Los Angeles herald., 1910-08-03
TO FINISH HARBOR
ROAD NEXT YEAR
Highway Commission Says Work
Cannot Be Completed
Until After Rains
SUGGESTS CHANGE IN PLANS
Recommends Asphalt Concrete
Construction Instead
of MaCadam
SUGGESTS CHANGE IN PLANS

According to an official statemel
made by the Los Angeles county higl
way commission yesterday to IL
board of supervisors, the Harbor bou
evard will not be completed this yea
The board stated in substance that II
work cannot be done until the road II
allowed to settle during the rainy see
son. Contracts will be let, it is state
calling for the work to be complete
in 1911.
The highway commission suggest
that the road be built Of asphalt cor
crete instead of Oil protected macadan
and the commission hopes the publ
will subscribe the extra money neede
for an asphalt concrete road. The II
port to the supervisors follows:
Pursuant to your request of Mon
day, we have to report as follows
on the question of the immediate
improvement by macadamizing of
a portion of the Harbor boulevard,
as urged by the Wilmington cham
ber of commerce and other citi-
zens.
We have already pointed out the
fact that portion of this road on
which deep fills have but recently
been completed must be allowed to
settle during the coming rainy sea-
son before the macadam cover is
put on. If the rest of the road
could be completed this dry sea-
son, which is a physical impossi-
bility, it's usefulness for the pur-
pose of hauling freight by auto
mobile trucks would be limited
during the rainy season by the soft
condition of these fills as well as
by the long and circuitous stretch
of dirt roads at the lower end of
the boulevard. Furthermore, in
building the road piecemeaI, the
expense would probably be mater
tally increased.
IMPROVEMENT URGED
More important than any Of these
considerations, however, is another,
and that is the quality and charac-
ter of pavement to be constructed.
The Importance, eventually, from
an industrial and traffic stand
point, of this main thoroughfare
between the business center of Los
Angeles and it's water front at
Wilmington and San Pedro, can
scarcely be exaggerated. The gem
tlemen who are urging this i'm
provement so strenuously at this
time are beyond doubt deeply and
in good faith impressed with this
fact, and it is for this reason that
they are so urgent in their de-
mands that the work be started at
once. 1t may not be unlikely that
some of them are perhaps uncon-
sCfn f1,H hVr fol
and slanderous rumors which have
been circulated by malicious and
ill-informed persons that certain
portions Of this boulevard system
are not going to be completed at all
under the bond issue, and that this,
very likely, is one of them.
However, the highway commits
sion is now on record that this
harbor boulevard will be built ond
completed in 1911, and to this end
a contract or contracts will be let
before the coming rainy season
closes.
We are not willing to recommend
that this road be built out of any
other material than class A rock,
and from our knowledge of the
available rock supply in this coun-
ty we report that none of this is
available during the current year
except for the supply of existing
contracts, If such contracts are to
be carried through and finished
anywhere near on time. Commence
ing with the first of the coming
year the supply Of such rock will
be so arranged as to push this
road through rapidly to compile
tion when once started.
SUGGESTS NEW PLANS
In our judgment both economy
and effectiveness of result will be
promoted by this method of hand
ling. We have to report, further,
that we would like to build this
particular road of the asphalt
concrete type rather than the oil
protected macadam called for in
our general specifications prior to
the bond issue. This type of pave
ment will cost some 20 to 80 per
cent more and will withstand the
heavy wear of traction engines so
much more effectually that 1t
would be well worth the additional
cost.
The reason that this type was not
recommended in or report prelim-
mary to the bond election was on
cCCO Al1L VI WHICH
were made to us that any serious
discrimination in expense and quail
ity of roads to be constructed in
various sections of the county
would result in antagonism in the
less favored districts and possibly
tmper;. the entire project at the
election.
This ground for criticism would
be entirely removed if the addition
IL cost of such an Improvement
were made up by subscription. In
view Of the Importance of build
ing this road in the most durable
fashion, we recommend that the
be not commenced until
the close of the next rainy season,
that it then be pushed through
promptly before the winter rains
set in again, and that the Coop
GRAFTON of those interested be en-
Iisted--and they should be many
lndeed-to secure a donation to the
highway improvement fund to
make this road of the most dur
able and satisfactory type for the
purpose intended, and is a suffi-
eient donation can be secured, to
make it wider than the sixteen
feet to which we are limited.
Respectfully,
LOS ANGELES COUNTY HIGH
WAY COMMISSION, by G. II.