Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-01-12
RIGHT Of WAY COST
TO STATE IS LOW
AVERAGE OF SOL PER MILE PAID
FOR LAND NEEDED FOR
ROADS.

only $16,344.47 for $50 miles OF
rights-of-way for the state highways
during the past two years, the report
of Com ;ioner James Allen shows,
an aver e of $51 a mile, which is
considered to be an unusually low
figure. The work has been done by
Charles l.. Dufault, of this city,
right-of-way agent for the depart
ment.
The usual practice of the state is
to negotiate with the owners, and In
most instances the property needed
has been secured free of charge, the
benefits of the road construction be-
ing more than sufficient to offset the
loss of the land to the owner. Con-
demnation suits have been brought
only when land has been held at
what are considered eXorbitant fig
ures.
Is Total Expense.
The total cost of $16,344.47 given
above represents the claims allowed
when property was actually damaged
by the building of the highways.
When condemnation suits have been
resorted to the costs Of the trials
have been included, so this total is
the aggregate of what the state is out
by reason of acquiring right-of-way
for it's highways.
Since the outset the state highway
department has condemned when
ever exorbitant figures were asked
for land needed for right-of-way. A
practice had grown up, principally by
virtue of tender-hearted right-of-
way agents acting for counties, of
owners attempting to hold up the
state or counties for huge sums. That
this has been the case is attested by
the fact that in every instance where
condemnation proceedings were had,
the jury award has been less than
what was asked for the land.
During the past two years Right
of-Way Agent Dufault has secured
right-of-way for more than $40 miles
of state roads. Figuring that 1t has
cost the state but $16,344 to acquire
what land was needed, the right-of-
way has been secured at an average
cost of but $51 mile. Relative to
the practice Of the department OF ne
gotiating with the owners for right
of-way needed and condemning only
when exorbitant sums are asked, the
commissioner says in part:
Policy Of Department.
"In securing rights-of-way for the
state highways, right at the outset
this department adopted the policy
of instituting condemnation suits to
obtain right-of-way from property
owners who, in our opinion, asked ex-
orbitant sums-sums that were far In
excess of the actual value of the land
and the damages, II any, and disre-
garded the benefits accruing to the
property by reason OF the construc-
ton of q state highway.
"This policy has redounded not
only to the benefit of the state in re-
ducing the cost of it's highways, but
has conferred a similar benefit on
nearly every county in the state in
securing rights-of-way for its own
county roads. Independent of the
state highway department. In the
past, the counties, with few excep-
tions, having no special right-of-way
agents of their own, and being COM
PEELED to turn that feature of the
work to their county engineers or
county commissioners. have been
compelled to pay big sums for rights
of-way that really should have been
cheerfully donated. as the construc-
ton of the road was decided i'm
provement in the district and great
err benefit to the property owner than
the value of the strip of land taken
And because these large sums were
allowed by the counties for rights
of-way. bad presidents were estab'
lished and 1t came to be general
practice for the property owner tc
demand an exorbitant sum for the
land desired as right-of-way from the
state as we'll as from the counties.
| Willing to Pay Damages.
"Our policy in the securing of al
right-of-way desired has been to pay
the difference between the actua
market value of the land taken plus
the damages, If any. and the benefits
that would accrue to the adjoining
property by reason of the construc
ton of a state highway. We have
been willing at all times to pay every
property owner the actual amount O.
damages he sustained. but whenever
we thought the amount demanded
was exorbitant and unreasonable. W.
have Immediately started condemna
ton proceedings. 1t is interesting tt
note that in every instance where