In 1913, the Iowa State Highway Commission was spun off from Iowa State College. The newly independent IHC's first task was to eliminate the price gouging that was occurring across the state. Private supply and bridge companies had divided the state into monopolistic areas where they could charge the county boards of supervisors unusually high prices for needed supplies. The commission was also given supervisory control over the public road system, although each county was still in charge of managing their road system.