Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-05
Commissioner Sargent On
New Highway Law.
Road Building Work in Ken
nebec and Other Counties.
Larger Appropriations for Future
Highway Work Recommended.


State commissioner of highways, in his
annual report for 1908, filed with the
Cove rnor and Council Monday, de-
clares that the new State highway
law passed by the 73d Legislature has
met with fairly cordial reception at
the hands of the people throughout
the State. His report contains
large amount of interesting detail re-
garding the work Of his department
for the past year and recommends
larger appropriations for highway
work by the State in the future. In
speaking of the various applications for
State aid for highway work he says:
-Four hundred sixty-six applications
for State aid have been received, di-
vded as follows: Cities, 10; towns, 1898:
organized plantations, sc; county COM
missioners for unorganized townships,
49, OF the above number II towns
have applied and have been granted
permission to allow their joint fund to
lay over until 1909. In those ~ towns
total joint fund of s1929.75 is avail
able for 1909. In three towns work has
not been completed and in five towns
the work would not stand inspection
To these eight towns State aid amount
ing to S2,419.12 was apporlioned and
will be paid on proper evidence of sat
isfactory work.
In 446 places the joint funds have
been expended in completing as many
pieces of highway improvement, di-
vided in material and length as fol-
lows: Block paving. 1851 feet; ma
cadam, $1,000 feet; tar macadam, S46
feet; gravel, 1905 feet; earth and
drainage systems, S7,207 feet; earth
and gravel 1O,S63 feet; making a total
length of 37,3S7 feet, built at a cost of
$2GG, 92O32 OF this amount the State
has furnished sos. 9S72S. Towns to the
number of 299 expended in excess of
their joint fund s47,41S.16 in order to
satisfactorily finish the work they had
undertaken. There stands to the
credit of Q" towns the sum of s45,3S2.
State aid which is available for work
in those towns in 1909.
"rhe State appropriation of Is of q
mill on valuation of the state amount
ed to s131,5H.06. The expenditures for
the 466 places applying for aid amount
ed to $l11.9S4G5: paid % inspectors.
$3.50 per day and expenses, s2.4S5.29:
balance to 1909 state road fund. SILL
1912
THE law provides that State road
work must be done by contract where
the joint fund is $1,000 or more. The
work in 3S cities and towns was in this
class. This method of doing the work
has been very satisfactory to the de-
partment. 1t has assured the build
ing Of specified amount of road of a
fixed standard for certain price"
For the benefit of comparison and
for the basis of future State road
building the department has kept a
detailed account of the cost Of each of
the contract jobs. The details of
each job have place in the report.
From the report the following facts
are learned in regard to State road
construction in Kennebcc county:
Augusta, length of road improved
1900 feet: width of finished road p t.
% feet; width of crushed stone sur
face. q feet: depth Of crushed stone
surface to s inches. The designated
State road extends from the Hallowell
city line via state street. past the
state House and the county buildings
and thence via Mt. Vernon avenue to
the Sidney line. The section selected
upon which to make permanent i'm
provements is located in the rural dis
trict about ~ miles from the court
house The principal improvements
made were the widening and straight
cning of the road. reducing the grades
from to 4 per cent, providing suit
able surface and under drainage ana
covering the road with crushed stcn",
A clay hill near the western end CT the
section improved had given serious
trouble each spring for long series Of
years The total cost of the work was
$2.111.35.
Gardiner. Length of road improved
1860 feet: width of finished road. q
feet: width of crushed stone surface Il
feet: depth of crushed stone surface b
to 10 inches. The designated State
road begins on Co1,bossee avenue at the
West Gardiner town line. thence by
said avenue. Central street wafer
street and the River road to the Ri'h-
mond town line. The section selected
upon which to make permanent I'M
rrovcments is located on Water street
and extends from Winter street. Wes-
terly. The street was graded. drained
and surfaced with crushed stone. <The
total cost of work was $1.9lS,1o
Watcrville. Length of road m
proved $50 feet Width of finished ROAD
46 feet; width of crushed stone surface
as feet; depth of crushed stone surface
to s inches. The designated state
road begins at the Fairfield town me
thence via College avenue, Elm street.
Western avenue, Cool street and oak
land street to the First RanseWay'
thence by the Rangewey to the OAK
land road, so called. thence by the
Oakland read to the Oakland town
line The section selected upon WHICH
to make permanent improvements Is
located on College avenue. beginning
at Getchell street and extending TO the
NJ c. r. r. crossing near the Water
vile depot Although this section o.
the street is in the residential portion
of the city it is subjected to large
and constant travel. The large anu
numerous shade trees on each side Oh
the street made it desirable to provide
an impervious street surfacing with
sufficient crown to quickly dispose OF 1
the water. The street was graded and
,,rf,, CT