(a) The commissioners court shall adopt a system for laying out, working on, draining, and repairing the public roads.
(b) The commissioners court may purchase vehicles, tools, and machinery necessary for working on public roads and may construct, grade, or otherwise improve a road or bridge by contract in the manner provided by Section 252.213.
(c) The commissioners court may provide reasonable rules and punishment as necessary to require inmates of county jails to work well on public roads and may provide a reward not to exceed $10 to be paid out of the county road and bridge fund for the recapture and delivery of an escaped inmate to be paid to any person other than the person in charge of the inmate at the time of the escape.
Official text of the Texas Transportation Code as published by the Texas Legislative Council.