STATE ROADS 3287

public road mileage of the several counties bears to the entire public
road mileage in the counties of the State, for the following uses and pur-
poses :

(a) For the construction and/or re-construction of Lateral and Farm
to Market Roads as a part of the State Roads System, or for the liquida-
tion of debts and debt service obligations which have been incurred by
certain counties for the construction of roads as a part of the State system
of roads. The State Roads Commission is hereby authorized and directed
to ask for bids and enter into contracts in the usual form for the construc-
tion of such Lateral and Farm to Market Roads as the said Commission,
after receiving recommendations from the County Commissioners or
proper road authorities of the several counties, may from time to time, un-
der the provisions hereof, determine to construct, said contracts to be made
in the name of the State Roads Commission, and to contain and be subject
to the same provisions now required by law for contracts for the con-
struction of State roads. Before the construction funds provided in this
sub-section are assigned to any particular road or route, the State Roads
Commission shall first consider the recommendations made by the Board
of County Commissioners or road authority referred to in this sub-section.
The term "Lateral and Farm to Market Roads," as used herein, shall
include bridges, and authority is hereby given to the State Roads Com-
mission to build such bridges as it may decide to be a proper part of the
Lateral and Farm to Market Roads System; such bridges to be charged
against the counties in which same are located in the same manner as are
Lateral and Farm to Market Roads.

(b) An amount not to exceed 50% of the annual allocation to each
County for the construction, reconstruction and maintenance of county
roads or the streets of incorporated towns, municipalities or special taxing
areas located in the respective counties of the State, and in connection
therewith to build and/or maintain any bridges on such roads or streets,
and/or for debt service, that is to say, interest, sinking fund or maturity
requirements with respect to bonds or other evidences of debt issued by
the counties, municipalities, or special taxing areas, the proceeds of which
have been used for road or street improvements, provided such expendi-
tures shall be made only after seeking recommendation from the County
Commissioners or other duly constituted road or street authorities and
action with respect thereto as hereinbefore provided.

(c) Authority is hereby given to the State Roads Commission of Mary-
land, and the State Roads Commission is hereby directed to maintain the
county roads or streets of incorporated towns, municipalities or special
taxing areas as provided in sub-section (b) hereof in Allegany, Carroll
County, Caroline County, Calvert County, Charles County, Dorchester
County, Garrett County, Kent County, Queen Anne's County, Saint
Mary's County, Somerset County, Talbot County, Wicomico County and
Worcester County; provided however, that 50% of the Lateral Gasoline
Tax Fund allocated to such counties respectively, shall be expended by
said State Roads Commission of Maryland therein for the construction
and/or re-construction of Lateral and Farm to Market Roads as herein-
before provided in sub-section (a) hereof.

(d) If any County desires to maintain its own County road system in
the manner provided in sub-section (b) hereof, it is hereby permitted
to do so and if such County desires so to do, it shall be entitled to fifty
per cent. (50%) of the funds allocated to such County under the pro-