads, and prescribes a uniform system of auditing and 

 accounting for all road and bridge moneys. The chief State highway engineer and 

 the assistant State highway engineer are the administrative and technical agents of 

 the State highway commission. All subordinate appointments in the State highway 

 department are subject to the State civil-service laws. 



Public highways, or sections thereof, including bridges, may be laid out, improved, 

 or constructed at the joint expense of the State and any county, the State contrib- 

 uting one-half the expense and the county or counties through^which the highway 

 or a portion thereof passes, one-half. The boards of the several counties designate 

 and indicate on a map pubHc highways within their respective counties of sufficient 

 importance to receive State aid; but the total mileage of highways so designated in 

 any county may not exceed 15 per cent of the total road mileage in counties of the 

 first class; 20 per cent in counties of the second class, and 25 per cent in counties of 

 the third class. The board of Buper\'isors or county commissioners, as the case may 

 be, specify the type of improvement to be made, which is final and not subject to 

 change by the State highway commission; but decision as to type shall not be made 

 until the board has secured from the commission detailed estimates of the cost of 

 the several types of road. If earth roads are specified and built, the county pays 

 all maintenance cost; but if gravel or macadam is specified and constructed the State 

 pays one-half of the maintenance cost. 



Appropriations made by the general assembly for State aid are apportioned by the 

 State highway commission to the several counties in the ratio that the total amount 

 levied and collected for roads and bridges in each county bears to the total amount 

 BO levied in the State for roads and bridges. The amounts so apportioned are dupli- 

 cated by the counties and used in constructing State-aid roads. If a county desires 

 to improve its State-aid roads more rapidly than can be done with its annual appor- 

 tionment, it does so by advancing the necessary funds out of any county funds avail- 

 able, or by issuing county bonds. Before bonds are issued, however, an election 

 must be called thereon, and a majority of those voting must favor the proposition. 

 Counties so expediting the improvement of their State-aid roads are entitled there- 

 after to receive their apportionment of State aid until the State has contributed its 

 portion of the cost thereof. Improvements are initiated by the county boards by 

 passing a resolution requesting State aid. The State highway commission causes 

 necessary surveys, plans, specifications, and estimates to be inade. 



In each county of the State there is a county superintendent of liighways, appointed 

 in the manner following: The county board of each county submits to the State 

 highway commission a Hst of from three to five persons, residents of the county. The 

 State highway commission, by competitive examination, selects from among the 

 names submitted those best fitted for said office and so certifies to the county board 

 submitting the list, which appoints from the number found eligible one superin- 

 tendent of highways for a term of six years and subject to removal. 



The county superintendent of highways is required, subject to the rules and regu- 

 lations of the State highway commission, to prepare plaiLs, specifications, and esti- 

 mates for all bridges to be built by the county, to be approved by the State highway 

 commission before adoption; to act for the county in all road and bridge matters 

 and advise town and district highway commissioners in regard to highway and bridge 

 work, to supervise the repair and maintenance of all State-aid roads within the 



• 72690°— Bull. 389—17 2 



