Each board of chosen freeholders charged with the duty of operating and repairing a bridge designated as a state highway bridge shall annually, during the month of January, submit an itemized statement of probable repairs necessary during the year and an estimate of costs thereof to the commissioner who shall, as soon as possible, set aside from the fund available for maintenance of public roads such sum as in his judgment may be needed to meet the estimated costs, as corrected by him, and the costs of such emergency repairs as he may deem reasonable.

The boards of chosen freeholders, or any freeholder in charge of the operation and repair of a state highway bridge, shall, whenever any emergency repairs become necessary, at once notify the commissioner. All salaries charged to the cost of operation and repair shall be approved by the commissioner. No bill in excess of one hundred dollars, except for emergency repairs, shall be incurred without such approval. The commissioner or his authorized agent shall be the sole judge of the necessity of emergency work.