Page:California Highways and Public Works Journal Vols 8-9.djvu/30



designed to lay the foundation for larger appropriations for the purpose indicated herein.

Because—

Progress in the elimination of crossings at grade between highways and railways, one of the major hazards to traffic, is largely dependent upon equitable division of costs between the railroad companies and the state highway departments, It is asked that—

All of the states should enact statutes requiring the railroads to participate in the cost of grade separation structures and in line with well established precedent, the share of the railroad companies in the total cost of such grade separations, including all necessary approaches and drainage structures, should not be less than no per cent; and that all wigwag or flashing signals be installed on the right side of the highway approaching the grade crossing, and that center installation of such signals be used only when side installation is utterly impracticable.

Because—

There is a growing realization of the fact that in the best highway development there is found, in addition to construction and maintenance, a recognition of the asthetic values present on or near every highway and that it is a proper function of the state highway departments to engage in highway beautitication and in the preservation and development of natural and scenic attractions and aesthetic values made available by the highways; and as the construction of highways through natural scenic areas often spells the doom (if the natural beauty and attractiveness of the area by making it accessible for commercialization and denudation and realizing that certain highways are thereby robbed of the very features for which they were built; and as it appears practicable in many places to preserve roadside strips of natural country which may be held for the enjoyment of all the people; and as in many places the natural beauty of the countryside is made uninteresting or invisible by the presence of distracting advertising signs:

It was ordered that—

The Executive Committee of the association appoint a Committee on Roadside Beautification to deal with problems and studies relating to roadside parks, strips of natural timber screen, roadside advertising, and beautification. Because— Private financial interests are still undertaking to commercialize and exploit the traffic on the roads of the state and Federal Aid highway systems by the construction and operation of toll bridges at points where traffic is concentrated as a result of the vast expenditure of public funds on the construction of these free highways; and these interests in order to further their own schemes have actively opposed construction and financing bridge programs of properly constituted public authorities; and, in spite of the fact that Congress has, during the past year, in granting franchises to privately owned toll bridge companies, strengthened the situation by making additional requirements of these toll companies to protect the public, there are still a number of features not included in the franchise forms used by Congress, and since the general bridge law, which was passed March 23, 1906, is deficient and the Congress should reenact laws covering the entire toll bridge situation; It is resolved that—

The American Association of State Highway Officials, is unalterably opposed to privately owned and controlled toll bridges upon state and Federal Aid systems of highways, but is not opposed to publicly constructed, owned and operated toll bridges where adequate public funds are not available for immediate construction of the free bridges needed to complete the interstate and intrastate highway systems as planned; and

That before any additional franchises are granted, the general bridge law should be changed so that the following requirements should also be included in all future franchises granted:

1. All franchises should be effective only on state approval as to location, design, plans, specifications, etc.

2. State supervision of construction.

3. Limitation of amount of securities.

4. Any appreciable change In bridge plans should be subject to approval by the state and should require readvertising for bids.

5. State supervision of maintenance.

It was further resolved that the association recommend to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce of the Congress of the United States that it withhold its approval of any measure authorizing or consenting to the construction of a privately owned toll bridge on the state or Federal Aid highway systems unless after a thorough investigation the committee has determined that there is a lack of financial resources or intention of the proper political subdivisions to finance and construct a free or publicly owned toll bridge; and That the association recommends that there be included in every congressional authorization or consent for the construction of privately owned toll bridges on the state or Federal Aid highway systems, a provision that the bridge, when completed, may be acquired by the public at any time by the payment of an amount not greater than its original cost less reaosnable depreciation due to use and the cost of replacement of faulty construction and design.

Because—

There is considerable variation in the practice of licensing motor vehicles in the several states, some states having an adequate fee which is in lieu of all other taxes, while others have a nominal fee supplemented by a personal property tax;

It is recommended that—

Such states as are issuing such licenses and license plates upon the payment of a nominal fee, that the applicant for a license be compelled to submit a tax receipt showing that all additional taxes contemplated by the laws of the states have been paid, before such licenses and license plates are issued.