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THIRD BIENNIAL REPORT

OF THE

Governor and Council

AND OF THE

STATE ENGINEER

RELATIVE TO

HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT.

CONCORD, N. H.:

Sci 1520.231.

HARVARD COLLEGE

NOV 23 1916
LIBRARY

PRINTED BY R. W. MUSGROVE, BRISTOL, N. H.

Report of the Governor and Council

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives:

In accordance with the act of the legislature, Chapter 35, approved February 24, 1905, the Governor and Council have the honor to submit herewith to the Honorable Senate and the House of Representatives the following report and recommendations relative to the three Trunk Lines and state highways, the construction of which was authorized by act of the legislature approved April 10,

1909.

This act provides for three Trunk Lines traversing our state from the Massachusetts line northward; the first route extending from Seabrook through Pinkham Notch and through Dixville Notch to Colebrook, and to be known as the East Side road; the second route extending from the state line at Nashua over the road designated by the Governor and Council under Chapter 139, laws of 1907, and continuing beyond said route to the town boundary between the towns of Woodstock and Lincoln, to be known as the Merrimack Valley road, and the third route, so designated, extending from the Massachusetts state line at a point to be determined by the Governor and Council along the Connecticut and Ammonoosuc valleys to the terminus of the East Side road at Colebrook, and to be known as the West Side road.

The Governor and Council traversed the several proposed routes for the Trunk Lines and all other suggested practicable routes which in their opinion were within the purview of the Statute creating them, and held many and exhaustive hearings at Concord and in many of the cities and towns affected or likely to be affected by the layouts, and whenever and wherever hearings were asked for until

the time limit was reached, with a view to locating the lines in such a manner as to benefit primarily the taxpayers, secondly to render the railroads and market towns accessible to our shut-in towns, and finally to bring the tourist in touch with our beautiful secenery and attract them within our borders.

We endeavored to meet the wishes, as far as was consistent with the law, of all the communities on or near the proposed lines, but did not succeed in all cases much to our regret.

We were given a difficult problem to solve, but with the exception of a portion of the West Side road, in regard to the location of which one councilor dissented, we are unanimously content with its solution and we would in no wise change our action were it to be retraversed, believing it to be as a whole the best result possible for our state.

We changed the route from Seabrook going farther inland to avoid a stretch along the coast most difficult to keep passable by reason of the shifting sands and also a long and expensive private bridge which sooner or later would be a heavy burden to the state, but as for the matter of travel with the exception of the bridge the eliminated part is state road as well, so the choice is left for those who desire to go that way.

We have eliminated several grade crossings, and arranged to abolish others, any and all of which are a menace to the traveler, and we would recommend that all be done away with as rapidly as possible, in which work the Boston & Maine Railroad will assume two-thirds of the expense up to and including the grading, a very liberal proposition in our opinion and most favorable to the state.

As far as we have gone we have replaced wooden bridges and culverts with stone, steel and cement construction, aiming to make permanent whatever was done along those lines.

For details as to work accomplished and funds expended we refer you to the State Engineer's report herewith, and

we desire especially to commend him for his faithful and efficient performance of the arduous duties devolving upon him.

Our conclusion in regard to the supervision of the trunk lines is that it may most profitably be left under the control of the Governor and Council, with the State Engineer, subject only to their direction, in full charge, he to appoint an assistant engineer for each Trunk Line with other assistants, as heretofore, for the balance of the state and state aid roads, to the end that under competent engineering supervision the best results may be secured, thus obviating the necessity of creating a commission with the attendant expense, the duties of which the Executive department can as readily and as satisfactorily perform.

While the science of constructing permanent ways has not yet arrived at the point desired, progress is being steadily made in that direction, but the question of maintenance now confronts us with much force; that it should be under state care nearly all conversant with the subject will admit, and to insure this, some legislation should be had by which the state may take all Trunk Lines and state roads in charge, as is the case in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and perhaps other states, and so apportion the expense between state, cities and towns as to make it just and equitable for each.

In our judgment the automobile tax, while it should not be made prohibitive or even burdensome, should be so laid that the revenue therefrom would go a long way towards maintaining the roads to which they are so destructive, the entire proceeds to be expended upon maintaining the trunk lines and state roads.

Also, that some law should be enacted that will enable the state to check up foreign automobiles which have exceeded their time limit which may be allowed by law, and that the matter should also be considered as to a sliding scale of licenses to be applied to foreign cars which are in the state for periods of one, two and three months, with a

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