Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-01
MUCH ROAD WORK
DONE IN YEAR 1921
Interesting Review of the Opera
tions of the Office Of County
Engineer Grubb.

A summary of the activities Of the Levy
Court through the Office of County Engi-
ncer Charles f.. Grubb during the year
1920 oonveys some idea of the varied
work that occupies his field and office
| force.
The Lincoln Highway, stretch of 3.5a
| miles. from Marshallton TO Pixies creek,
| contracted for in 1918, was completed,
and is open, connecting with the Lincoln
| Highway section No. 3, giving seven-
mile continuous stretch of good road from
| Wilmington. :,
During the year, contracts for ID miles
| If plain concrete road were awarded
| About one-half mile of this is on that por-
| tion Of the highway which comedies win
| the old road, but is still held up by ieghi
obstacles.
| Another important contract completed
during the wear was that for the Newport
| bridge. This was awarded late III 1919, the
contract price being $4,000. The re-
| pairs to this bridge were made necessary
because of the undermining of the iounda-
tions and the breaking away OF the curb
ing, making the bridge unsafe Tor travel.
The old center pier was torn out and re-
placed on new foundation and piling.
The old draw was replaced, and the bridge
is now open to travel
A stone walk was built at Newark IN
conjunction with Delaware College at a
cost OF $4,000
A road was constructed III Appoquini-
mink hun ired 5 miles ia length, TO con
meet with Taylor's bridge, at cost OF
S72 ,O0G
The final section of the road IN Mill
Creek hundred, connecting Cranston
Heights with Hockessin was completed.
The Silversidc road, IN Brandywlne
hundred. from Perkins corner on the
Philadelphia turnpike 20 Faulk road,
leading into Talleyvillo, was completed
as was the Adams Dam road.
RIVER BANK REPAIRED
The river bank between Delaware City
md por, Penn, broken down by the over
flow of water in 1918, was finally COM
ploted after many obstacles. Contract
for this work was let on n competitive
basis for $4,000 The contractor failed
and the engineering depa rtmcnt completed
the work at a saving Of abuOt $1,000 20
the county. A return bank across the gar
was constructed at a cost OF $1,000,
Two of the three concrete bridges IN
Appoquinimnk hundred were completed,
and contract let for Drawers creek
bridge for s., POO A ooncrote abutment
, 10 replace the old one was put IN At
| I BattenS hTdRe
Three bridges on Newport turnpike
were repaired, on which the abutments
, had bcon secured out, at a cost Of $500
Concord turnpike was widencd on on'
side and concrete walk constructed OF
, tho other side for st 200
In conjunction with the authorities O
: the town Of Odessa, the county connected
the road from St Georges To Middletowr
through odessa and repaired the rOaC
from Odessa 70 Beadlesboro.
BRIDGE woHK.
Contract was awarded for repairs I,
Stanton bridge over White Clay Creek {,
replace the present truss bridge. Con
Il tract was let 20 repair New Castle roa,
TO eliminate the necessity Of detourinl
t through the town by traffic north an,
! An arch bridge 10 take the place Of tn,
! dam at Phillips Mill Was erected with
, headgates. the mill rights having been So
{ aside.
Relocation. raised and slagged on,
D section Of the road in Brandywine hundred
10 eliminate food conditions alonl
e Brandywine creek near Beaver Valley
z The Job Of which the county oiHclak
4 are proudest IS the conversion Of the
: Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridge over
I the BrandywIne INTO a highway bridge
Bonds were issued for tins purpose amount
lnc 10 S67 900. The contract work viii cost
t about $4,000 The engineering work vii
cost less than 3 per cent The county
, officials ice! the bridge IS an excellent
! piece Of workmanship.
In addition, many bridges Throughout
the county were replanked. and In many
0 places concrete was substituted for woodeI
slabs.
A concrete culvert over the raceway
at kiamensI wooleu mills II stanton, abC
concrete CUTTERS along Lower avenue i
Bellefonte. were constructed, and tn
county contributed to concretlng street
: through Middletown.
The county purchased by contract
= about 5000 tons of stone and 200,0 0U
: gallons Of road oil, and applied this as
= tar surface treat mcIlt over 100 miles o
:. macadam roadway giving sea- coat u
prevent frost during winter weather.
: Maintained by petrol system abou
j 150 miles Of macadam road, and by drag
= about 80 miles of earth roads were kept Il
: condition.
L IL addition To this. at intervals othe
dirt roads were dragged end scraped total
> ling many niles
For the coming year the county ha
plans under way for the construction OF
bridge to replace the present Elevent
q street structure and a bridge over th
V BrandyUine at Sixteenth aud Marke
streets Several plans are being cor
sdered for the latter, but from a stand
point Of cost and utility, Il Is probable th
old bridge will be replaced with wdt
a structure. The Strengthening out Markt
, street suggested by some, would, il
of figured, be too costly proposition for I'll
% county to entertain II is believed tha
e plan Of replacing the present structul
le with wider bridge would better NEE
o traffic conditions at that point
ID
- DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE.