Evening journal., 1918-05-21
AWARDS TODAY FOR
ADDITIONAL Roads
Engineer Upham Coniers
With Contractor Cohen
Over Two Sections
FIGURES REDUCED
AS RESULT OF IT

Contracts for the two additional
stretches Of State highways not award
ed yesterday. were given out today by
the state Highway Commission, as fol-
lows:
dupont Boulevard extension into Mil
ford and also Smyrna-Cheswold road TO
Frank L. Cohen, sis7.753 original bid
which he reduced 10 s477.753 today.
In his report recommending the
awards made yesterday. Engineer Up
ham said.
At first glance the proposals when
compared with road work OF a few
years ago. seem high, hut upon analy-
Sis and taking into consideration the
heavy increase in the prices of labor
and materials, the proposals for the
Delaware road work. with two possible
exceptions, arc comparatively consist
ent some OF the bids are very low
when considering the present cost OF
materials and labor.
During the past three years labor has
increased from 100 10 80 per cent, and
materials from 100 90 200 per cent,
which, when taken into consideration
cOrrects the idea that the cost Of pres
ent. road construction will be In com
parative excess OF previous costs OF
construction. 10 is generally felt that
the cost Of materials will not be re-
duced during the next few years, in
fact 10 IS generally conceded that the
price Of raw materials will advance due
20 tho great demand that will be made
for these materials IN the near future
Good roads not only serve the com
munities economically, but have been
the means OF extensive development and
great savings. While the cost OF road
construction has increased. the saving
by good roads has also increased. In
other words. the economic saving re-
sulting from good roads has kept pace
with The standard Of road costs.
THE two contracts where the CON
tractors proposals slightly exceed the
engineers estimate are numbers ana
While the prices submitted for either
OF these contracts cannot be called ex-
oessiye. they ARE. however. little high
or than those submitted In the propo-
sails for the other contracts.
REGARDING Contract No. ?. It Is very
desirable and essential that IT be com
pleted this year. To readyeruse inns
contract according 90 our law, woult
ro1ilire about five weeks from the dat'
~ decision This would mean that th'
contract would be thrown into the lat'
fan and a possibility of its not Deln'
completed this year. This would proDa
hlv he taken into account by a con
tractor in making up his new proposals
and considered as a contingency ina
would add 10 his expense Of comple
tion. Another and more serious on
lection 20 readvertlslng this contrac
for new proposals might mean that IN
travelling public ~ the State or Deia
ware would be deprived NJ hard sur
faced road during the next winter o
be obliged 90 use an unlmproNed roa
for another year.
The contractors proposal eXceede
the engineers estimate on Contract NJ
. by 5000 The above are practicall
all the facts that are necessary In you
decision on Contract no. ?.
Concerning Contract No. :. ana uh
der the present conditions II VIII %
practically impossible 20 complete ti
roadway surface this year on accoun
Of the large amount OF clearing an
grubhing and the large quantity
grading. the contractors proposal o
this section exceeded the engineer -
innate by approximately si2V"
"Inasmuch as most of this cohlra'
is on A new right-of-way, and becaus
Of the large amount or prellhhhsI
work 10 be done. a contractor Woul
probably complete the clearing. graaih
and bridges this year and not put o
surface until next year. rms Woui
allow the grade 10 thoroughly seVt
before the wearing surface was pace
on the subgradc " this contract Wa
readvertised, bids that would approx
mate the engineers estimate would VI
doubtedly be obtained and there wouI
be no DELAY IN 0nal completion OF IN
contract by readvertising. There wei
several contractors that were unsu
cessful at the May IS letting that wou
probably bid on this contract.
with tho above In consideration.
would recommend that the bids on IN
contract be rejected and new propose
called for.
ION Contracts Nos. 4. 3. =, ;. 6 and
the prices are consistent and very clio
70 the engineers estimate.
AS stated In the report OF Decemb
81. 1917, tho contracts now under col
. sideration are for construction 0f roa
Of prime Importance. These roads c'
be considered as portions of milita
highways. This has been emphasize
by the fact that they have been ue
extensively by the War DepartmeI
Just recently as many a. 800 arr
trucks passed over the Philsdelph
Pike in one day.
The Council of National Defen:
through the Highways Transport cor
mittee, has recommended that we p
our essential roads ia good condiu'
and suitable for heaNs- tralic. ESP
c.ally Is this true OF the philsdelph
pike and the Doyer-Smyrra road. m
fact Is very important and signnca