Evening journal., 1920-01-06
GREAT ADVANCE
IN ROAD work
p Miles of Road Rebuilt at
Cost of $4,000 During
Year
EXPECT TO DO AS
MUCH MORE IN 1920

This was Levy Court Day" az The
luncheon meeting OF the Chamber OF
Commerce. held this afternoon in the
duBarry room OF the Hotel dupont.
Charles F. Grubb, county engineer. VIZ
the speaker. and lhe entire membership
Of the Levy Court were guests. A. ID.
Warner, Jr., president OF the Chamber,
presided.
Mr.. Gruhb gave a comprehensive re-
view OF the work OF the county engl-
neering department under direction OF
the Levy Court. giving the status OF the
Lincoln Highway construction and
other improvements accomplished In
1919, as we'll as an outline Of the gen
cral road development program for
1920.
Mr.. Grubb said in part:
"Our most important recent con-
structlon has been that OF the Lincoln
Highway. The report OF the New Cas-
Tie County state Highway Comm 'sslon
to the last General Assembly outlined
The consideration and study given this
work and the results accomplished up
TO 1919. ] shall in order 20 present
conditions logically. review some parls
OF this report. A bond issue for $780,
600 was authorized I'm 1917 for the ron-
slruciion OF a modern highway from
Claymont 90 The Maryland line. approx
imstely 10 mills excluding streets of
Wilmington and Newark. The roa's
comprised We're divided into six Sec
TONS, the Philadelphia pike. comprise
Sections 1 and .. S ction 3 extended
from Wilmington 10 Marshallton: Sec
ton 4 from Ma-shalllon TO Pixies
Creek; Section o from Pixies Greek 10
Newark, and Sect on 6 from Newark TO
Maryland line. Whon the bids FOR Sec
tions 3 and G were received it was
realized that 90 obtain the proper char
acter Of highway The authorized bond
issue was far from adequate. Instead
Of averaging S26300 per mile the bids
averaged between SOS O0o and silO1D
per mile. Before making an award ths
Levy Court and n ghway Commissioner
20 informally with The state Highwov
commissioner who agrecd 10 take over
for construction Sections and , BIDS
on Section Z showed an advance 10 sf0-
500 per mile due 10 difference in grad
ing quail ties, lengths OF haul from rail-
road stallion for materials, and in
creas in cost Of freight. materials.
and labor The contracts for the three
sections totalled SiiS9iI23 with an ac-
comp9rying cost 10 June 4 1919 OF
eic231fG for the various admintsi.a-
tive o-d engine" ring expenses connect
ed with the work. Five miles OF cyist-
.ng contracts and $40 miles remained
10 De constructed requiring furthc7 en-
ginccrins and supervision: conscment-
iy il was necessary Do request additional
Funds through the last General Asscin
bly,.
"a bond issue for o second $500 600
was authorized provided That the nee
. essary portion should be appll-d FOR
ihe completion Of the Lincoln Highway
and any balance rema'ning applicd 10
reconstruction Of existing stone roads.
This second bonds issue remains un-
touched and OF the FIRST there remains
a balance OF approXimat ly $3.50 900. Al
most the entire balance VIII be cx-
hausied IN completing contracts under
way and meeting ACCOMMODATING ex-
ncnses. supervision engineering. and
land DAMAGES for this SECTION in sec
lion ,. We win then have 10 contract
about 3 $40 miles Of the most exnen-
sive per mile due 10 hiQher unit cost in
character OF roadway along The route
and expense Of an UNDERGRAD railroad
crossing For this contract funds will
be ava liable from The second bond issue
M $4,000 We need only the rioht Of
way 10 permit MS 10 20 ahead with This
last lap. ! have here a plan Of ihis
named section. Tn three parallel lines
show the old road NJ VARYING widths
Of RIGHT Of way and nllcd with crooks
and turns many around hnlsides where
The view ahcad is very short and woret
Of an very dangerous railroad Grade
crossing at Lumhrook The SINGLE line
shows the proposed new aliqnm nt.
Where p~operty value of huildincs was
great and tho roadside was fairly butt
IN we were confined to the old road.
Here we pronose not only 70 chance
the alignment but also 10 increase the
width 70 co feet.
But ono contract for entirely new
high construction was awarded during
the year, That OF Tovlor's BRIDGE Road
m Anno0uinimink hundred. Two years
a0O four miles Of drl ro9d senarated
from the county system ihe.h miles
Of imnrOved road IN Blackhlrd hund-ed
eXiended from Flem'nG's Landing hr'dge
10 Taylor's Bridge. 70 was desired 20
make n stem to shorten this gan. An
nocu'nimink th~oueh hundred funds
constructed about a mile of light ma
cadam road through a w~oiohcd etreich
from Fioldshoro east This fall The
county award "A n contract FOR a mile
and one duarfor of 20 foot water bound
macadam road 20 inches ihick f~om Tav-
lo-'s br'dge west. A greater norton Of
The grading was ACCOMPLISHED and
about 3-S or 2 mile OF base completed
before the bad weather set in
Further extension ~ The improved
highway system Of the county by new
construction has been restricted be-
cause we have q large mileage Of stone