FEDERAL CO-OPERATION
In 1916, the United States Congress enacted a law making available $85,000,000.00 of Federal Government moneys for co-operation with the several States in the construction and improvement of roads. Of this amount, $75,000,000.00 is appropriated for co-operation on “Post Roads,” roads over which either rural or star post routes are operated, and $10,000,000.00 is appropriated for co-operation on “Forest Roads,” roads within or partly within National Forests.
During the five year period prior to July 1, 1921, there will become available to the State of Oregon from the Government Funds set aside by this Act the following amounts:
| For Post Roads | For Forest Roads | ||
| July 1, 1916, to July 1, 1917 | $ 78,687.00 | $ 127,794.00 | |
| July 1, 1917, to July 1, 1918 | 157,375.00 | 127,794.00 | |
| July 1, 1918, to July 1, 1919 | 236,062.00 | 127,794.00 | |
| July 1, 1919, to July 1, 1920 | 314,749.00 | 127 794.00 | |
| July 1, 1920, to July 1, 1921 | 393,437.00 | 127,794.00 | |
| Totals | $ 1,180,310.00 | $ 638,970.00 | |
Total amount of government funds apportioned to the State of Oregon for co-operative work. $1,819,280.00.
With the funds thus apportioned to the State, the Government will co-operate on approved road projects to not to exceed fifty per cent of their cost. Therefore, the State, or the State co-operating with the Counties, must provide amounts at least equal to the amounts set aside by the Federal Government in order to avail itself of the funds apportioned to it.
In 1917, the State Legislature passed a bill accepting the terms of the Federal Government’s co-operative offer and authorizing the issue of bonds to the amount of $1,819,280.00 to provide the funds necessary to match the Government funds. There is thus available for expenditure on post and forest roads in the State during the five years prior to July 1, 1921, the following amounts:
| For Post Road Projects: | ||||
| Federal Government Funds | $ 1,180,310.00 | |||
| State Funds | 1,180,310.00 | |||
| $ 2,360,620.00 | ||||
| For Forest Road Projects: | ||||
| Federal Government Funds | $ 638,970.00 | |||
| State Funds | 638,970.00 | |||
| 1,277,940.00 | ||||
| Total | $ 3,638,560.00 | |||
For Post Road Projects the plans are prepared, contracts let and work supervised by the State Highway Department, subject, of course, to approval and acceptance by the Secretary of Agriculture through the Federal Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering. For Forest Road Projects, the plans are prepared, contracts let and work supervised by the Federal Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering acting for the Secretary of Agriculture. The State Highway Department is, therefore, directly responsible for the work done on Post Road Projects, whereas on Forest Road Projects the responsibility rests with the Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, the State Highway Department simply approving the projects and auditing the claims presented by the Federal Government against the State’s share of the funds.
It is the policy of the Highway Department to match the Government Funds with equal amounts from State Funds only, any County Funds which may be available being used to increase the total amounts available rather than to reduce the amount of State co-operation. On projects approved to November 30, 1918, the amount of these additional funds provided by counties is approximately $325,000.00.