Prepared by Arkansas Department of Transportation Governmental Relations Office Development of Highway and Transportation Legislation in Arkansas 2018 Containing Acts through the First Fiscal Session of the 91st Arkansas General Assembly DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION IN ARKANSAS A Review of the Acts Relative to Administering and Financing Highways and Transportation in Arkansas with Supplemental Information Through the 91st Arkansas General Assembly Prepared by Arkansas Department of Transportation Governmental Relations Office 2018 DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION IN ARKANSAS TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Preface ................................................................................................................................................................. i State Highway Commission Members & Arkansas Department of Transportation Officials ................................ ii List of Acronyms ................................................................................................................................................. iii Section I – A Review of Acts Relative to Administering and Financing Highways and Transportation in Arkansas Page Chapter 1 State Highway System ...................................................................................................................1 Chapter 2 State Highway Commission ...........................................................................................................5 Chapter 3 Arkansas Department of Transportation ........................................................................................8 Procurement................................................................................................................................. 11 Chapter 4 Human Resources ....................................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 5 State, County, and Municipal Highway Funds .............................................................................. 18 State Aid Road Funding ........................................................................................................ 24 County Roads ....................................................................................................................... 24 City Streets ........................................................................................................................... 26 Federal Revenue Sharing and State Aid Street Funding ...................................................... 26 Appropriations from the General Fund .................................................................................. 27 Other Provisions of Laws Dealing with Fund Distributions .................................................... 27 Analysis of County and City Turnback ................................................................................. 27 Highway Funding Programs History Since 1946 ................................................................... 28 Chapter 6 Motor Vehicle and Trailer Taxation .............................................................................................. 31 Chapter 7 Commercial and Non-Commercial Operators’ Licenses .............................................................. 42 Cost Allocation Issues ........................................................................................................... 45 Federal Motor Carrier Safety ................................................................................................. 45 Chapter 8 Motor Fuel Taxation ..................................................................................................................... 47 Aviation Fuels ....................................................................................................................... 51 History of Federal Motor Fuel Tax Changes (chart) .............................................................. 52 Chapter 9 Weight-Distance Tax Laws…. ...................................................................................................... 53 Chapter 10 Oil Inspection Fees…………………………………………………………………………………. ....... 59 Chapter 11 Collection of Motor User Imposts ................................................................................................. 60 Chapter 12 State Highway Bonds ................................................................................................................... 62 Chapter 13 Toll Bridges and Toll Bridge Bonds .............................................................................................. 65 Authorizing, Financing and Constructing the Helena Bridge ................................................. 65 Chapter 14 Interstate Highway and Bridge Compacts .................................................................................... 67 Chapter 15 Turnpike Authority ........................................................................................................................68 Chapter 16 Road Improvement Districts ......................................................................................................... 69 Chapter 17 Bridge Improvement Districts ....................................................................................................... 71 Chapter 18 Municipal Street Improvement Districts ........................................................................................ 72 Chapter 19 Federal Highway Legislation ........................................................................................................ 73 Summary of Major Federal-aid Legislation by Subject .......................................................... 73 Federal-aid to Highways Summarized by Years ................................................................... 76 Federal Excise Taxes on Highway Motor Fuel (chart) .......................................................... 86 Chapter 20 Norfork Bridges ............................................................................................................................ 90 Chapter 21 Highway Safety ............................................................................................................................ 91 Chapter 22 Public Transportation, Rail, Airports, and Intermodal ................................................................... 97 Chapter 23 Judicial and Legal ........................................................................................................................ 99 Chapter 24 Law Enforcement ....................................................................................................................... 100 Chapter 25 Technology ................................................................................................................................ 102 Section II – Supplemental Information Arkansas State Highway Commissioners 1913–2018 Including Advisory Board............................................. 104 The Mack-Blackwell Amendment .................................................................................................................... 106 History of Arkansas’ Passenger Vehicle Registration Fees ............................................................................. 107 History of Arkansas’ Truck Fees ...................................................................................................................... 108 History of Arkansas’ Speed Limits ................................................................................................................... 109 Audits of the Arkansas State Highway Commission ........................................................................................ 114 Historical Record of Changes in Highway Maintenance Districts .................................................................... 115 Arkansas’ Ferries and Locations ..................................................................................................................... 120 Historical Listing of Arkansas’ General Assembly Sessions ............................................................................ 123 PREFACE In early days, all road affairs were Highway System. With organization managed by local units of of the State Highway Commission government. With the arrival of the came development of the major automobile age, however, it became system of highways designed to apparent the task of providing connect all important population expanded road facilities was beyond centers and located to be of greatest the capacity of these local units. The service to the public. This summary is insistent clamor of the public for updated after regular sessions of the extension of improved roads led to the Arkansas General Assembly and eventual creation of the State provides a history of this state Highway Commission. Its first duties agency’s highway and transportation were merely supervisory and of a efforts as well as legislation affecting coordinating nature, but subsequently highway and transportation matters. the State Highway Commission assumed responsibility for control of all operations of the designated State i ARKANSAS STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION Dick Trammel, Chairman Rogers Thomas B. Schueck, Vice Chairman Robert S. Moore, Jr., Member Little Rock Arkansas City Alec Farmer, Member Philip Taldo, Member Jonesboro Springdale Arkansas Department of Transportation Officials Scott E. Bennett Director of Highways Lorie H. Tudor Emanuel Banks Deputy Director Chief Operating