The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1916-12-29
AUTOMOBILE AND ROAD NEWS
Montana Bridge Building Is Standardized
Better Structures for Less Money, Under Nev Plan

crossing, giving length of the span
required, depth of stream, distance
from shipping point, location OF
bridge site, location of sand and
gravel for concrete and any other To-
cal conditions that may enter into
the construction of the proposed
bridge. >.
Upon receipt of the application, II
the data furnished appears sufficient
and there appears no reason for fur-
Their investigation, standard plans to
suit the special occasion are 1mme-
diately furnished. All the data fur
nished is shown on these plans In
detail. If there appears to be reason
for further investigation OF the pro-
posed bridge site, or the data IS IN
sufficient, one of the department en-
gineers makes survey and lnvestlga-
ton before the plan is furnished.
Upon a date for bridge letting be-
ing fixed, standard plans and speclf1-
cations are forwarded direct from
the state highway department to the
various steel companies fabricating
bridges and to all contractors known
to the department who will be likely
to bid at the letting Plans are also
kept on file in the county clerks Of
bridge, as we'll as at the office of the
state highway commission in Helena.
Under this system competition Is
stimulated as it is possible for every
bidder to obtain information upon
which to base his estimate of the
contract. The cost of all plans, in
spection and supervision of construc-
ton is carried by the state highway
department.
Standards for Small Bridges.
In addition to plans for the larger
bridges, the department has prepared
and filed with the county clerk of
every county in the state a set of
standards for small bridges, covering
beam and pile structures. These
may be built from such plans by au-
thority of the various boards of coun-
ty commissioners without further in
formation from the highway depart
ment The commission is prepared
at all times to furnish all plans re-
Quired for either steel, concrete, or
wood structures. the designs in either
case being the most economical
structure possible to suit the location,
at the same time so proportioned as
to meet the standards adopted for
capacity.
The result of Standardization is
the building of better structures at
less money than ever before. The
4 fact the plans are standard brings
4 closer competition for the reason
that bridges of the same character
r and design built from time to time
g make it possible to estimate the cost
}, more closely for structures. The va
: rious bridge shops having construct
: ed these different structures in the
!. past are in better position to quote
t close figures, by virtue of the fact
: that they have previously constructed
e identical structures, and the only
= element of a variable nature entering
: into the work is the foundation and
d the piers.
:, During the past IS months, the
e department has furnished designs for
d 1875 bridges located in almost every
e county in the state; Musselshell coun-
ty alone has had constructed seven
standard bridges ranging from
1872 to 175 foot spans, the costs
v of which were less than paid
e formerly for bridges much light
o err but of the same length, not
d withstanding higher price of metal
e at the time the contracts were let Tor
n the heavier structures.