Ashland weekly tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1919-1924, 1921-08-31
JACKSON COUNTY

JAChSON tOlNI1
During the years 1919-192O 4
very extensive road building program
has been undertaken in this county.
Contracts were let for the Pacific,
. the Ashland-Klamath Falls and the
Medford-Crater Lake highways.
Jackson county enjOyes the dis
tinction of being the only county on
the Pacific highway in which the
entire distance has been placed un-
der contract for paving, The con-
tracts awarded during the past two
years cover total paving distance
of Al miles, OF which a very small
portion remains uncompleted at the
present time. When these few un-
completed sections are finished, the
entire Pacific highway from the
Josephine county line to the Cali
fornia state line, total distance of
sixty-one miles, will have been paved
and will furnish first class all year
road through the county.
The greatest obstacle to through
traffic during the winter season has
been the condition OF the portion
over the Siskiyou mountains. The
paving OF this stretch is nearing COM
pletion at the present time, how.
ever, and it is not expected .that
more than two miles will remain
A., unpaved at the end of the present
season This short section will be
rocked in order that the highway
may be open to traffic all winter,
In addition to the paving work on
the Pacific highway, two dangerous
grade crossings have been eliminated
} by the construction OF concrete over
crossings, one at Tolo and the other
south OF Ashland over the Rogue
, river at Rock Point, the department
, has constructed a reinforced con-
B crete arch which has elected a GER
! tain amount of very favorable COM
, ment. Neil creek has been spanned
three times with concrete bridges.
Two wood trestles have been placed
north Of Central Point and two con-
crete bridges constructed north of
Gold Hill. South Of Ashland on the
Ashland-Green Springs Mountain
road section, the location has been
revised in order to build around the
proposed reservoir to be constructed
by the Talent irrigation district.
On the Ashland klamath Falls
highway the state and county are
cooperating in the construction of
a new road over the Green Springs
Mountain summit. The contracts
have been awarded for distance of
nineteen miles, beginning at the Pa
cific highway and extending east
Much of this work is at an altitude
OF between 1000 and 5000 feet and
owing to the shOrtness of the work.
ing season will not be completed un-
I'll next spring. The grading of the
four remaining miles in Jackson
county as well as the balance of the
highway to Klamath Falls in Klam-
ath county, have been ordered for
construction by the state highway
commission, and in all probability
/ VIII be started early next season.
The completion of this highway will
afford an easy and convenient route
for travel between the eastern and
western sections OF the southern half
of the state. At the present time
much of the traffic prefers to take
the roundabout route going south
into California and making the trip
via Ager and the Topsy road AS
soon as the construction now under
/ way by the state is completed, it
viii not be necessary to take this
roundabout way, as the new location
eliminates all the bad features of
the old road.
On the Medford-Crater Lake high
way, 22.2 miles OF grading have
been completed between Prospect
and the National Park boundary, and
six miles are being surfaced. This
work is being done as a forest ROAD
project and is being carried on un-
der federal supervision. On Noyem-
ber the highway commission
awarded contracts for the grading
aud bridges on the 1895 miles be-
tween Agate and Trail. This work
VIII be carried to completion during
the 1921 season.
In carrying out the extensive pro-
gram in this county. the state high
way commission has been aided and
aasisted by the hearty cooperation
Of the Jackson county court.
All work in the county has beer