The great pride taken by the states in the Cumberland Road is brought out significantly in the laws passed concerning it. Pennsylvania and Ohio legislatures passed laws as early as 1828, and within three days of each other (Pennsylvania, April 7,[30] and Ohio, April 11[31]), looking toward the permanent repair and preservation of the road. There were penalties for breaking or defacing the milestones, culverts, parapet walls, and bridges. A person found guilty of such act of vandalism was “fined in a sum of not more than five hundred dollars, or be imprisoned in a dungeon of the jail of the county, and be fed on bread and water only, not exceeding thirty days, or both, at the discretion of the court.”[32] There were penalties for allowing the drains to become obstructed, for premature traveling on unfinished portions of the roadbed;[33] for permitting a wagon to stand over night on the roadbed, and for locking wheels, except where ice made this necessary. Local authorities were ordered to build suitable culverts wherever the roads connected with the Cumberland Road. “Directors” were ordered to be set up, to warn drivers to turn to the left when passing other teams.[34] The rates of toll were ordered to be posted where the public could see them.[35] “Beacons” were erected along the margin of the roadbed to keep teams from turning aside. Laws were passed forbidding the removal of these.[36]

The operation of the Cumberland Road included the establishment of the toll system, which provided the revenue for keeping it in repair; and from the tolls the most vital statistics concerning the old road are to be obtained. Immediately upon the passing of the road into the control of the individual states, tollgates were authorized, as previously noted. Schedules of tariff were published by the various states. The schedule of 1831 in Pennsylvania was as follows:

TOLLS ON THE CUMBERLAND ROAD IN PENNSYLVANIA (1831)

Score of sheep or hogs.06
Score of cattle.12
Led or driven horse.03
Horse and rider.04
Sleigh or sled, for each horse or pair of oxen drawing the same.03
Dearborn, sulky, chair or chaise with one horse.06
Chariot, coach, coachee, stage, wagon, phaeton, chaise, with two horses and four wheels.12
Either of the carriages last mentioned with four horses.18
Every other carriage of pleasure, under whatever name it may go, the like sum, according to the number of wheels, and horses drawing the same.
Cart or wagon whose wheels shall exceed two and one-half inches in breadth, and not exceeding four inches.04
Horse or pair of oxen drawing the same, and every other cart or wagon, whose wheels shall exceed four inches, and not exceed five inches in breadth.03
Horse or pair of oxen drawing the same, for every other cart or wagon, whose wheels shall exceed six inches, and not more than eight inches.02
Horse or pair of oxen drawing the same, all other carts or wagons whose wheels shall exceed eight inches in breadthfree

The tolls established the same year in Ohio (see table, pp. 103-104) were higher than those charged in Pennsylvania.

The philosophy of the toll system is patent. Rates of toll were determined by the wear on the road. Tolls were charged in order to keep the road in repair, and, consequently, each animal or vehicle was taxed in proportion as it damaged the roadbed. Cattle were taxed twice as heavily as sheep or hogs, and, according to the tariff of 1845, hogs were taxed twice as much as sheep. The tariff on vehicles was determined by the width of the tires used, for the narrower the tire the more the roadbed was cut up. Wide tires were encouraged, those over six inches (later eight) went free, serving practically as rollers. The toll-rates in Ohio are exhibited in the following table:

TOLLS ON THE CUMBERLAND ROAD IN OHIO (1831-1900)

18311832183618371845[37]1900
Score sheep or hogs.10.05.06¼.06¼.05
.10		.12
Score cattle.20.10.12½.12½.20.25
Horse, mule, or ass, led or driven.03.01½.02.03.03.05
Horse and rider.06¼.04.06¼.06¼.05.06
Sled or sleigh drawn by one horse or ox.12½.06¼.08.06.05.12
Horse in addition.06¼.04.04.04.05.06
Dearborn, sulky, chair, or chaise, one horse.12½.08.12½.12½.10.12
Horse in addition.06¼.04.06¼.04.05.06
Chariot, coach, coachee, horses.18¾.12½.18¾.18¾....30
Horse in addition.06¼.03.06¼.06¼....12
Vehicle, wheels under two and one-half inches in breadth.12½....12½.10......
Vehicle, wheels under four inches in breadth.06¼.06¼.08.08......
Horse drawing same.03.02.04.05......
Vehicle, wheels exceeding four inches and not exceeding five inches.04...............
Vehicle, wheels exceeding four inches and not exceeding six inches....02.04.06¼......
Horse or ox drawing same.02.02.02.05......
Vehicle, wheels exceeding six inches..........04......
Person occupying seat in mail stage.04.03............