Pennsylvania Act 1905-97 — CUMBERLAND ROAD, CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Act text

CUMBERLAND ROAD, CARE AND MAINTENANCE
                  Act of Apr. 10, 1905, P.L. 129, No. 97              Cl. 36
       (Provisions of act extended to include that portion of road
         lying in Somerset County Jun. 13, 1907, P.L.737, No.660)

                                  AN ACT

     Relating to the management, care, and maintenance of the
        National, or Cumberland, road, and freeing the same from
        tolls, and making an appropriation therefor.

        Compiler's Note:  Act 660 of 1907 supplemented Act 97 with
            the following provision:
                Section 2.  From and after the first day of June,
            Anno Domini one thousand nine hundred and seven, the
            State Highway Commissioner shall divide the said road, in
            Somerset, Fayette and Washington counties, into four
            divisions, and shall employ one superintendent for each
            division, at a salary not to exceed eight hundred dollars
            per annum. The said superintendents shall devote their
            entire time to the care and maintenance of said road, and
            shall give bond in suitable and reasonable amounts.
        Section 1.  Be it enacted, &c., That so much of the
     Cumberland road, lying within the State of Pennsylvania, as is
     now maintained, by officers appointed for that purpose, under
     existing laws, out of revenues received from the collection of
     tolls thereon, shall hereafter be under the care and management
     of the State Highway Department, and shall be maintained and
     kept in repair by the State Highway Commissioner, at the cost of
     the State.
        Section 2.  The standard, or condition, at which the road-bed
     aforesaid shall be maintained shall be prescribed by plans and
     specifications to be prepared by the State Highway Commissioner.
     Said plans and specifications may be varied for different
     sections of said road, according to the varying amount and
     character of the travel upon said different sections.
        Section 3.  Upon taking charge of said road, the State
     Highway Commissioner shall cause the road-bed, including bridges
     forming parts thereof, to be put in good condition, by making
     such permanent repairs as may be found to be necessary. For this
     purpose there is hereby appropriated the sum of one hundred
     thousand dollars, whereof an amount not exceeding fifty thousand
     dollars shall be available during the first year following the
     passage of this act, and the remainder in the following year.
     Said work shall be done under contracts, let to the lowest
     responsible bidder, after advertising for proposals in not less
     than two newspapers of the county where the work is to be done.
        Section 4.  The work of repairing and maintaining said road,
     or sections thereof, subsequent to the putting of the same in
     condition as provided in section three, may be done by contract,
     let to the lowest responsible bidder, after thirty days'
     advertisement for proposals, in at least two newspapers of the
     county wherein the work is to be done; or the State Highway
     Department may do any such work itself, purchasing the necessary
     materials and appliances, and hiring the necessary labor, at the
     current rates for similar materials, appliances and labor. For
     the purpose of having the repair, maintenance, and care of said
     road properly supervised, the State Commissioner of Highways may
     employ not more than two superintendents, at a salary not to
     exceed one thousand dollars per annum, and assign to each of
     them the portion or portions of said road to be under his care.
     Said superintendents shall in all things be subject to the
     orders and direction of said Commissioner.
        Section 5.  Upon the taking effect of this act, the several
     officers now in charge of portions of the said road, under
     existing laws, shall hand over to the State Commissioner of
     Highways the custody and control thereof, and deliver to him any
     property belonging to the State in their hands and charge, and
     shall pay to the said Commissioner such moneys as shall be found
     to be in their hands, respectively, upon settlement of their
     accounts according to existing laws.
        Section 6.  From and after the date at which this act takes
     effect, the collection of tolls upon the Cumberland road shall
     cease, and all travel thereafter shall be free of toll. Any
     buildings belonging to the State, and heretofore used for toll-
     collectors' residences or offices, or any other purpose in
     connection with said road, may be maintained by the
     Commissioner, aforesaid, and leased by him to any person
     employed, under the State Highway Department, upon said road,
     for residence purposes, or used for storing tools, appliances,
     et cetera; or, in case the same shall not, in the judgment of
     said Commissioner, be required for any purpose connected with
     the said road, any such building may, by the said Commissioner,
     be sold, after advertisement, to the highest responsible bidder,
     to be removed, if standing within the limits of the road, by the
     purchaser thereof.