The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-05-13
Flying Start To Be Made
On Road Building
TAKING IN THIS COUNTY
Twenty Thousands Dollars Will
Be Spent On the Madison
Lake Route

Advertising today for his bids on
more than $1,000,000 of grading and
surfacing on 12S miles of trunk high
ways in eleven scattered sections of the
state and on six new bridge projects
totalling nearly $4,000, and an
nouncing approvals of more than ST.,
100000 of county road highway pro-
jects. the state highway department
gave additional evidence of the dis
patch with which actual work is be-
ing launched under Good Roads
Amendment No. l.
Charles M. Babcock, state highway
commissioner, made public plans to
have the foregoing projects we'll I'M
der way by June Is and added that
by the same date the maintenance
and patrol organization covering the
entire 7,000-mile trunk system will
begin full operation to keep every
ditional construction projects will be
put under contract as rapidly as the
commissioner and his assistant, j.
H. Mullen, chief highway engineer.
complete field Investigations on which
they left st. Paul yesterday, and
plans are made by o. L. Kipp, con-
struction engineer and J. T. Ellison,
bridge engineer, and their stats.
Grading and surfacing proposals
on state undertakings are 10 be open
ed May q in st. Paul, the bridge con-
tract bids the following day and those
on county lettings at different dates.
Efforts will be made to use virtu
ally all of the state funds which will
be available. These together with
local funds and federal aid are esti-
mated to total $26,333. 900, including
approximately S6.000,000 from motor
vehicle taxes. $5,000.000 of county
81, $50, 900 from the state one mill road
tax and S10,843, 900 of county tax rev
enue The larger share of the big
fund will be art the disposal of coun-
ty and town road authorities.
The Initial Projects.
Initial projects on the state program
of new construction are mainly for con-
Meeting links between improved section
of heavy traffic arteries in various To-
icalitieS.
The single hard-surfacing project on
this list is for extension of the pavement
lnorthweSterly from the twin cities from
the recent terminus near Big Lake to
point near the state reformatory at st.
Cloud. The section is a bottle-neck car
rying a large part of the highway traffic
of the north central, northwest and west
central sections of Minnesota and con-
tiguous territory and its improvement is
tions showing that the most advantag
eous and economical improvement of this
part of the road called for rigid surface
ing, Commissioner Babcock put it in
cost is 100000
Evidence that the state will pave roads
only where less expensive construction
viii fail to carry the traffic economic
ally was given recently in case involv--
ing the highway between Monticello and
Big Lake. Businessmen of Monticello
fhD h;rxIrx Il Nnrf,.a a
paving of the 2& mile section, repre-
senting that the present location of
big paving plant at Big Lake would re,
s sa IN to Re staa citing the ma
ton on paving funds and the pledge to
spread benefits impartially according to
traffic and other conditions. Commits
sioner Babcock answered that the road
at once will be put and kept in good con-
dition with heavy maintenance. A gravel
surface will handle the traffic satisfac-
must be laid first on the heavier travel
led roads, he explained. apparently to
the satisfaction of the Monticello dele
cation.
Highway No. the Twin Cities-Duluth
road-estimated at $40 is the next larg--
est project on the first list for contract
awards. 1t is for the Improvement of
the section from a point about five miles
south of Carlton through Moose. Lake
and will strengthen a weak link II, in that
pense estimate is $40.
Many Other Projects.
Other state projects are:
Trunk Highway No. 3.Grading and
a three mile section running east and
west through Nelsville. an inland town
in Dakota county.
mated at $4,000 on S.S mile section
from Bona south to connect with the
Improvement made last year by Wilkin
county.
Trunk Highways Nos. 7 and eo-Grad-
Mankato northeasterly to a point near
Madison Lake.
Trunk Highway No. S-Grading and
gravel surfa<Hlg estimate at $25,000 on
four mile section running northwest
from Cass Lake.
Trunk Highway No. 20-Gravel sur
facing on two sections: one of two miles
ESTIMATED at $4,000 through Harmony
and Canton village to close, gaps in a six
$40 900 northwesterly from Rochester to
a point near Pine Island.
facing a'N estimated to cost $4,000 on n' a
seven-mile section running north from
Mapleton, a Blue Earth county town.
Trunk H Ugh way No. 54-Grading est.
running south from Elbow Lake. Grant
county.
Trunk Highway No. 6s-Gradng esti-
section between Marshall and Mhneota:
!, County projects. under supervision of
ped by that for paving the continuation
of Lyndale Avenue South. from Mime
apols to Lake Marion, distance of lis
miles. The section does not carry
trunk highway designation. The i'm m
provement is estimated to cost $500; 1000
and the proposals will, be opened May
%, by Hennepin county commissioners
in Minneapolis. .
A joint state and county contract for
out of willmar to a point near Atwater
Improvement cost is estimated at $780,
600 and the county is to furnish $780,
900 of the necessary fund from bond
sales while the remainder has been al
lowed in federal and state aid. The i'm
way No. 10.
improvements In North State.
ST. Louis county VIII open bids May
for which funds have been provided
county bonds. The most important is
that for paving the seven-mile section
of trunk highway No. II for. a distance
of seven miles south from Eleven. The
second on the same trunk highway. Is
for grading the nine mile section north
from Virginia toward Cook. The first is
estimated to cost $4,000 and the last
about $4,000. The third calls for grad
ing on trunk highway No. II from Gus
son northwesterly toward Ray, thirty
Ill