| Show HISTORY OF THE STATE ST ATE ROAD COMMISSION OF UTAH 1909 1939 k By H. H V. V RICHARDS Statistical Engineer I Ik Continued from Lost Last Week Of ot Ilko Ilke purpose and a ante ance of at the above was the emergency emergency emergency emer- emer emerI I gency appropriation of oC J Jin In the Hayden Hayden Hayden-CartwrIght Act In I 1934 and also the emergency Act of ot 1935 1936 known as ns the Works Program Program Pro- Pro gram with an appropriation of oC J This last was divided 1 equally between highway projects and projects designed to protect protector or eliminate grade crossing A variation In apportionment was wasp made with respect to the railroad I grade crossing funds In that the basis was one half on population one fourth on mileage of oC the Federal Fed Fed- Feda eral eral-ald eral ald highway system and one- one onea fourth on railroad mileage Under the regulations Issued for of these funds each State Is required to apportion these funds within practical limits to the Individually In In- Ini operated railroads In proportion to the mileage of each such railroad to the total railroad mileage The secondary road funds I both for highway and grade crossing crossIng cross cross- I Ing projects were used on local roads and streets in addition to projects within the State highway system Included with Works Program Pro Pro- Prot gram was the allocation of oC one one percent of the funds to Initiate a Highway Planning Survey This has been made a continuing Ity Hy under subsequent laws This I ends to date the emergency I ap-I at ap- ap api I In furtherance of the aids to secondary highways and grade grado crossing projects Inaugurated inthe In Inthe the emergency appropriations the authorizations beginning with the fiscal year 1938 have Included appropriations ap- ap for these purposes With respect to funds for secondary secondary second second- ary nry highways the apportionment to States and the administration of expenditure conforms In all respects respects respects re- re to that of regular Federal aid except that the funds may not notI be used on the Federal system of I highways and may be bo used on both local and State secondary roads Grade crossing funds are apportioned apportioned to States and by the tho State to projects on each railroad In accordance ao ae- i 1 with the method described de de- i de-i I scribed for Works Yorks Program funds Grade crossing funds need not be matched by the States In any proportion pro pro- portion I j I Current appropriations for Cor Fed Fed- aid eral-aid both regular and special are aro greatly reduced In comparison with recent years as shown In Table D. D However comparisons within an year eighteen-year period endIng ending end end- Ing June 30 1939 disclose the very great extent to which State has benefited from the augmented appropriations ap ape appropriations I which began with the depression year of 1930 The table discloses that apportionments to Utah for the nine years ending June 30 1930 totaled as compared with for the nine years ending Juno June 30 1939 The latter Includes 97 regular regular reg reg- I ular Federal aid for public pub lic lie lands grade crossing and secondary secondary sec sec- funds and In emergency funds apportionments Development of the Administrative Function During the first two years of its operations 1909 10 the commission had only such engineering and I clerical force as was available inthe in inthe the State engineers engineer's office The laws df of 1911 authorized the employment employment em em- by the commission of an engineering a and n d clerical start stall headed by a State road engineer and chief clerk The engineer also officiated until 1921 as the secretary secretary secre secre- tary of the commission AdminIstrative Administrative Adminis AdminIs- expense was paid In part by allocations for the county State road tax and In part from motor vehicle license fees or from bond Issues as such receipts were available available avail avail- able until the coming corning of oC the gasoline gasoline gaso gaso- line tax lax The first two ex officio commissions divided the tho roads into four districts with each of the four commissioners under the Governor In hr personal charge of a district There was also appointed In each county one or more representatives of oC the commission who were designated designated des des- as State road agents These employees were directly In charge of all aB work and all State property propel ty ty Including equipment Beginning In 1913 resident engineers were added to the field force for supervision and construction foremen were employed employed employed em em- on minor work the tho State road agents continuing in general charge of oC work In their respective counties There were ero also added to the central office force a bridge I engineer and other supervisory as as- The third ex officio commission com com- commission mission abandoned In 1917 the plan of supervision of districts by the several commissioners and delegated dele dele- gated this work to four district en en- A testing laboratory was Installed in 1919 In the tho basement of tho the State Capitol and a n materials engineer added to tho the engineering staff start In 1939 the laboratory was moved to Its new building on the tho Capitol grounds The organization continued In Inthis Inthis Inthis this form until 1921 when the tho appointive appointive ap ap- ap commission abandoned the district plan put all maintenance under tho the supervision of a n maintenance maintenance main main- engineer and Initiated tho the plan of oC maintenance by tho the patrol system The laws of oC 1921 requited required the tho commission to appoint a State road engineer subject to tho the approval approval approval ap ap- ap- ap of or the tho Governor for a term of four years but this provision was repealed In 1923 leaving the commission free to employ all Its Us subordinates nail and prescribe their qualifications and duties In 1925 1926 tho the reestablished the plan lan of or district supervision with five districts instead of four our and abolished the tho position of State road agent The commission was empowered in 1923 to police the h I J I J 1 I I S State highways and this responsibility responsibility b bUlly has gradually grown to an li Important function Recent additions additions additions addi addi- tl to the engineering personnel a are way rIght engineer In 1933 li landscape engineer in 1935 1936 manager manager manager mana mana- g ger of oC planning survey In 1930 1936 and ti traffic safety engineer In 1940 Highway Safety Utah's efforts to lessen the number number number num num- t ber of oC accidents on the highways p with their accompanying t toll of oC d death Injury and property damage damage dam dam- a age has been greatly Intensified In r recent years through the tho Increased a activity of many public and private a agencies Interested In problems f pertaining to safety on the high ways The trend In accident experience ex ex- experience r continued however to bo i unfavorable and In 1939 Governor i Blood mood requested the State Road Commission to take the Initiative j In preparing a plan for a StatewIde Statewide State State- wide program In August of that year there was c organized at the call of Governor Blood mood the Utah Traffic Safety Council consisting of at prominent c citizens of oC the State Prior to the organization of the Safety Council Council Coun cil ell the G Governor vernor organized a Traffic Traffic f fic fie Safety Coordinating Committee of State officials Including representatives representatives from the following State departments the tho tax commission i road commission public service commission department of oC public 1 Instruction and attorney generals general's office once This official group and the citizens citizen's council cooperating together together together to to- I gether are now engaged In carryIng carryIng carry carry- 1 Ing on an highway safety safety safety safe safe- 1 ty program The legislature In 1937 empowered empowered ered eyed the tho road commission t to to sor nor a program of oC this typo and In conformity therewith it is now i furnishing the financial support for forthe forthe forthe the safety council work having furnished it a time full executive secretary The program under way Is desIgned designed des des- to effect 1 recommendations to the tho legislature for bringing brIngIng bringing bring brIng- ing Utah's traffic laws Into conformity con- con conI I with the uniform national standard 2 improvement In the tho accident reporting system in examInations examinations examinations ex ex- for drivers' drivers licenses checks on drivers' drivers records and an effective system of at revocation or suspension of oC licenses for cause 3 adequately adequately m manned n a n n e d and equipped police force for highway patrol by State and local agencies with cooperation of at prosecutors judges and enforcement departments departments departments depart depart- ments 4 1 skilled investigation of at traffic hazards existing in the tho highways high ways State and local with recommendation recommendation recommendation for the removal or Im irn Improvement provement of hazardous conditions 5 public education through traffic safety instruction in schools IncludIng in including In In- eluding driver training and driver and pedestrian education through all available means of at publicity G C adequate training of oC all personnel personnel person person- nel State and local responsible for forlaw forlaw law enforcement and education 7 a up follow-up of accomplishments and a study of the effectiveness of or safety measures together with cooperation cooperation cooperation co co- operation In the researches in traffic traffic traffic fic conditions made by universities and by Federal State an and local agencies Powers and Duties The Tho commission Is empowered to tomake tomake tomake make all contracts for the tho construction construe flea tion and maintenance of the State highways to formulate and execute programs for tho the expenditure of public funds thereon and In connection con therewith to cooperate with the tho Federal government and political political political cal subdivisions of at the tho State to prescribe the tho qualifications and duties of all its employees to divide the tho State highways into sections see sec Lions for administrative control to sign and police the tho highways and regulate the use thereof by the public and establish a department of oC high highway way safety for the purpose of or cooperating with other governmental governmental govern govern- mental agencies and civic organizations organizations in reducing accidents on all the highways to landscape and beautify fy fry the highways and furnish Information Information inter mation to the tho public regarding condition of the roads and places of Interest In the tho State 39 Laws of 1937 The Tho commission Is authorized to purchase rights of way and other property to be used in ill any manner m ra tho administration of tho the State roads Chapter 28 Laws of 1933 The commission distributes to counties and cities in accordance with the provision of ot law the tho State Stale aid funds appropriated from the motor vehicle registration fund Issues Issues Issues Is Is- sues rules and regulations providing providing provid provide ing for uniform accounting in the tho expenditure of these funds and cooperates with the tho local officials in putting Into effect the the- Intent and purpose of the act Chapter 40 Laws of 1937 as amended by Chapter Chapter Chap Chap- ter 48 Laws of oC 1939 The Tho Inspection and ond grading of at motor fuels offered for retail sale Is made mado tho the responsibility of the commission Chapter 68 08 laws of at 1939 By Dy Its name the tho commission may maysue maysue maysue sue and It may bo be sued upon any written contract made under Its Us authority It Is permitted to settle all aU claims not in excess of two hundred hundred hun hun- dred and fifty dollars arising out ot of accidents or Injuries co caused used through negligence of employees of tho the commission Chapter 40 46 Laws WB of 1939 5 To Be De Confirm oJ |
