Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-03-16
Half Million
for orWork0n
LocalRoads
Paving. Grading and Other
improvements to be Made
by County and State During
Season Reach Big Total

OcdS0h heaCn Dig l0tal
A busy road building season /,
ahead in Marion county with stat,
and county funds in excess of $500,
600 available. In addition to the es
adjustment and Improvement o.
many miles of county market roads
the Pacific highway, at points nortt
and south of Salem win be paved al
the two of the few remaining unfin.
ished sections.
| A. S. Hanson. with a crew of 20
men is rushing work Tn the Barzee-
Taylor section of the highway, south
of Salem. Mr.. Hansen has a contract
with the county commissioners fol
the removal of many thousand yards
of rock ut this point, preparatory to
regarding. AT this section of the
highway, the state highway depart
ment has let the contract for the paw.
ing Of six miles of the enter-state
thoroughfarc. 1t is understood that
the highway department is also con-
sidering the paving Of the remaining
nine miles Of highway north of JEFF
ferson. The county is preparing to
regrade the entire section, six miles
already having been put into shape
for paving.
In addition to the assured paving
on the highway south OF Salem, the
state has let the contract for paving
the four mile stretch just north OF
the city The county road depart
ment has made plans to regrade thi;
section at once.
Road Demand Is General
The past few months have been
busy ones for County Commissioners
]. T. Hunt and w II. Goulet and
Roadmaster James Culver. Hardly a
week day has passed but that dele
cation from some one Of the rs road
districts in the county has appeared
at the county court rooris and con-
ferred with the county officers con.
corning proposed improvements.
The Paine market ioad bill and
other laws are demonstrating them
selves TO be noticeable factors en-
couraging highway and road inn
provements in Marion county, ac-
cording to County Judge w. M.
Bushey, who has worked consistently
for many years in an effort to bring
tnis county to the Gore In road mat
ters.
County road paving is centered
around Salem, Mt. Angel and Aums-
vile. One plant is located at Salem
and other units are being assembled
at the latter named points During
the coming season Roadmatser Cul-
yer expects to see at least 20 miles
of hard surface paving completed and
should labor and weather conditions
be favorable. double that amount of
surfacing is planned. The courty
paving program includes roads .adi-
ating from Aumsville and Mt. Angel
with few miles near Salem.
Many to Be Employed
During the season the county will
have fleet OF "a trucks In operation
and counting all district help, over
1900 men will work at seasonal Inn
provements. At the present time,
about 40 men are working for the
county, being engaged in preparing
highway driving and setting up paw
ing plants.
In order TO create extra funds for
road-buiiding purposes, 30 road dis
tricts of the county have levied
special taxes In sums varying from
$500 to $500, the latter amount
representing the earnestness Of Dis
trict No. 56 in making good" at road
building. This district is east of Sill
verton and is in an agricultural and
fruit growing locality. These dis
tricts have raised about 100000.
With this amount. the county will
spent approximately $4,000 in paw
ing.
with the s25O,O0o available for the
county, the state In approved and
proposed paving projects will spend
approximately S250,000 more.
In preparing new county roads. the
county has contracted for 10000
yards Of gravel to be used on roads
radiating from Aurora. Another
contract for 10000 yards of gravel
will son be made for the purpose Of
the Newberg-st. Paul
woobburn road These roads have
been up before the county commits
for some time, there being a
general progressive sentiment In
these districts advocating better
roads.
On March 90. the county court will
open bids for the new steel Eiehama-
Lyons bridge which will replace the
present antiquated structure. This
bridge viii have 200 foot span and
is considered q definite improvement
for northern Marion county.