The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1911-12-08
PEOPLE PROPOSE TO
MAKE A PERFECT
ROADWAY
WORK ON EXCELLENT ROAD
WAY COMMENCED WE'D
NESDAY IN EARNEST.
Farmers Along Boulevard to Coop
crate With Nampa Highway Dis
trict in Linking Junction and Magic
Cities With Best Highway in State
of Idaho.

The long delayed and much dis
cussed plan of making the Nampa-
Caldwell Boulevard wagon road one
of the most modern and substantial
roadways of the state, has at last
been put into execution. Work was
started Wednesday, under the direc-
ton of Overseer McRobbie, smooth
ing the road bed and hauling gravel
for surfacing and facing purposes
The entire distance between the two
cities has been graded at a previous
date and but little work must be done
to put it in condition for the gravel
surface.
About IS feet of the roadbed is to
be smoothed to uniform crown and
coated with several inches of gravel,
which will then be graded and packed
to the desired shape and thickness.
This will make a stretch of roadway
which will resist the destructive eff
fects of the heavy traffic over the road
| and eliminate the dust and mud of
the summer and winter months. A
fine grade of gravel for this purpose
is being obtained from Indian creek,
which runs parallel to the road way
and only a short distance away. The
fact that this gravel is already grad
ed in size ideal for road surfaces and
the quantity is unlimited and close
at hand, will do much toward elimi
mating expense.
Messrs. c. w. Van Kirk, Portner
McRobbie and other residents along
the Boulevard are the ones who have
been most influential in agitating the
improvement of ways of communica,
ton between Nampa and Caldwell. Il
has been mainly through their agi.
tation of the subject that the electric
railway and Boulevard improvement:
have received consideration. Wher
the fact that the electric line was tc
be built was made certainty anC
construction work actually commenc
ed, the improvement of the highway
between the two cities begun to b.
recognized as more and more of al
absolute necessity. Meetings of tn,
people interested in the proposition
have been held at various times anC
petitions circulated among the own
ers of property adjoining the roadwa!
to find whether the sentiment wa
for or against the improvement.
has been found that the Boulevard
residents are not only in favor o
the proposition, but that there is no
one of them who is unwilling to d.
all in his power to aid in the work
The expense of the work will be di
vided equally between the propert.
owners along the roadway and tn
Nampa Highway District. Most o
the work will be done by the ranch
ers themselves during the white
months and the cost will thus be GU
down to a much smaller figure thai
if all the work was contracted to pri
vate parties. The work is of such ma
ture that expensive or cumbersom
machinery will not be required.
As soon as the roadway proper
put in first class conditions, it is plan
ned to commence work on beautify
ing the strip between the power lin
poles and the graded roadbed. Thi
strip will be leveled and planted t
grass and trees in the first step
toward making the road a boulevar
true to the name.
The two cities will probably b
asked to continue the improvement
of the highway along the streets b
which the road enters their limits.
is only fair that this should be don,
if the ranchers are willing to do tn
, improvement work as far as the cit
limits. No difficulty is expected
!. this connection.
The Boulevard road is a section {
the proposed auto road triangle whiC
is to pass through Nampa, Caldwell
Middleton, Boise, Meridian and bac
" to Nampa. When these roads hay
= been improved and the Nampa- War
Springs highway completed, this eli
will be the hub from which will RI
date some of the best improved higI
ways of the state.-Nampa Record.