The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-04-06
ROADWAY IN UNION GAP
FINALLY DECIDED UPON

Construction work on now county
| highway through Union Gap will he
gin within the next week and i'll be
completed before August 10. The
work will be done by the North Coast
railroad and because of the fact that
the width of the highway has been
increased from - to so feet Yakima
county VIII bear portion of the eX-
pense. The roadway will be fenced
on the west side with a high board
fence so that view of passing trains
will be shut off. An this is by agree
ment made Friday between the North
Coast railroad people ana the Com
missioners of Yakima county.
Vital Matter 10 County.
An agreement was made between
tho North Coast railroad and Yakima
county on February II, 1907, ar
which time the matter of right of
way through the gap was in litigation.
The agreement of Friday was sup
Elemental to the first. 1t settles ana
makes definite subject which is vital
to the interests Of the entire county
and takes from the realm of doubt
the matter of communication between
this ana the lower valley by way of
Union Gap.
East of the railroad tracks the new
roadway is to be constructed, begin
ming at a point COO feet north of the
intake of the reservation canal and
cunning thence UP through the gap,
all the time to the east of the tracks.
until it reaches the south boundary
of Yakima City and forms an inter
| section with the present roadway
from tho reservation.
Under Grade Crossing.
! Near the point where the road
starts north of the intake of the res
ervation canal it will make an under
grade crossing of the North Coast
tracks and will then be carried at
grade across the tracks of the North
crn Pacific railroad to the east of the
Northern Pacific and adjacent to the
Yakima river. 1t will then be carried
east of the Northern Pacific. as stated
to the south boundary of Yakima
City.
Thirty Feet Roadway.
The roadbed of the new highway is
to be two feet above the highwater
mark of November, 1906, it Is to he
80 feet in width and the west line is
to be not less than 10 feet from the
center of the Northern Pacific tracks
| Where the roadway crosses under the
North Coast tracks there is to be a
vertical clearance of IA rect ana a
! horizontal clearance of "a feet and
the high way at that point Is to be
at right angles to the railroad.
| ON. the east side of the roadway,
between the roadbed and the river the
North Coast undertakes to erect a
fence the posts to be five feet above
/ the surface and imbedded to a depth
of four feet. ON top of these posts
| is to be spiked sound fir timber 2X8X
6. with two additional pieces Of fir
also spiked to the posts and II inches
| apart.
High Board Fence.
On the west side or the ROAD and
between the roadbed and the tracks
| the North Coast will construct "a
tight board fence of "A meight of six
feet for the entire distance of the
road herein specified and between
said points mentioned" says the
agreement. This fence Is to be con-
structed of fir posts set eight feet
apart and three feet in the ground
and extending six feet above it.
| Spiked to the posts will be two by
skies, sixteen feet long to which shall
be nailed an upright planking of inch
boards, six feet in height. The public
highway and fences, etc. in connec-
| ton herewith are to be constructed
by the North Coast at its own eX-
! pense and maintained by it for a
period of five years against the action
or damage Of the Yakima river or
its tributaries.
More Ahtanum Bridge.
The present bridge over the An
tanum creek on the county road Is to
be utilized by the North Coast rail-
! road company in the construction of
a bridge on the reconstructed road
over the Ahtanum creek the bridge
to have a horizontal clearance Of 20
| feet at least. In consideration OF the
| North Coast constructing the road
and bridge as agreed upon Yakima
county agrees to pay to the railroad
$3.50 upon the completion and ac-
ceptance of the same by the county
| engineer.
The payment Of Yakima county IL
for two specific causes. The North
| Coast undertakes to increase the
width of the roadway from 26 to 80
! feet throughout its entire length. For
this the county pays $2,500. which is
much cheaper than It could get the
additional six feet If it had to con-
! struct it itself. In consideration of
| the railroad constructing concrete
piers for the Ahtanum bridge when
| it is regretted the county will pay
$3.50.
Work to Begin at Once.
| Under the agreement between the
railroad and the county the North
| Coast undertakes to begin reconstruc-
ton within 10 days of the signing of
| the document. which was yesterday,
and to complete the work on or be-
| fore August 10, 1910.
In the above manner Mr.. Strahorn
will carry out his promise made some
time ago, that the coming of his rail-
road through Union Gap would be
made a matter OF profit for the peo-
! pie Of the county.