Highways and Roads - Historical Notes

The following is a listing of acts which once had some effect upon the county road system in Hamblen County, but which are no longer operative.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1901, Chapter 136, was a general road law for all counties in the state with a population of less than 70,000 according to the 1900 Federal Census, or any subsequent Federal Census.
2. Acts of 1905, Chapter 485, regulated the improvement of county roads in Hamblen County and provided for a bond issue to finance those improvements.  This Act specified the roads to be improved, but also provided that any landowner could petition the County Court for the road alongside his property to be improved and any citizen of the county could petition the County Court to authorize any county road to be macadamized.  This Act was repealed by Acts of 1907, Chapter 252.  
3. Acts of 1907, Chapter 346, declared the tax which had been collected under the provisions of Acts of 1905, Chapter 485, was to be part of the general road fund, and Acts of 1907, Chapter 565, directed the County Trustee to pay those funds into the county road fund.
4. Acts of 1907, Chapter 522, authorized the County Court to purchase all road machinery that it considered in the interest of the county to own.
5. Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 100, was a general road law for Hamblen County, which created a Board of Road Commissioners and established the office of Road Superintendent.  It also abolished Road districts and provided for a tax levy to maintain the county roads.  This Act was amended a number of times before it was superseded by the current road law, found in this volume.  The Acts which are amendatory to Private Acts of 1915, Chapter 100, were:

6. Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 779, authorized Hamblen County to apply any surplus or a recent road bond issue to the finishing of State Highway 34 and for use in improving any of the county roads.
7. Private Acts of 1953, Chapter 170, was amendatory to Private Acts of 1949, Chapter 313, Section 3, (the current Hamblen County road law), and was amended itself by Private Acts of 1963, Chapter 19.  Both of these Acts were repealed by Private Acts of 1967-68, Chapter 366.
8. Private Acts of 1963, Chapter 111, was also amendatory to Section 3 of the current road law of Hamblen County.  It also was repealed by Private Acts of 1967-68, Chapter 366.
9. Private Acts of 1999, Chapter 14, amended Private Acts of 1996, Chapter 161, provided that the superintendent of roads be appointed by the county commission beginning with the term of office starting September 1, 2000.  This act did not receive local approval.
10. Private Acts of 2003, Chapter 29, relative to the road commission was repealed by Private Acts of 2004, Chapter 72.