Any county shall be entitled to receive state aid and to expend state aid moneys in conjunction with moneys furnished by said county on state aid roads in such county on projects approved for construction in such county provided:
(1) The state aid system in the county has been designated and approved as provided in this subchapter;
(2) The county has employed a county engineer who is a professional engineer as defined in § 17-30-101 to act on behalf of the county as a whole.
(3) If a county judge is a professional engineer as defined in § 17-30-101, the county judge may perform the duties provided in this section for the county engineer.
(4) A county may contract with the Arkansas Department of Transportation for engineering services instead of employing a county engineer.
(5) The cost of employing a county engineer or contracting with the department for engineering services is paid from the county road funds of the county and is not payable from the County Aid Fund.
(6) Engineering costs on federal-aid projects may be included as a cost item of the projects;
(7) An annual program shall have been filed by the county with the Division of State Aid Road Construction and approved by the state aid engineer and in accordance with the uniform design standards and specifications set up by the state aid engineer. However, the program may be modified or revised in whole or in part by the state aid engineer, with the agreement of the county involved; and
(8) The county has complied with all rules and regulations promulgated by the state aid engineer.