Abstract
In 1970 the French "National" road network was the cause of a serious imbalance in expenditure and responsibilities between central (state) and local (department) government. In that year some national roads were reclassified as departmental. This was undertaken by the departments with the help of a national guideline and payment of a subsidy by central government. Between 1970-1978 some 55000 km of national roads were reclassified as departmental and the process in now virtually complete.