Show Utah Foundation report outlines Sanpete's collector road allocation State allocations to Sanpete County for collector road maintenance maintenance maintenance main main- and construction In 71 1970 and 72 1971 totaled This was pointed out by Utah Foundation the private research organization in an analysis an analysis analysis an- an of collector road program program program pro pro- gram operations In Utah The collector road s system stem was established by the 1969 Utah Legislature in order to provide for a system of local loca feeder roads to service major state highways ys and arterial roads Construction and maintenance maintenance maintenance main main- of these roads Is ad administered administered administered ad- ad ministered by the counties and by cities clUes with a population of 2500 or more under the overall overall overall over over- all supervision and control of the State Highway Department At the present time 29 counties counties coun- coun ties and 44 cities in Utah participate participate par par- In the program It is financed by a one-cent one per gallon galIon gallon gal gal- lon Ion tax on motor fuel and special specia fuel In general the Foundation concludes that the collector road program appears to be working well and Is achieving its main purpose of creating a system of feeder roads During the first two years of operation allocations made by bythe bythe bythe the state to local units for this program totaled As of March 31 1972 approximately approximately approximately 71 of these funds had been program programmed med by the cities and counties for specific pro pro- The amount formally ob obligated obligated obligated ob- ob under project agreements agreements agreements agree agree- ments was equal to 53 of the total allocated and actual ex expenditures expenditures expenditures ex- ex amounted to 37 of the allocations In Sanpete County a total of had been programmed for maintenance and construction tion on the collector road systems systems systems by March 31 1972 leaving leavIng leaving leav leav- ing an balance of from the amount allocated by the state Foundation analysts note that several of the smaller cities clUes appear to have encountered some confusion and difficulty in embarking on the program As of March 31 1972 eight of the 17 cities with a population population population lation between 2500 and had not programmed any funds for collector road construction The Foundation suggests that that than J Jeither either some special assistance assistance assistance assist assist- ance should be provided to these units or responsibility for their portion of the program be transferred transferred trans trans- to larger units such as the county In which they are located At the present time Utah law requires that any local construction project exceeding must be performed under un under under un- un der a contract awarded to the lowest responsible bidder The report observes that some local officials would prefer to build roads with local work forces Experienced highway builders on the other hand insist that it Is generally more economical to have major construction projects projects projects pro pro- performed by reliable private private vate contractors who have the equipment the engineering background and the trained work force to handle handIe large jobs and who bid competitively for each project awarded Finally the Foundation re report report report re- re port notes that some local units complain that the engineering specifications prescribed by the state may be too rigid especially es especially especially es- es for some of the less traveled heavily-traveled roads State officials maintain however that good engineering and de design design design de- de sign will result in range long-range economy as well as provide for a safer highway system The annual allocation of ot col collector collector collector col- col lector road moneys to local units In Utah mah Increased the total funds available for county road purposes by 31 and added 18 to the revenue for city and town streets |