The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1919-04-10


course, taken. By tabulatinI
these sheets it was possible, i,
case of doubt between two com
| petlng routes, to get very clos
! idea OF their comparative merit
/ After all probable routes hat
been surveyed hearings were helt
at each county seat. At thes,
hearings large scale maps show
ing the routes under considera
tion in the county and vicinity
were displayed. and the advocate.
OF all routes, especially the com
peting routes. were given full op
portunity to present their views
AS evidence of the interest in the
layout, most of these county hear
ings were attended bv from three
to six hundred people, and much
valuable information was obtain
ed. The important result, how
ever, was that the people knew
that all possible routes had been
investigated and that the advo-
Gates Of all Of them had been. Civ
EN- fair chance to be heard.
Arriving at Final Layout.
After series Of hearings COW
ering a particular section of the
state, the state highway commits
sion and the legislative state
trunk highway committee, which
sat jointly with the commission
in many of these hearings, met at
Madison and determined the Of
ficial system for that section. I'm
portant considerations in arliv-
ing at the final layout were: The
population served, the grades,
the supply of materials locally
available for construction and
along the various
roads, and the transportation
facilities available where local
materials were not to be had. In
many cases the choice between
routes was determined
)y the character Of the soil over
which the two passed.
In laying out the 5,000-mile |
'ystem in Wisconsin about $500
niles were surveyed. About five |
were required by all the
necessary operations and the total
'ost to the state was approxi-
nately $4,000, or at the rate of
4 per mile for each mile finally
ocated on the system, including
he cost of the final survey (de-
cribed hereafter) made in the
pring Of 1918.
We have worked out a system
f progress reports using colored
ravon and tack entries on charts
nd maps so that the past and |
resent condition of any section
f the system and all structures
n it can be determined at a
lance. II
We have set up standard mile
'osts or markers showing the
tate trunk highway standard de-
IGN and number and the mile
lumber measured from east or
outh end Of that especial state
INK highway. These mileposts
arve to tie our office records to
ne road itself. and also enable
nv trhveler encountering good
r bad conditions to boost or COM
lain to us. as the case may de-
Iand. and enables us to locate
le exact place mentioned. Cul-
erts and bridges are numbered
nd tied into the mile numbers.
We have also designed and
ave had made special metal ,
anger signs for railroad grade
and dangerous hills and {
lrveS. Il
The next thing after the system 8
laid out. surveyed. recorded. :
I'd marked is the publication OF
map, which will enable the q
aveling public to properly select ?
leir routes and the numbers. II
Maintaining the System: #
We do not believe that a state
,ould lay out state trunk high
ay system unless from the in s
ant it is laid out it is maintain
| by the state at the expense OF 2
le state. The maintenance {
Iould be either under the direct )
,ntrol of the state. highway de- 3
artment or, if under county con- {
oil, subject to direct state sup c
vision. S
If a state lays out a state trunk t
ghway system, it must at the C
me time provide for its ade- h
late maintenance. The coun- 6
es will not maintain it, the towns 4
i'll not maintain it, neither will
e cites nor the villages, because <
| of them reason that some day o
e Federal Government or the n
ate. or both, are going to build a
or at least help to build it on 0
Try favorable terms, and why n
ould they spend any money on n
for either construction or main- e
nance. We hold it a truism n
- 4bo establishment of a pre- 7