The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-03-17
HIGHWAY LINK
TO BE PAVED
A. D. KERN co. GETS CONTRACT
Paving Of 1855 Miles Section Will &
$32O,9l5. Cost of Grading 3
Exceeded This Sum

In the gist of contracts totaIif5 an
approximate $1,000, 600, the z tie
| Highway Commission awarded he
A. d. Kern Co. the task of layinlE 55
miles of the Columbia River HI : tav
| between Hood River and The es.
SIX and half miles of the new grade
to be paved the coming summer have
for the most part been cut along the
| Columbia canyon between here and
Mosler. The new grade was completed
and officially opened, following a
gravel surfacing last May.
The length of proposed paving will
begin at a new concrete bridge con-
| structed three years ago by the state
and Hood River county across Hood
river After a few hundred feet of a
widened county road up the east side
of the the Hood River canyon the high
way by series of four loops passes to
a higher elevation on the gorge of the
greater river. The direct distance to
the top of the loops is less than ], 600
fet. All the way around. by the sharp
but graceful curves a car must travel
more than 5000 feet.
Eliminating, as it has, the old IL
mile road over high mountain pass to
the east of the Hood River orchard
districts, road of many narrow turns
and excessive grades and a road that
has been allowed to fall into a sad con-
dltlon for motorists for lack of repair,
the new Hood River Mosier section of
the Highway has won popularity for
its utility as we'll as for the scenic
grandeur it affords. Mosier and Hood
River citizens. who have occasion to
nake frequent use of the route are
now speculating as to whether the
paving will close the road and make
necessary negotiation of the old road
while work is in progress. 1t is likely
that authorities will be petitioned to
keep the way clear a part of each day
at least.
A mile east of Hood River the new
grade passes out of sight of the CO.
lumbla into series of narrow ravines
and miniature canyons. For three
quarters OF mile the tourist may
revel in the quietness of these hooks.
where already the warmth of spring
sunshine has brought to blossom eX-
panses of rock lilies and where later
the landscape will be frightened by
the blooms of dog tooth violets. Then
in suddenness, if the motorst be head
ing east he bursts around curve and
again overlooks thehwide Columbia and
neat plots of truck gardeners on the
Washington bank opposite. For a mile
the road follows the gorgeside through
fir forest. Creases in the canyon are
crossed by deep fills of concrete ma
sonry, and masonry walls arise on the
outer edge of the Highway where one
may stand and look straight down at
the O-W. X. &,N. tracks. After the
forested district the new highway
crosses the only break in the precipi-
tousness of the canyon on the entire
route. Here the roadbed now replaces
the site of an Indian farmers barn.
Thence by an almost imperceptible
grade the highway climbs to its sum-
NIT, an approximate $50 feet, on the
face of one of the widest cliffs along
the Columbia. A lookout point has
been established on this promontory,
which affords the sightseer with start
ling views of the river both to the east
and west.
The grade designated for paving Just
east of the Hood River-Wasco county
line penetrates rocky promontory by
two tunnels, one of them with two
open windows somewhat similar to the
five lookouts at Mitchell's Point tun-
mel. The twin tunnels, however, are
over 300 feet above the O w. r. & N.
tracks, whereas the Mitchells tunnel
is less than 100 feet above the river.
The west bore Of the twin tunnels is
only 72 feet long, while the second
tunnel, with the lookout windows, is
272 feet in length. The new tunnels,
however, lack the beauty of that at
Mitcheslls Point. The disintegration
of its walls and sides necesstated that
it be shored up with timbers, and the
portals are bound by lining of con-
crete. Neat footpaths have been con-
structed from the windows along the
outer walls of the promontory.
Many have suggested that the twin
tunnels be known as the Gateway tun-
nels. for one on issuing from the bores
on the east side is struck at once by
the change in character Of the country.
Indeed, be has passed from western to
eastern Oregon. The fr-clad hills of
the Cascades are replaced by expanses
of baroness. Instead Of frs appear
oaks or stunted pines From the tun-
mel all the way into Mosier the way is
down a gentle grade.
The Hood River Mosier stretch of
the Columbia River Highway, at the
time Of its completion, was the most
expensive piece Of construction ever
by the State Highway de-
partment in a singe unit. The grading
alone cost approximately S375, 900. Ae-
cording to the contract TO the Kern
CO., just7announced, the paving of this
stretch along with some four miles
east Of Mosier will reach S350,9l5