ROAD MILEAGE^ CENTRAL AND WESTERN STATES. 27 



missioners each year determines the amount of taxes to be levied in the district, 

 which shall not exceed $3 on each $1,000 of assessed valuation. Bonds may be issued 

 upon a majority vote at an election. 



All public roads in townships, except county roads, are township roads and are 

 under the care and supervision of the township board and a highway commissioner 

 who is elected in each township. The township may be divided into one or more 

 road districts and a road overseer elected in each district. 



Highways in every organized township are laid out, improved and maintained by 

 two money taxes. One is known as the road repair tax and shall not exceed 50 cents 

 on each $100 assessed valuation on all property, outside of incorporated villages, ex- 

 cept in townships having an assessed value less than $200,000, in which the tax may 

 not exceed $1 on the $100. The other tax is known as the highway improvement tax 

 and shall not exceed 50 cents on the $100, including incorporated villages, and may 

 be not to exceed $1 on the $100 if the taxable valuation is less than $200,000. A labor 

 tax of not to exceed one day's labor for each $100 assessed valuation may be assessed 

 in townships electing to assess such tax. Such labor tax may be discharged by paying 

 $1.50 for each day assessed. 



The township board of any organized township, upon petition signed by not less 

 than 25 freeholders of the township and a favorable majority vote at an election held 

 therefor, may issue bonds in an amount not exceeding 5 per cent of the assessed 

 valuation. 



The net fees from the licensing and registration of motor vehicles are applied, 50 per 

 cent to the State highway fund and 50 per cent to the several counties in proportion 

 to the amounts collected therein. 



On or before December 1 of each year there is set aside a portion of the appropria- 

 tion for State highway purposes equal to 2 per cent of the total State rewards that have 

 been paid at that time, which is credited to a repair fund to be paid out after Decem- 

 ber 1 each year on State-rewai'ded roads in the same manner as State rewards are 

 paid; but not more than 2 per cent of the total State reward, exclusive of the then 

 current year, paid to any township or county, is paid to such township or county from 

 the repair fund in any one year, provided that all repairs made on such roads shall be 

 in accordance with specifications prepared by or approved by the State highway 

 commissioner. 



Authority is given for the working of both State and county convicts on the public 

 highways and in the preparation of road materials. 



ROAD MILEAGE. 



The total mileage of public roads in Michigan at the close of 1914 amounted to 74,190, 

 of which 7,828.51 miles or 10.55 per cent were surfaced. Of the surfaced roads 

 1,021.19 miles were macadam, 5,230.25 miles gravel, 1,375.27 miles sand-clay, 107.3 

 miles concrete, and 94.5 miles bitmninous macadam. There were also reported 1,523 

 miles of graded and drained earth roads. In 1909 there were 86,906 miles of public 

 road, with 6,900.54 miles, or 10.01 per cent, surfaced, an increase of 927.97 miles. 

 Detailed information as to road mileage at the close of 1914 is presented in Table 15. 



REVENUES APPLIED TO ROADS AND BRIDGES. 



In 1914 there was applied to roads and bridges in the State of Michigan $9,261,998, 

 of which $7,080,177 was received from general coimty and township taxation ; $1,524,557 

 from local bond fimds, and $657,264 from State funds applied to county and township 

 roads under the State reward system. Of the latter sum $590,716 was expended for 

 construction of roads and bridges, $13,035 for maintenance, $36,167 for engineering 

 and inspection, $11,808 for administration, and $5,538 for miscellaneous equipment. 

 In 1904 the total revenue applied to roads and bridges amounted to $3,179,787.88, an 

 increase in the 10-year period of $6,082,210.12 or 191.27 per cent. Detailed information 

 on road and bridge revenue for 1914 is presented in Table 38. 



