The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-12-11
PRACTICAL WORKING
OF NEW ROAD LAW
(Continund from first page)

coast and easterly across the state
with branch from the city OF North
Yakima, following the Yakima val
ley to point in the vicinity of the
mouth OF Snake river, where it
should connect with State Road No
s, known as the Columbia river
road, now begins at the town of
Washougal in Clarke county and eX-
tends easterly up the COlumb' a riv-
er valley 10 the mouth of the White
Salmon river on the boundary line
between Skamania and Klickitat
counties; thence leaving the Colum-
bia river and running to Golden
dale. This should be extended west
erly to the city of Vancouver over
the present county roads which are
n good condition, and easterly from
GOldendale by the most feasible
route to the most convenient cross
ing of the Columbia river near the
mouth Of Snake river, where it
would be met by State Road No. 5,
and should be continued thence to
the city Of Walla Walla and to the
southeastern portion of the state.
I have now defined the practicable
trans-mountain roads, the SUBMITS
necessary to be crossed being respect
lively 3,014 feet, 1920 feet and 500
feet elevation in the order In which
the roads have been named. Sur
veys nave demonstrated that no 9TH
er pass in the Cascade mountains can
be utilized having an elevation of less
than $500 or 5000 feet elevation.
All other traus-mountain roads con-
sidered as state roads should be
abandoned at least temporarily.
1t is proposed to establish an i'm
proved thoroughfare from Blaine on
the British Inc by the way Of the
principal cities of the Sound, and the
Chehalis. COwlitz and Columbia val
leys to Vancouver, Washington. This
is project worthy of the earnest
efforts of every member of this as
ISOLATION. Later on as our road sys-
tenn is developed, it may be well to
establish another north and south
highway in eastern Washington coli
Meeting Stevens county on the north
with southern Whitman county on
the south.
What has been said is hardly along
the line Of the practical workings
of the road laws, but will give you
food for thought when planning a
campagn for state roads.
AS you are aware, gentlemen, the
last state legislature enacted law ;
bearing upon road construction both
State and State Aid, including the
employment of convict labor On the
same, which covered some thirty
pages of printed matter There has
been no difficulty in handl ng the
State Read business, but in some in-
stances it has been somewhat diff
cult to get county officials to realize
the benefits that would accrue to
their counties through what is known
as the State Aid law. However, al;
of the count es in the state have
availed themselves of the provisions
Of this law with the exception Of
seven. That is TO say, road con-
struction under the provisions of tn ,
State AID law has been done In thirty
counties of the state. In some cases
where enough money was available
to build one or two miles of good
road. the mistake has been made CT
sub-dividing the fund and building
perhaps three short stretches of good
road at widely separate intervals. AS
you well know, the cost of construc-
ton Of small job is much greater
in comparison that that of a large
one. County officials have also been
slow in TAX preliminary action to
avail themselves of the State Aid
money. Hence, considerable work
must necessarily go over until next
year. as final resolutions were not
filed until the last DAY of grace. With
these exceptions. all matters have
progressed satisfactorily so far as
the relations between county Off
Gals and the Highway Department
IS concerned.
We have been greatly handicap
red owing to the fact that the sup
ply of experienced road engineers
and experienced road contractors was
exceedingly small. We have in a
large measure supplied the deficiency
in the engineering department, and
II Is very gratifying to know that our
best inspectors on construction have
come from the classes Of the Univer-
sity of Washington and the State
College of Washington 1t is only
4 question of few years until these
two colleges will be able to supply
a complete corps of thoroughly quail
flied road engineers and inspector S
for all state and county road work
The question of contractors who have
the experience necessary and the de-
sire to attain good results in first
class road construct on, is more diff
ficuit to settle When bids were call
ed for our first State Aid Read con-
tract. there was not to exceed two
contracting firms in the state who
were experienced in the construction
of macadam roads. Hence it has
teen a question of educating con-
tractors, as we'll as engineers and in
spectors II has been costly to the
state. but will in the future prove
IF croaf value