HIGHWAY R E S E A R C H BOARD

B U L L E T I N No. 3

R E P O R T OF C O M M I T T E E

ON

HIGHWAY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

INCLUDING

SUMMARY OF AIMS AND A C T I V I T I E S

AND

S P E C I A L PAPERS

^ l-IBRARY

NOV 2 11957 ^^*L R E S E A R C H

PRESENTED AT T H E TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING

1946

HIGHWAY RESEARCH BOARD

BULLETIN NO. 3

REPORT OF COMMITTEE

ON

HIGHWAY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

INCLUDING

SUMMARY OF AIMS AND ACTIVITIES

AND

SPECIAL PAPERS

PRESENTED AT

THE TWENTY-SIXTH ANNUAL MEETING

1946

HIGHWAY RESEARCH BOARD DIVISION OF ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

NATICWAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

WASHINGTON 25, D. C. - MARCH 1947

NATIONAL RESEARCH OXJNCIL

The N a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h C o u n c i l i s a c o o p e r a t i v e o r g a n i z a ­t i o n of the s c i e n t i f i c men of America. I t s members i n c l u d e , however, not o n l y s c i e n t i f i c and t e c h n i c a l men but a l s o b u s i ­ness men i n t e r e s t e d i n e n g i n e e r i n g and i n d u s t r y . I t was e s t a b ­l i s h e d i n 1916 by the Na t i o n a l Academy of S c i e n c e s .

The c h a r t e r of the N a t i o n a l Academy of S c i e n c e s passed by C o n g r e s s and approved by P r e s i d e n t L i n c o l n i n 1863 p r o v i d e s t h a t "the Academy s h a l l , whenever c a l l e d upon by any Department of the Government, i n v e s t i g a t e , examine, experiment and r e p o r t upon any s u b j e c t of s c i e n c e or a r t . "

DIVISION OF ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH

OFFICERS

Chairman F r e d e r i c k M. F e i k e r V i c e Chairman Hugh L. Dryden

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Chairman F r e d e r i c k M. F e i k e r V i c e Chairman Hugh L. Dryden Lyman J . B r i g g s , W i l l i a m B. Kouwenhoven, Thomas H. MacDonald

HIGHWAY RESEARCH BOARD

The Highway R e s e a r c h Board i s orga n i z e d under the a u s p i ­c e s of the D i v i s i o n of E n g i n e e r i n g and I n d u s t r i a l R e s e a r c h of the N a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h C o u n c i l . I t s purpose i s to p r o v i d e a n a t i o n a l c l e a r i n g house f o r highway r e s e a r c h a c t i v i t i e s and i n ­formation. The membership c o n s i s t s of 36 e d u c a t i o n a l , t e c h n i c ­a l and i n d u s t r i a l a s s o c i a t i o n s of n a t i o n a l scope. A s s o c i a t e s of the Board a r e f i r m s , c o r p o r a t i o n s and i n d i v i d u a l s who a r e i n t e r e s t e d m highway r e s e a r c h and who d e s i r e to f u r t h e r i t s work.

I n I t s p r a c t i c a l workings the Board p r o v i d e s a forum for the d i s c u s s i o n and p u b l i c a t i o n of the r e s u l t s o b t a i n e d by i n ­d i v i d u a l r e s e a r c h workers; o r g a n i z e s committees o f e x p e r t s to p l a n and suggest r e s e a r c h work and to study and c o r r e l a t e r e ­s u l t s ; p u b l i s h e s and o t h e r w i s e d i s s e m i n a t e s i n f o r m a t i o n ; pro­v i d e s a r e s e a r c h information s e r v i c e ; and c a r r i e s on f a c t f i n d ­i n g i n v e s t i g a t i o n s . With the c o o p e r a t i o n o f the highway de­partments o f the S t a t e s and t e r r i t o r i e s and the P u b l i c Roads A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , the Highway R e s e a r c h Board conducts a Highway R e s e a r c h C o r r e l a t i o n S e r v i c e . I t i s the f u n c t i o n o f t h i s S e r ­v i c e to a i d the many highway r e s e a r c h a g e n c i e s to c o r r e l a t e t h e i r work through p e r s o n a l v i s i t s , c o nferences, committee work and d i s t r i b u t i o n of p e r t i n e n t information.

11

HIGHWAY RESEARCH BOARD

1947

Officers

Chairman R. L. Morrison Vice Chairman F. V. Reagel Director R. W. Crum i4s s o c i a t e Director F r e d Burggraf

Executive Committee

Ex-Officio, Thomas H. MacDonald, Commissioner, P u b l i c Roads Ad­m i n i s t r a t i o n

Ex-Officio, F r e d e r i c k M. F e i k e r , Chairman, D i v i s i o n o f E n g i ­n e e r i n g and I n d u s t r i a l R e s e a r c h , N a t i o n a l Re­s e a r c h C o u n c i l

Ex-Officio, Hal H. Hale, E x e c u t i v e S e c r e t a r y , American A s s o c i a ­t i o n of S t a t e Highway O f f i c i a l s

R. H. Ba l d o c k , S t a t e Highway E n g i n e e r , Oregon S t a t e Highway Commission

Pyke Johnson, P r e s i d e n t , Automotive S a f e t y Foundation Burton W. Marsh, D i r e c t o r , S a f e t y and T r a f f i c E n g i n e e r i n g De­

partment, American Automobile A s s o c i a t i o n R. L. Morrison, P r o f e s s o r o f Highway E n g i n e e r i n g and Highway

Transport, U n i v e r s i t y of Michigan R. A. Moyer, R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r o f Highway E n g i n e e r ­

ing, Iowa S t a t e C o l l e g e F. V. R e a g e l , E n g i n e e r of M a t e r i a l s , M i s s o u r i S t a t e Highway

Commission C h a r l e s M. Upham, E n g i n e e r - D i r e c t o r , American Road B u i l d e r s '

A s s o c i a t i o n S t a n t o n Walker, D i r e c t o r o f E n g i n e e r i n g , N a t i o n a l Sand and

Gr a v e l A s s o c i a t i o n

111

DEPARTWENT OF ECONOMICS, FINANCE AND ADMINISIBATION

H. S. Fairbank, Chairman Deputy Commissioner, Department of Research

P u b l i c Roads A d m i n i s t r a t i o n

Committee on Highway O r g a n i z a t i o n and A d m i n i s t r a t i o n

S. C. Hadden, Chairman C o n s u l t i n g Highway Engineer

322 E. 47th S t r e e t I n d i a n a p o l i s 5, I n d i a n a

C h a r l e s L. Dearing, Brookings I n s t i t u t i o n , 722 Ja c k s o n P l a c e , N. W., Washington 6, D. C.

D. C. Greer, S t a t e Highway En g i n e e r , S t a t e Highway Department, A u s t i n 26» Texas

Hal H. Hale, E x e c u t i v e - S e c r e t a r y , American A s s o c i a t i o n of S t a t e Highway O f f i c i a l s , 1220 N a t i o n a l P r e s s B u i l d i n g , Washing­ton 4, D. C.

J . F. Harbes, E n g i n e e r o f Highway P l a n n i n g , S t a t e Highway De­partment, Topeka 5, Kansas

G. Donald Kennedy, V i c e - P r e s i d e n t , Automotive S a f e t y Founda­t i o n , 700 H i l l B u i l d i n g , Washington 6, D. C.

E a r l D. M a l l e r y , E x e c u t i v e - D i r e c t o r , American M u n i c i p a l Asso­c i a t i o n , 1313 E. 60th S t r e e t , Chicago 37, I l l i n o i s

C. M. Nelson, E d i t o r , BETTER ROADS, 173 West Madison S t r e e t , Chicago 2, I l l i n o i s

W. L. Haas, S e c r e t a r y , P u b l i c Roads A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , Washington 25, D. C.

I V

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

I FOREWORD V I

I I COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS, PURVIEW OF STUDIES AND

APPROVED PROCflAM 1

I I I COMMITTEE REPORT 2

IV PAPER ON "STATE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION" 6

V PAPER ON "RESEARCH IN COUNTY AND LOCAL ROAD ADMINISTRATION" 16

FOREWORD

T h i s summary of the f u n c t i o n s , o b j e c t i v e s and accomplish­ments of the Committee on Highway O r g a n i z a t i o n and A d m i n i s t r a ­t i o n of the Department of Economics, F i n a n c e and A d m i n i s t r a ­t i o n , Highway Research Board, has been prepared to a c q u a i n t a l l i n t e r e s t e d persons and o r g a n i z a t i o n s w i t h the a c t i v i t i e s of the Committee and to i n v i t e suggestions and comments concerning i t s work. The Committee has been i n e x i s t e n c e for only a r e l a t i v e ­l y s h o r t time, and i t s e f f o r t s thus f a r have been l a r g e l y ex­p l o r a t o r y i n the many problems w h i c h e x i s t i n the f i e l d o f highway a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . The Committee f i r m l y b e l i e v e s t h a t the importance of r e s e a r c h i n t h i s f i e l d cannot be o v e r e s t i m a t e d , and t h a t i n the f u t u r e i n c r e a s e d a t t e n t i o n must be given to im­proved a d m i n i s t r a t i v e p r a c t i c e s and p o l i c i e s . Sound r e s e a r c h w i l l hasten the p r o g r e s s .

V I

1.

COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS The Committee has the f o l l o w i n g general f u n c t i o n s :

1. To i n v e s t i g a t e the need for r e s e a r c h i n i t s p a r t i c u ­l a r f i e l d ,

2. To examine and a p p r a i s e methods and techniques pro­posed for use i n r e s e a r c h s t u d i e s ,

3. To propose s p e c i f i c p r o j e c t s for study by the P u b l i c Roads A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , the S t a t e highway departments, c o l l e g e s and u n i v e r s i t i e s , and other agencies,

4. To supply general guidance, a d v i c e , and c o o r d i n a t i o n i n the conduct of such p r o j e c t s ,

5. To arrange for the p r e p a r a t i o n of papers and r e p o r t s on the various r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t s undertaken.

PURVIEW OF S T U D I E S

S u b j e c t s w i t h i n the purview of the Committee i n c l u d e the study of the o r g a n i z a t i o n and management of highway a c t i v i t i e s a t a l l l e v e l s of government, with r e s p e c t to (1) forms of or­g a n i z a t i o n , e x i s t i n g and proposed; (2) e f f i c i e n c y and economy of operation; (3) e l i m i n a t i o n of overlapping j u r i s d i c t i o n s and f u n c t i o n s ; ( 4 ) pe r s o n n e l , s a l a r y , and wage p r a c t i c e s ; and ( 5 ) management of s p e c i f i c highway f u n c t i o n s .

In a d d i t i o n , the Committee i s a u t h o r i z e d to make sepa­r a t e s t u d i e s of ( a ) the problems of S t a t e highway a d m i n i s t r a ­t i o n ; (b) the problems of a d m i n i s t e r i n g county and l o c a l r u r a l roads; ( c ) the problems of urban highway a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , with p a r t i c u l a r r e f e r e n c e to the c o o r d i n a t i o n of highway f a c i l i t i e s and f u n c t i o n s with the p l a n n i n g development of m e t r o p o l i t a n a r e a s ; and ( d ) i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l r e l a t i o n s i n the highway f i e l d .

APPROVED PROGRAM

The Committee has s e l e c t e d and approved for study s e v e r ­a l major s u b j e c t s of r e s e a r c h i n f i e l d s where r e s e a r c h seemed u r g e n t l y needed. They are as f o l l o w s :

1. A study of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e bodies of S t a t e highway de­partments ,

2. A study of highway departments' o r g a n i c s t r u c t u r e s ,

3. A study of e x i s t i n g c i v i l s e r v i c e , merit, pension and re t i r e m e n t systems under which S t a t e highway departments oper­ate ,

4. A study of e x i s t i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s between the S t a t e s and l o c a l r u r a l road and c i t y s t r e e t a u t h o r i t i e s ,

5. A study of s a l a r y and wage p r a c t i c e s of highway de­partments of S t a t e s and l o c a l u n i t s .

F u r t h e r d e t a i l s c o n c e r n i n g the n a t u r e of these s t u d i e s and the progress made dur i n g the year are i n c l u d e d i n the Com­mittee report which f o l l o w s .

REPORT OF THE P R O J E C T COMMITTEE ON HIGHWAY ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION

Presented a t the Twenty-sixth Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board

The P r o j e c t Committee on Highway O r g a n i z a t i o n and Admin­i s t r a t i o n of the Department of Economics, Finance, and Adminis­t r a t i o n of the Highway Rese a r c h Board was c r e a t e d a t a meeting of the Department January 28, 1946, at Oklahoma C i t y , Oklahoma. The Committee c o n s i s t s of nine ( 9 ) members under the Chairman­s h i p of Mr. S. C. Madden, C o n s u l t i n g E n g i n e e r , I n d i a n a p o l i s , I n d i a n a .

Immediately f o l l o w i n g approval, an o r g a n i z a t i o n a l meeting was c a l l e d by Chairman Hadden and attended by f i v e ( 5 ) of the members. Agreement to serve was obtained from members present, and from those unable to attend during the f o l l o w i n g month. As a f i r s t step, i t was decided to i n v e s t i g a t e the a v a i l a b i l i t y of s t u d i e s and data on S t a t e , county, and municipal highway organ­i z a t i o n and a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . F o l l o w i n g these r e p o r t s the mem­b e r s h i p was r e q u e s t e d to submit s p e c i f i c s u g g e s t i o n s f o r r e ­s e a r c h p r o j e c t s .

APPROVED PROGRAM AND PROGRESS DURING YEAR

To f a c i l i t a t e the work o f the Committee, Chairman Hadden named thr e e subcommittees of thr e e members each to d e a l s e p a r ­a t e l y w i t h S t a t e , county and l o c a l , and urban a s p e c t s . Each of them was to s u r v e y t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e f i e l d s and recommend sub­j e c t s f o r r e s e a r c h . S u b s e q u e n t l y , Chairman Hadden c a l l e d a meeting o f the Committee m Ch i c a g o on June 18 and 19, which was a t t e n d e d by s i x ( 6 ) members. At t h a t time s e v e r a l major s u b j e c t s o f r e s e a r c h were s e l e c t e d i n f i e l d s where r e s e a r c h seemed u r g e n t l y needed, and the Committee approved them f o r study.

Inasmuch as t h i s i s the f i r s t y e a r o f o p e r a t i o n , the problems of o r g a n i z a t i o n and g e t t i n g under way may have r e s u l t ­ed i n somewhat l e s s p r o g r e s s than the Committee had a n t i c i p a ­t e d . On the othe r hand, t h e r e was so much to be done i n the f i e l d t h a t the Committee was a n x i o u s to a v o i d the p i t f a l l o f t a c k l i n g too much. C o n s e q u e n t l y , o n l y a few p r o j e c t s were pl a n n e d and the work was d i r e c t e d to them. The items o f the approved program and the p r o g r e s s made d u r i n g the year a r e as f o l l o w s :

1. A study of adninistrative bodies of State highway de­partments. The purpose i s to d e s c r i b e a c c u r a t e l y the v a r i o u s t y p e s of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o r g a n i z a t i o n s , whether commission or s i n g l e e x e c u t i v e type, the s e v e r a l kinds of commissions, q u a l i ­f i c a t i o n s , method of appointment, tenure of o f f i c e and r e l a t e d m a t t e r s . U l t i m a t e l y , the m e r i t s of each type of o r g a n i z a t i o n may be ap p r a i s e d .

An e x h a u s t i v e i n v e s t i g a t i o n has been under way for s e v e r ­a l months o f e x i s t i n g S t a t e highway a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o r g a n i z a ­t i o n s . A b r i e f , a n a l y t i c a l r e p o r t e n t i t l e d " S t a t e Highway Ad­m i n i s t r a t i v e O r g a n i z a t i o n " was pr e s e n t e d before the Department a t the meeting i n December. (See page 6 of t h i p B u l l e t i n ) .

2. A study of the highway departments' organic struc­tures. An i n t e n s i v e examination of the e x i s t i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n s w i t h a view to the e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f c e r t a i n u n d e r l y i n g p r i n c i ­p l e s of o r g a n i z a t i o n i s contemplated. I t s purpose i s to he l p S t a t e s i n b r i n g i n g about the a d o p t i o n of modern, i n t e g r a t e d s t r u c t u r e s .

Some e x p l o r a t o r y work has been done, and a t e n t a t i v e ap­proach has been mapped out. I n a d d i t i o n , some of the b a s i c i n ­formation has been assembled and a b i b l i o g r a p h y i s being com­p i l e d .

3. A study of existing civil service, merit, pension and retirement systems under vhich State highvay departments oper­ate. T h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n i s intended to d i s c l o s e the s i t u a t i o n w i t h r e g a r d to those f e a t u r e s which add to the a t t r a c t i v e n e s s o f s e c u r i t y o f highway employment and the improvement o f such schemes.

T h i s p r o j e c t i s s t i l l l a r g e l y i n a c t i v e , a l t h o u g h some progr e s s has been made i n assembling b a s i c data.

4. A study of existing relationships between the States and local rural road and city street authorities. T h i s i n v o l v e s both l e g a l and o p e r a t i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s , which a r e to be exam­ined and d e s c r i b e d w i t h accuracy. I t i s expected that s p e c i f i c and p r a c t i c a l recommendations ifor improving S t a t e - l o c a l r e l a ­t i o n s h i p s and encouraging c o o p e r a t i o n w i l l r e s u l t .

P r e l i m i n a r y i n v e s t i g a t i o n s have been made w i t h a view to developing a s u i t a b l e procedure, and determining the f a c t o r s of the problem, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n s o f a r as the inte r g o v e r n m e n t a l r e ­l a t i o n s h i p s a r e s e t up i n the laws. E x t e n s i v e work w i l l g et under way soon.

5. A study of salary and wage practices of highway de­partments of States and local units. A c t i v i t y by our Committee m t h i s f i e l d was t e m p o r a r i l y d e f e r r e d i n deference to the Com­m i t t e e o f Highway O r g a n i z a t i o n and S a l a r i e s o f the American A s s o c i a t i o n o f S t a t e Highway O f f i c i a l s , which was p l a n n i n g to undert a k e such an i n v e s t i g a t i o n . However, c o n s i d e r a b l e d a t a have been assembled which could e v e n t u a l l y provide the n u c l e u s o f a r e p o r t , whenever the Committee may choose to proceed i n t h i s f i e l d .

Subsequently, f u r t h e r s u g g e s t i o n s of the subcommittee on S t a t e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n m the form of 68 p o i n t s to develop i n the s t u d y o f S t a t e highway a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o r g a n i z a t i o n were submitted. L i k e w i s e , a d d i t i o n a l s u g g e s t i o n s f o r r e s e a r c h were made by the subcommittee on r u r a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . These w i l l s e r v e as a broad guide i n r e s e a r c h to be undertaken. I t was agreed t h a t the Committee's r e s e a r c h program would be c a r r i e d out d i r e c t l y under the Committee i n c l o s e c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h the P u b l i c Roads A d m i n i s t r a t i o n .

Another noteworthy item i s the paper e n t i t l e d " R e s e a r c h i n County and L o c a l Road A d m i n i s t r a t i o n " p r e s e n t e d b e f o r e the Department meeting by Mr. Nelson, Chairman o f the r u r a l sub­committee. (See page 16 of t h i s B u l l e t i n ) . T h i s paper o u t l i n e d

d e s i r a b l e r e s e a r c h and suggested new a r e a s f o r r e s e a r c h m l o ­c a l r u r a l road a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . I t w i l l a l s o s e r v e as a guide for s t u d i e s of the Committee i n t h i s f i e l d .

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TOE FUTURE

Metiihers o f the Committee f e e l t h a t they would f a l l s h o r t of d i s c h a r g i n g t h e i r f u l l r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s u n l e s s they made recommendations f o r the f u t u r e . I n g e n e r a l , the recommenda­t i o n s a r e t h a t the s t u d i e s approved p r e v i o u s l y be c o n t i n u e d . These p r o j e c t s were o r i g i n a l l y c o n t e m p l a t e d to take a longer time, and, indeed, much of the r e s e a r c h program o u t l i n e d d u r i n g the p a s t y e a r i s of e nduring and c o n t i n u i n g i n t e r e s t . D u r i n g the n e x t y e a r e f f o r t s w i l l be made to g i v e r e a l b r e a d t h and depth to the p r o p o s a l s . The s u g g e s t i o n s made m t h e i r r e s p e c ­t i v e f i e l d s by our subcommittees thus f a r and expected tend to­ward t h a t d i r e c t i o n .

One study which the Committee i s p a r t i c u l a r l y anxious to see under way a t an e a r l y date i s an i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n the f i e l d of r u r a l road a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , perhaps i n a few s e l e c t e d a r e a s . We f e e l t h a t p r a c t i c a l d e m o n s t r a t i o n and s t u d y on-the-ground w i t h l o c a l o f f i c i a l s a r e needed b a d l y , and the r e s u l t s seem s u r e to be p r o d u c t i v e of improved performance and e f f i c i e n c y . Moreover, t h e s e e f f o r t s a r e l i k e l y to be a p p r e c i a t e d . Such s t u d i e s , i f of a p r a c t i c a l c h a r a c t e r , are c e r t a i n to focus a t ­t e n t i o n on the need fo r a higher degree of t e c h n i c a l and admin­i s t r a t i v e competence.

As the members have the o p p o r t u n i t i e s to see f u r t h e r the need fo r r e s e a r c h i n highway a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , the b a s i c program can be expanded or modified i n accordance w i t h the needs. The Committee b e l i e v e s the importance o f r e s e a r c h i n highway admin­i s t r a t i o n cannot be o v e r e s t i m a t e d , and t h a t i n the f u t u r e i n ­c r e a s e d a t t e n t i o n must be given to t h i s f i e l d . A r a t h e r humble but good beginning has been made, but much more i s needed.

S T A T E HIGHWAY A D M I N I S T R A T I V E ORGANIZATION

By W. L. Haas

C h i e f , A d m i n i s t r a t i v e Research S e c t i o n D i v i s i o n of F i n a n c i a l and A d m i n i s t r a t i v e Research

P u b l i c Roads A d m i n i s t r a t i o n

P r e s e n t e d a t the Twe n t y - s i x t h Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board

T h i s paper r e p r e s e n t s a f i r s t e f f o r t i n the a n a l y s i s of c e r t a i n a s p e c t s of S t a t e highway a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o r g a n i z a t i o n . As might be expected, c o n s i d e r a b l e c o n f u s i o n and u n c e r t a i n t y e x i s t i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h some phases o f the problem, and a t ­tempts to c l a r i f y these phases have on o c c a s i o n been more ex­h a u s t i n g than e n l i g h t e n i n g .

DIFFICULTIES OF CLASSIFICATKW

Among the d i f f i c u l t i e s which c o m p l i c a t e a n a l y s i s a r e , f i r s t , the d i s c r e p a n c i e s i n some S t a t e s between the highway or­g a n i z a t i o n s as e s t a b l i s h e d by law and t h o s e w h i c h i n f a c t e x i s t , and, second, the inadequacies of the v a r i o u s c l a s s i f i c a ­t i o n s of S t a t e highway a d m i n i s t r a t i v e o r g a n i z a t i o n s which have been made irt the p a s t . R e l a t e d to t h e s e d i f f i c u l t i e s i s a t h i r d , the l a c k of adequate i n f o r m a t i o n on the a c t u a l perform­ance of the highway a d m i n i s t r a t i v e bodies. Such inf o r m a t i o n i s n e c e s s a r y to determine whether the o r g a n i z a t i o n i s f u n c t i o n i n g as contemplated by the law or whether, i n a c t u a l p r a c t i c e , i t s f u n c t i o n i n g has been so changed as to c o n s t i t u t e i n f a c t a change i n form. For example, the V i r g i n i a Department of High­ways i n 1941, as now, was headed by a highway commission, a c ­c o r d i n g to the law. I n a study of the S t a t e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e or­g a n i z a t i o n made i n t h a t year, however, i t was po i n t e d out t h a t the commission had i n f o r m a l l y delegated i t s a d m i n i s t r a t i v e au­t h o r i t y to the e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r , the S t a t e highway commission­e r . I n e f f e c t , then, the department had a s i n g l e head a s ­s i s t e d by an a d v i s o r y commission,, a l t h o u g h the law p r o v i d e d o t h e r w i s e . S i n c e such i n f o r m a l changes m o r g a n i z a t i o n a r e seldom recorded, the r e s e a r c h e r , u n l e s s he s t u d i e s each o r g a n i ­z a t i o n at f i r s t hand, on o c c a s i o n must s p e c u l a t e as to how the o p e r a t i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n s compare w i t h those p r e s c r i b e d by s t a t ­ute.

/ I - Spicer, George W., Gubernatorial Leadership in Virginia. Public Administration Review. Autumn, i 9 4 1 , pp. 4 4 i - 4 5 7

7.

The inadequacy of the common systems of c l a s s i f i c a t i o n of highway organizations has been mentioned. Under one system of c l a s s i f i c a t i o n , for example, highway organizations are catego­r i z e d according to t i t l e , as State highway commissions, State highway departments, and d i v i s i o n s of departments of p u b l i c works. That such a c l a s s i f i c a t i o n i s unsatisfactory i s reveal­ed at f i r s t glance. I n ten of the sixteen States i n which the highway organization i s designated as the State highway depart­ment, a highway commission i s included i n the department. In several States, the terms '^tate highway department" and "State highway commission" are used interchangeably.

The t i t l e "department of public works" i s sc a r c e l y more meaningful. There are eleven States i n which the highway or­ganizations are included i n departments bearing that t i t l e or one of s i m i l a r connotation.^- In at l e a s t one of these States, Maryland, the department of public works apparently e x e r c i s e s no function other than highway administration. Although the departments i n other States encompass a somewhat greater range of a c t i v i t i e s , t h e i r functions other than highway administra­t i o n are r e l a t i v e l y unimportant. This i s c l e a r l y shown by the fa c t that the percentage of recent annual expenditures devoted to highways ranges from 87 to 97 percent i n these S t a t e s . Nor does t h i s t i t l e denote a p a r t i c u l a r form of organization, tor in seven of the States the department i s headed by a single ex­ecutive, while i n four States a multi-member commission exer­c i s e s administrative control.

I t can be seen, then, that c l a s s i f i c a t i o n according to t i t l e i s e s s e n t i a l l y meaningless. I f for convenience of analy­s i s some c l a s s i f i c a t i o n must be made, i t can be made more s a t ­i s f a c t o r i l y on the basis of whether the organizations are head­ed by a single-executive or by a multi-member body. We have

/2 - California, Department of Public Works; Idaho, Department of Public Works; Illinois, Department of Public Works and Buildings; Maryland, Department of Public Works; Massachu­setts, Department of Public Works; North Carolina, State Highway and Public Works Commission; Neu York, Department of Public Works; Nebraska, Department of Roads and Irriga­tion; Rhode Island, Department of Public Works; Tennessee, Department of Highways and Public Works. In Utah, the State Road Commission is, according to the State organiza­tion chart, included i n the Department of Engineering; the law, however, is not entirely clear on this point.

8. previously noted one of the d i f f i c u l t i e s of t h i s form of c l a s s ­i f i c a t i o n , namely, tha t an o r g a n i z a t i o n which i n theory i s headed by a multi-member body may i n a c t u a l p r a c t i c e be under the control of a s i n g l e o f f i c i a l . Moreover, i n some St a t e s , the highway organization i s headed not by a s i n g l e o f f i c i a l or by a multi-member body but by both, acting coordinately. This i s true where the law reserves c e r t a i n powers to the commission and grants the remaining powers to a s i n g l e executive. Hence, although c l a s s i f i c a t i o n into these two broad groups — organi­z a t i o n s having a s i n g l e executive and those having a m u l t i ­member body -- may not be s c i e n t i f i c a l l y accurate i n a l l cases, i t serves s a t i s f a c t o r i l y as a basis for a n a l y s i s .

COMMISSIGN-TYPE PREDOHINANT

As a f i r s t venture, then, l e t us endeavor to place e x i s t ­ing highway organizations i n t o one or the other of these two broad categories. In sixteen States, the highway department i s headed by a s i n g l e executive who i s nM.ther aided nor advised by a board or commission of any kind.^> Xwo of the States i n ­cluded i n t h i s t o t a l , I l l i n o i s and Michigan, have provisions for advisory boards, but records f a i l to i n d i c a t e that these boards have been appointed i n recent years. In any event, they are inconsequential i n administration.

Multi-member boards or commissions e x i s t , i n some r o l e , i n the highway o r g a n i z a t i o n s o f the remaining t h i r t y - t w o St a t e s . I t would be inaccurate, however, to say that the or­g a n i z a t i o n i s headed by a multi-member body i n a l l of these S t a t e s , for the degree of a u t h o r i t y vested i n the d i f f e r e n t commissions v a r i e s greatly. In at l e a s t four States, Georgia, L o u i s i a n a , West V i r g i n i a , and Washington, the commission i s l i m i t e d to an advisory r o l e by law, and thus i n p r a c t i c e the department i s c l o s e l y akin to the single-executive departments. The Washington law, to c i t e an example, provides for a Highway Advisory Commission for the s t a t e d purpose of providing the governor a means of obtaining the views and advice of represen­t a t i v e c i t i z e n s from various parts of the State on broad gener­a l p o l i c i e s .

Although the advisory boards of Michigan and I l l i n o i s may not have been appointed i n recent years, as mentioned before, the Michigan law i s worthy of mention. I t provides that the

- Alabama, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nev Hampshire, New Jersey, Nev York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee.

9. conunission be appointed by the head of the highway department, the State highway comnissioner, who i s elected by popular vote. In Utah, the law provides that the three members of the engi­neering commission s h a l l serve as the members of the State road commission, and an Ehgineering Advisory Council of s i x members i s provided to advise them. "Hiis "is the only State i n which an advisory council i s provided by law to a s s i s t a commission. I n a number of other States having part-time commissions, advisory commissions e x i s t i n fact, because authority has been inform­a l l y delegated to the executive o f f i c e r .

In another group of States full authority i s vested by law i n a comnission. Here, too, a number of the part-time com­missions may have relinquished at l e a s t part af thei r authority to the chi e f administrative o f f i c e r . Certainly i t would be im­possible, i n those States where the commission meets only once a month, for that body to control a c t i v e l y the highway-organi­zation. I n North Carolina the chairman i s the c h i e f adminis­t r a t i v e o f f i c e r , but i s vested with the f u l l power of the com­mission when the commission i s not i n session. In those States where the commission i s a full-time body, or approximately so, i t undoubtedly e x e r c i s e s a great deal of administrative con­t r o l . In Massachusetts, for example, although the commissioner i s designated the executive head of the department, a majority concurrence of the commissioner and two associates i s required i n every o f f i c i a l act of the department. Likewise, in Indiana, the chairman i s granted power to d i r e c t the work of the com­mission, but i s , a t the same time, subject to supervision of the commission.

Full-time commissions are s p e c i f i c a l l y designated to ad­minister highway departments i n only seven S t a t e s , a l t h o u g h in four additional S t a t e s ^ ^ s a l a r i e s paid would indicate that members .are expected to devote s u b s t a n t i a l l y f u l l time to t h e i r d u t i e s . I n some States where commission members are paid per /4 - Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, South Dakota,

Utah and Wisconsin. LSt ~ Florida, Iowa, Maine, and Texas. , /6 - Commission mem6ers receive expenses only m six States; in

thirteen States they receive expenses and per dien. Per diem ranges from five to twenty dollars; m five States maximum yearly per diem payments are prescribed. In the thirteen remaining States having commissions, annual s a l a ­r i e s ranging from $100 to ^€,500 are paid, except m two States where the chairmen receive $7,500 and $10,000, res­pectively. In States having a single executive, the range IS from $3,000 to $15,000.

10. diem for s e r v i c e s , they probably devote s u f f i c i e n t time to ex­e r c i s e a c t i v e l y t h e i r administrative authority.

Were t h i s a more exhaustive t r e a t i s e on highway adminis­t r a t i v e bodies, i t probably would include a discussion of the d i v i s i o n of authority between the executive or administrative o f f i c e r and the commission i n those States where the law dele­gates powers to each and provides that neither s h a l l be subord­inate to the other. For the present a few examples of the ex­iste n c e of t h i s arrangement must s u f f i c e . In C a l i f o r n i a , the State Highway Commission i s given c e r t a i n powers within the De­partment of P u b l i c Works which i s headed by a d i r e c t o r . I n Colorado, ce r t a i n powers are reserved to the so-called Advisory Board, among which are the f i x i n g of q u a l i f i c a t i o n s and s a l a ­r i e s for employees, recommending al t e r a t i o n s i n the budget pro­posed to the governor by the department, and prescribing stand­ard road signs. Authority other than that given to the board i s given to the State Highway Engineer. Apparently a s i m i l a r d i v i s i o n of authority -is intended in the Arkansas statute, a l ­though i t i s not d e f i n i t e i n t h i s respect.

In summary, then, there are four c l a s s e s of commission-type organizations as follows:

(1) Those i n which the commissions by law or by custom are given only advisory powers,

(2) Those i n which authority i s divided between a si n g l e executive and a commission acting i n coordinate c a p a c i t i e s ,

(3) Those in which part-time commissions, although vested with f u l l authority, have presumably made an informal delega­tion of much of t h e i r authority to a single executive, and

(4) Those i n which the commission a c t u a l l y administers the highway organization.

, ADVANTAGES OF THE OOMMISSIW-TYPE

I t may be appropriate at t h i s point to discuss b r i e f l y a few of the arguments advanced i n support of boards or commis­sions. Proponents contend that they provide continuity of pol­i c y . There would seem to be no r e a l b asis for t h i s contention except perhaps when terms are staggered, as i s the case i n twenty-one States. In some of these States, however, the pro­v i s i o n for staggering terms i s of doubtful value i n view of

11. frequent resignations and the p r e v a i l i n g practice of mass res­ignation of members when a new governor takes o f f i c e . Thus, although staggered terms for members may tend to promote con-t i n u i t v , i t i s f a r from a guarantee that t h i s r e s u l t w i l l ac­c r u e . ^

Another advantage a t t r i b u t e d to the commission form i s that i t s p o l i c i e s are more apt to be i n accord with the popular w i l l than are those of a single executive. Actually, however, t h i s purported advantage i s o f f s e t to some extent i n those i n ­stances where individual members work for the advantage of par­t i c u l a r sections rather than for the benefit of the State as a whole. -This condition may e x i s t p a r t i c u l a r l y i n the s i x t e e n States^8 i n which members are s e l e c t e d from p a r t i c u l a r geo­graphic d i s t r i c t s , and i n the three S t a t e s ^ i n which not more than one member can be selected from any one Congressional d i s ­t r i c t . In two additional S t a t e s ^ - d i s t r i c t representation i s c a r r i e d to the extreme of providing for s e l e c t i o n of members successively from each county within the d i s t r i c t . Such c r i t i ­cism of d i s t r i c t representation i s not e n t i r e l y t h e o r e t i c a l , since experience indicates that i n several States members have a c t u a l l y tended to represent t h e i r respective d i s t r i c t s rather than the State as a whole. F i n a l l y , a commission with stag­gered terms may be l e s s rather than more responsive to popular w i l l than a single o f f i c i a l since i t i s l i t t l e affected by pop­ular e l e c t i o n s .

To the alleged advantage that the commission form of or­ganization tends to remove highway administration from p o l i ­t i c s , we r i s k the generalization that the type of organization has l i t t l e to do with the incidence of p o l i t i c a l interference.

/7 - Following IS a breakdown according to length of tern with­out regard to the classification as single executive or commission organizations: Jn seven States, the term is at the pleasure of the governor; m ten States it is for six years (the tern of one member m one of these States is for four years); m three States it is for five years; in nineteen States i t i s for four years; m five States i t i s for three years; and in four States for two years.

- Arizona, Ariitansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, K i r g m i a , West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyo-ming.

/2 - Indiana, Oregon, Washington llid - Arizona, South Carolina

12. Whether the b i - p a r t i s a n commission as provided i n 9 S t a t e s ^ ^ a l l e v i a t e s t h i s condition, as claimed by supporters, i s a moot point.

A recent s u r v e y ^ — polled State highway departments and State Chambers of Commerce i n order to get a consensus concern­ing the extent of p o l i t i c a l i n t e rference i n State highway ad­m i n i s t r a t i o n . While r e s u l t s of surveys of t h i s kind are not without shortcomings, they nevertheless c o n s t i t u t e at l e a s t a r e l a t i v e measure of e x i s t i n g conditions, e s p e c i a l l y when there i s e s s e n t i a l o v e r a l l agreement between the surveyed p a r t i e s as there was here. Separate opinions were requested as to the ex­tent of p o l i t i c a l interference with departmental operations and personnel, and with the construction and maintenance program. On the f i r s t count, 19 of 38 State departments reporting i n d i ­cated no i n t e r f e r e n c e , 13 s l i g h t , f i v e average and one strong i n t e r f e r e n c e . Comparable reports of 39 Chambers indicated 15 with no interference, nine s l i g h t , ten average, and five strong i n t e r f e r e n c e . On the second count, of 40 States reporting on influence upon construction and maintenance programs, 19 i n d i ­cated no interference, 19 s l i g h t , and two average p o l i t i c a l i n ­t e r f e r e n c e . Comparable re p o r t s of 39 Chambers i n d i c a t e d 14 States having no interference, 15 having s l i g h t , eight having average and two having strong interference.

I t may be of significance to note that i n a l l five States i n which strong p o l i t i c a l influence was reported by the Cham­bers, the a d m i n i s t r a t i v e organization was of the commission r a t h e r than the s i n g l e - e x e c u t i v e type. For the nine S t a t e s having a b i - p a r t i s a n commission the Chambers indicated strong p o l i t i c a l i n f l u e n c e w i t h o p e r a t i o n s and p e r s o n n e l i n two S t a t e s , average i n three S t a t e s , s l i g h t i n one S t a t e , and no outside influence i n three States.

I n c i d e n t a l l y , the survey reported on 20 of the 24 States having c i v i l s e r v i c e or merit systems. In only one of these S t a t e s was strong p o l i t i c a l i n t e r f e r e n c e reported. I n con­t r a s t , 19 of 24 States without c i v i l s e r v i c e or merit systems were reported on by the survey, and of these States four were indicated as subject to strong p o l i t i c a l influence.

^11 - Delauare, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming.

/ i 2 - Made by a State Development A s s o c i a t i o n m connection with recent proposed highway legislation.

13.

ADVANTAGES OF THE SINGLE-EXECUTIVE TVPE

The s i n g l e - e x e c u t i v e department has been advocated by students of public administration on the ground that i t places control under the governor where t h e o r e t i c a l l y i t must be i f he i s to discharge h i s duties as the chief executive of the State. F i v e of the s i x t e e n S t a t e s having a single-executive highway department have f o r e s t a l l e d t h i s d i r e c t control, however, by giving the highway administrator a longer term than the gover­nor. In a s i x t h State, Michigan, the highway commissioner i s el e c t e d by popular vote and i s not subject to control by the governor.

Another advantage attributed to the single-executive type over the commission form of organization i s that the former type lends i t s e l f to more rapid and e f f i c i e n t action with none of the lack of coordination which may be encountered i n a com­mission. Also, r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i s more d e f i n i t e l y fixed, i t i s s a i d , i n the s i n g l e - e x e c u t i v e department. Supporters c l a i m numerous other advantages for i t , including some which are re­a l l y disadvantages of the commission form of organization rath­er than advantages of the single-executive type and need not be discussed here.

In theory, perhaps, these advantages may also be obtained with a commission type of administration, p a r t i c u l a r l y where the commission i s l i m i t e d e x c l u s i v e l y to p o l i c y formation and where the problem of executing the policy and administering the department i s l e f t to a c h i e f executive or administrative of­f i c i a l s I n act u a l p r a c t i c e , however, the chances of even ap­proaching these desirable operating conditions remain somewhat remote, even i n States which by law presumably l i m i t the com­mission to s o - c a l l e d p o l i c y matters. This i s because any com­mission must s u f f e r , to some extent, from d i f f u s i o n of respon­s i b i l i t y , and because of the d i f f i c u l t y i n determining where policy-making ceases and administration begins.

RECENT CHANGES IN TYPE OF ORGANIZATKM

Several of the advantages claimed for the commission form of organization and those a t t r i b u t e d to the si n g l e - e x e c u t i v e organization have been discussed. The view of most students of public administration i s that a desirable integration of State government can be effected only by giving the governor respon­s i b i l i t y for and authority over the various State administra­t i v e departments. To t h i s end they recommend that each admin-

14. i s t r a t i v e department be headed by a si n g l e executive appointed by the governor. This has been the case, at l e a s t , when the question has been d i s c u s s e d on purely t h e o r e t i c a l grounds. When i t has been discussed i n the l i g h t of i t s application to a p a r t i c u l a r S t a t e , however, a modified stand has often been taken.

In a study by the Indiana State Committee on Governmental Economy, made in 1935, for example, i t was recommended that the commission type of organization be r e t a i n e d . A survey of ad m i n i s t r a t i o n i n Iowa made by the Brookings I n s t i t u t i o n i n 1933 s i m i l a r l y recommended retention of the commission form of highway organization for the sound reason that administration under the commission had been h i g h l y s u c c e s s f u l , and .that a change on purely t h e o r e t i c a l grounds appeared unwise.^-^^ I n the recent reorganization of the Missouri State government the commission form of highway organization was retained, apparent­l y for the same reason.

Whatever i t s advantages and disadvantages, theoretical or actual, the board or commission has a part i n highway adminis­t r a t i o n i n two-thirds of the S t a t e s . I n the l a s t ten years, however, four States have abandoned the commission form i n fav­or of single-executive organizations. No State i n that period changed from the single-executive to the commission form.

CONCLUSION

In view of the present l i m i t e d f i e l d of knowledge con­cerning highway administrative organization, no one type of or­ganization can be conclusively recommended as most de s i r a b l e . Likewise, there appear to be no d e f i n i t e trends favoring e i t h e r type. Obviously many f a c t o r s i n ad d i t i o n to the pre s c r i b e d type of formal organization determine the ultimate e f f i c i e n c y of a highway department, and a f i n a l determination as to which type i s best must depend upon further research directed to the i s o l a t i o n of these f a c t o r s . I t has been the purpose of t h i s

Zl3 - Aeport of the Indiana State Connittee on Governmental Economy. (1935)

/14 - The Brookings Institution, Survey of Administration in Iowa. (1933)

/.1.5 - Faust, ilfartm L., Reorganization m Missouri, National Municipal Review, Volume XXXV, No. 8, September 19it6; p. 402.

15.

paper to examine some of the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of the present or­ganizations, and thus to contribute to the e v a l u a t i o n which eventually must be made before the s u p e r i o r i t y of any one type of organization can be demonstrated.

16.

RESEARCH IN COUNTY AND LOCAL ROAD ADMINISTRATION

By C. M. Nelson

Editor, Better Roadi

Presented at the IVrenty-sixth Annual Meeting of the Highway Res'earch Board

The appearance of t h i s paper on the program of the High­way Research Board s i g n i f i e s that an attempt i s being made to shed new l i g h t on a somewhat neglected area of highway endeav­or, and s i g n i f i e s a l s o that we are beginning to e s t a b l i s h a closer unity among our separate e f f o r t s .

I f there are any Shakespeare scholars i n t h i s audience, they may r e c a l l some l i n e s from a speech of the Duke of Exe­ter's i n the f i r s t act of 'King Henry the F i f t h " :

For government, though high, and low, and lower, Put into parts, doth keep i n one concent, Congreeing i n a f u l l and natural close. Like music.

I have torn these l i n e s r u t h l e s s l y out of t h e i r context; but standing alone they can serve to symbolize our intent to create a new harmony i n our. own sphere--almost, i f we have an ear, l i k e music.

County and l o c a l road a d m i n i s t r a t i v e u n i t s have been brought into the highway headlines within the past few years as a r e s u l t of the emergence of a federal-aid program of secondary road improvement of rather substantial proportions. Actually, of course, they have been i n the headlines of county-seat and other community newspapers for a long span of years. Many of us have learned many f a c t s about the st r u c t u r e and q u a l i t y of county and l o c a l highway administration, but l a r g e l y without benefit of sharp tools of research.

For that reason, what i s said here i s somewhat tentative. The subcommittee charged with the development of a program of research in t h i s f i e l d has no research of i t s own to report on. I t does know of the e x i s t e n c e of e a r l i e r s t u d i e s of v a r i e d scope and q u a l i t y . I t i s p a r t i c u l a r l y aware of the value of work of researchers and t h e o r i s t s i n the f i e l d of county and l o c a l government i n general. What i s offered now, i n the com­pass of 20 minutes, i s a hasty survey of the present s i t u a t i o n

17. i n county and l o c a l road administration, along with a glance at opportunities for productive research.

At the outset i t i s necessary to di s t i n g u i s h between two senses i n which the term "administration" i s used. I t may re­fer broadly to the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c form or structure of highway organization. Or i t may r e f e r somewhat more narrowly to the day-to-day operations of the highway administrative agency. I t may r e f e r , that i s , to the external framework e s t a b l i s h e d by law and custom, or to the i n t e r n a l machinery, operating with or without purposeful c o n t r o l , and with or without f r i c t i o n and the clashing of gears.

Our research i n t h i s f i e l d i s directed ultimately towards agreement on some p r i n c i p l e s underlying the broad framework of the administrative s t r u c t u r e . Yet t h i s i n i t s e l f implies the examination of practices r e l a t i n g to long-range planning, bud­geting, purchasing, personnel management and the l i k e .

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF COUNTY AND LOCAL ROAD ADMINISIRATION

A b r i e f characterization of county and l o c a l road admin­i s t r a t i o n might offer three general observations.

1. I t is exceedingly varied in pattern. To begin with, use of the term "county and l o c a l " i n d i c a t e s that we are deal­ing with more than one kind of unit. The designation " l o c a l , " I think we can agree, i s a convenient way of lumping together the s e v e r a l v a r i e t i e s of sub-county r u r a l highway administra­t i v e units, such as the New England towns, middle-western town­ship s and various kinds of s p e c i a l d i s t r i c t s . ( I t should be noted that the term " l o c a l " i s a l s o used loosely--and i n t h i s paper as well--for "county and l o c a l , " i n s i t u a t i o n s where i t s use can s c a r c e l y be avoided without awkwardness. This i s not reprehensible i f no confusion r e s u l t s . )

In the s i x New England s t a t e s , the u n i t of l o c a l r u r a l highway administration i s the town, and i n Pennsylvania i t i s the township. A few Pennsylvania counties are i n charge of the operation of road systems; but with these exceptions, the coun­ty i n Pennsylvania may be considered a v e s t i g i a l unit, so far as highway administration i s concerned.

Township government i n the United S t a t e s e x i s t s i n - -speaking very roughly--the northeastern one-quarter of the area of the country. Within t h i s area, outside of New England and

18. Pennsylvania, the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c plan of l o c a l highway adminis­t r a t i o n — w i t h important exceptions--is a dual plan: the coun­t i e s are i n charge of systems of main county roads, or trunk l i n e s , and the townships have r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for the remaining mileage of non-state roads. Hie main exceptions are the states of Iowa, Michigan and Indiana, which have placed former town­ship roads under county j u r i s d i c t i o n . I n Kansas, 34 out of a t o t a l of 105 counties have v o l u n t a r i l y adopted the county-unit plan. And here and there i n the "township" states a county has v i r t u a l l y consolidated a l l l o c a l road work by ' S i n o f f i c i a l " ac­tion.

I n the south and west generally, r u r a l roads outside of state highway systems are under county j u r i s d i c t i o n . Sometimes the county road system i s operated as a unit, and sometimes i t i s operated, by precincts or commissioners' d i s t r i c t s . Thus we may have three or four or five d i s t r i c t s operating independent­l y within a county--each with i t s own funds, equipment and or­ganization.

To round out the picture, we should note the existence of s p e c i a l road d i s t r i c t s of one kind or another, which are d i s ­t i n c t from the commissioners' d i s t r i c t s j u s t referred to. And, of course, we should observe that l o c a l r u r a l road administra­t i o n has vanished i n the s t a t e s of North C a r o l i n a , V i r g i n i a (except for three c o u n t i e s ) . West V i r g i n i a and Delaware; and that i n a few other s t a t e s , c e r t a i n counties have i n d i v i d u a l l y passed r e s p o n s i b i l i t y for l o c a l roads on to the s t a t e highway agency.

We see that the unit of l o c a l road administration v a r i e s i n area from township s i z e to an area as large as that of San Bernardino County, C a l i f . , which occupies 20,131 square miles. The range of resources and expenditures i s probably as wide. Resources of u n i t s of the same kind vary widely. A study of township road funds in eight states made i n 1939 showed average annual incomes ranging from about $500 to nearly $8,000. And as a random example, town (township) highway money i n Fr a n k l i n County, N' Y., a non-urban upstate county, ranged between the round sums of $5,000 and $28,000 in 1934.

2. County and local road adninistration i s decidedly va­ried in quality. I t would be surpr i s i n g i f the e f f i c i e n c y of a county road department operating on a county-wide ba s i s , with q u a l i f i e d engineering supervision, did not contrast strongly with that of a p r e c i n c t organization under a layman's d i r e c ­tion. There are marked differences among the states i n the ex-

19.

t e n t to which county and l o c a l road work has been p l a c e d under e n g i n e e r i n g c o n t r o l . I n some s t a t e s the county engineer or h i s e q u i v a l e n t i s e l e c t e d to o f f i c e .

The l e n g t h o f time county and l o c a l highway a d m i n i s t r a ­t i v e o f f i c i a l s remain c o n t i n u o u s l y i n o f f i c e v a r i e s w i d e l y . A check made i n 1941 showed t h a t i n only 25 of the 92 c o u n t i e s i n I n d i a n a had the same man s e r v e d c o n t i n u o u s l y as c o u n t y road s u p e r v i s o r throughout the preceding 4-year period. I n 41 coun­t i e s t h e r e had been two d i f f e r e n t s u p e r v i s o r s , and i n 22 coun­t i e s t h e r e had been t h r e e . Four c o u n t i e s had a c t u a l l y had four d i f f e r e n t s u p e r v i s o r s each--or a new one about every y e a r ! For a q u i c k c o n t r a s t , one needs only to s t e p a c r o s s the s t a t e l i n e i n t o Michigan. E a r l y t h i s year the County Road A s s o c i a t i o n o f Michigan r e p o r t e d on the y e a r s o f highway e x p e r i e n c e o f e n g i ­neers or s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s i n charge o f road work i n the s t a t e ' s 83 c o u n t i e s . A tot-al of 38 men had s e r v e d 25 y e a r s or longer, and a t o t a l of 61 had serv e d 20 y e a r s or more.

R a p i d t u r n o v e r o f e l e c t e d p o l i c y - m a k i n g o f f i c i a l s , i t sh o u l d be s a i d , i s l e s s damaging; a change i n the com p o s i t i o n o f a c o u n t y board may i n d i c a t e n o t h i n g more t h a n t h a t t h e people a re p a r t i c i p a t i n g d i r e c t l y i n the formation of p o l i c i e s a f f e c t i n g community w e l f a r e .

3. U s i n g the term " a d m i n i s t r a t i o n " v e r y b r o a d l y , we might expect the essential nature of county and local highway administration to differ sharply m many respects from that of state highway a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . Two of these may be noted.

The f i r s t has to do w i t h the c h a r a c t e r o f such an agency as the board t h a t forms p o l i c i e s g o v e r n i n g county road work. Almost w i t h o u t e x c e p t i o n , the board i s a m u l t i p l e - f u n c t i o n agency. I f i t i s r e s p o n s i b l e for b a s i c l o c a l road p o l i c i e s , i t may a l s o be concerned w i t h matters as v a r i e d as p u b l i c h e a l t h , p u b l i c w e l f a r e , b u i l d i n g s and i n s t i t u t i o n s , and land-use p l a n ­ning, a l o n g w i t h the g e n e r a l county b u s i n e s s . Thus the board i s i n t i m a t e l y r e l a t e d to the development and w e l l - b e i n g o f the e n t i r e community i t r e p r e s e n t s .

The second i s t h a t i n the p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a f f of the l o c a l highway department, where a l o c a l highway department a c t u a l l y e x i s t s , the emphasis i s on v e r s a t i l i t y r a t h e r than on s p e c i a l i ­z a t i o n . T h i s o b v i o u s l y r e s u l t s i n both advantages and d i s a d ­vantages to the l o c a l community.

20.

SOME POSSIBILITIES FOR USEFUL RESEARCH

The purpose of a g r e a t d e a l of i n d u s t r i a l r e s e a r c h i s to improve the products o f i n d u s t r y . I t h i n k t h a t a p a r a l l e l aim s h o u l d guide us i n the work we are c o n t e m p l a t i n g i n the f i e l d o f county and l o c a l road a d m i n i s t r a t i o n : to use the t o o l s o f study and a n a l y s i s to help those who a r e i n a p o s i t i o n to c o r ­r e c t the w e a k n e s s e s . Who w i l l u s e t h e c o n c l u s i o n s o f t h i s study p r o j e c t to a c c o m p l i s h what end? That q u e s t i o n s h o u l d be asked of a l l our work a t the very s t a r t .

I am going to suggest four avenues of r e s e a r c h t h a t might l e a d to very p r a c t i c a l a p p l i c a t i o n s .

1. R e s e a r c h - l e a d i n g to a s t a t e m e n t o f t h e p r i n c i p l e s u n d e r l y i n g e f f i c i e n t and r e s p o n s i b l e l o c a l road a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . We t h i n k t h a t we know what some of these p r i n c i p l e s a r e . Most of us are w i l l i n g to b e l i e v e t h a t a county-unit p l a n i s s u p e r i ­or to p r e c i n c t o p e r a t i o n , t h a t l o c a l road work r e q u i r e s capable e n g i n e e r i n g and b u s i n e s s management, and t h a t t h e r e should be a d e f i n i t e d i v i s i o n between the a u t h o r i t y of the e l e c t e d p o l i c y ­making board and the r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f the manager who r e ­p o r t s to the board. But u n t i l we a r e i n p o s s e s s i o n o f some c o n v i n c i n g c o m p a r a t i v e f i g u r e s , our b e l i e f s a r e o n l y p r i v a t e o p i n i o n s , no m a t t e r how c l o s e they may be to shrewd g u e s s e s ; and we a r e i n no p o s i t i o n to a s k l e g i s l a t o r s and community l e a d e r s and p l a i n c i t i z e n s to espouse them.

Two kinds of s t u d i e s might serve us here. One would con­s i s t of comparative s t u d i e s of the performance of l o c a l highway u n i t s o p e r a t i n g under c o n t r a s t i n g a d m i n i s t r a t i v e p l a n s . D i f ­f e r e n c e s i n f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s , a v a i l a b i l i t y of l o c a l m a t e r i ­a l s , c l i m a t e , topography, drainage problems and so on would, of c o u r s e , have to be taken account of. The other would c o n s i s t of h i s t o r i c a l s t u d i e s of accomplishment i n s t a t e s t h a t have i n ­s t i t u t e d major changes i n l o c a l road a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , s u c h as the adoption of the c o u n t y - u n i t p l a n i n Iowa, Michigan and I n ­d i a n a .

2. A r e v i e w of the immediate o b s t a c l e s s t a n d i n g i n the way o f e s t a b l i s h i n g the c o n d i t i o n s n e c e s s a r y or f a v o r a b l e to the e x i s t e n c e o f good county and l o c a l road a d m i n i s t r a t i o n - -t a k i n g f o r granted, of course, t h a t these c o n d i t i o n s s h a l l have been t e n t a t i v e l y or f i n a l l y agreed on. Such h i n d r a n c e might range a l l the way from c o n s t i t u t i o n a l and other l e g a l o b s t a c l e s to p o l i t i c a l opportunism and p u b l i c i n e r t i a . The importance of r e l a t e d s t u d i e s of f i n a n c i a l adequacy should be c l e a r .

21. 3. Studies of handicaps to township and precinct or d i s ­

t r i c t operations through i n a b i l i t y to own machinery and to place work under adequate supervision. Since these handicaps seem very r e a l to me, I should point out that some observers argue that country people get more, and not l e s s , for t h e i r highway money when i t i s spent by a uni t having the s i z e and the resources of the average township. They offer two p r i n c i ­pal supporting reasons. One i s that standards of improvement are pitched to the l e v e l of needs of the l o c a l community: i f a 10-ft. surfaced width w i l l serve, the road w i l l be b u i l t that way. The other i s that people i n a township-size neighborhood keep a close check on expenditures and on what t h e i r o f f i c i a l s are doing.

I f the f i r s t contention r e f l e c t s the p r i n c i p l e of keeping government close to the people, the second doubtless exempli­f i e s that of keeping people close to the government. Whatever the v i r t u e s and the d e f i c i e n c i e s of any administrative theory or plan may be, our studies should bring them out.

4. A study of achievement under engineering supervision in selected counties having minimum resources. Sometimes c i t i ­zens and l o c a l o f f i c i a l s seem to think of l o c a l engineering management as a "luxury" that they can't afford, though they may be paving at every turn for poor management, poor judgement and the absence of even rudimentary planning. A look across the border into another state'that isn't; quite a foreign count­ry might be an eye-opener. But the hard f a c t s and f i g u r e s would have to be spread on the record and made accessible.

The separate studies suggested here are obviously i n t e r ­r e l a t e d . They represent separate a t t a c k s on the recognized central problems.

SOME PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING ADMINISTRATIVE IMPROVEMENT

I am going to bring t h i s paper to a c l o s e by s t a t i n g a few p r i n c i p l e s that I think we are bound to acknowledge at the s t a r t of the exceedingly broad r e s e a r c h we are proposing to undertake. Ihey are varied i n t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n , as you w i l l recognize. I think that they are a l l important.

1. Conduct of the operations of l o c a l government by pro­f e s s i o n a l l y q u a l i f i e d s p e c i a l i s t s , r esponsible to the l o c a l community, i s wholly compatible with the democratic s p i r i t of

22. l o c a l rule. This p r i n c i p l e may appear to be too obvious to re­quire statement. But i t i s a regrettable fact that d i s t r u s t of professionalism i s frequently encouraged i n supposed support of the p r i n c i p l e of l o c a l r u l e . I t i s equally r e g r e t t a b l e that the p r o f e s s i o n a l outlook f r e q u e n t l y ignores or s l i g h t s the p r i n c i p l e of l o c a l r u l e i n endeavoring to combat excesses i n i t s application. This i s something that we have to think about s e r i o u s l y i f we are serious about our work.

2. Variety i n forms of l o c a l road administration i s no-curse i f basic good p r i n c i p l e s are adhered to.

3. Research in the f i e l d of county and l o c a l road admin­i s t r a t i o n must i d e n t i f y i t s e l f with and p r o f i t from studies of and movements directed towards improvement of l o c a l government generally. Each can f e r t i l i z e and stimulate the other.

4. Our work w i l l prosper as we see in i t a basic c o n t r i ­bution to the planning of better community l i v i n g . I t s larger meanings should not be overlooked i n our preoccupation with y a r d s t i c k s of e f f i c i e n c y - - n e c e s s a r y as they are. The f i n a l measure of i t s value w i l l be i n human and s o c i a l terms.

5. We must recognize that administrative improvement i n l o c a l government i s c l o s e l y t i e d to adequate f i n a n c i a l support. Over large r u r a l areas i n every state, adequate f i n a n c i a l sup­port for l o c a l government implies the extension of grants-in-aid by the state for various l o c a l governmental functions. The grant-in-aid device, I venture to say, i s firmly entrenched i n our American governmental system.

Many c r i t i c s have pointed out that aids tend to periietu-ate u n i t s of government that have o u t l i v e d t h e i r usefulness, and thus hinder the advance' of modernized a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . There i s c e r t a i n l y some truth to t h i s . I t i s equally true that the granting of aids i s often contingent on the adoption of better ways of doing things. In our work we s h a l l have ample opportunity to trace some of these chains of cause and conse­quence .

6. Local road administration w i l l be given a vigorous impulse i n the r i g h t d i r e c t i o n by the further development of harmonious f e d e r a l - s t a t e - l o c a l and s t a t e - l o c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s . I could develop t h i s proposition at length; but i t i s properly a matter for separate and d e t a i l e d review. I think the signs are hopeful that we are moving towards the "one concent" that Shakespeare wrote into the Duke of Exeter's l i n e s .

23. I f I have one strong f i n a l recommendation applying to our

projected research in the f i e l d of county and l o c a l road admin­i s t r a t i o n , i t i s that at every stage of our work we a v a i l our­selves of the fr e e s t and f u l l e s t consultation with s p e c i a l i s t s i n l o c a l government, and with county and lo c a l o f f i c i a l s gener­a l l y . In that way we w i l l be harnessing ourselves most e f f e c ­t i v e l y to the tasks at hand.

This i s the year 1946. Some may wonder how i t was that we took so long to get s t a r t e d . That r e a l l y doesn't matter. The work i s s t i l l waiting for us. Looking back over the past 15 years or so, I see signs and even landmarks of improvement i n the structure and processes of l o c a l road administration--improvement that has taken place without b e n e f i t of a great deal of investigation. From here on, research should carry us more s w i f t l y .

HIGHW

RESEAF

BOAR

B U L L E

lor RESEAI COUNi