The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1922-08-23
Would Reverse Utah's S
Road-buildine Program
Ask That Lincoln Highway Route In
Utah Be Designated As
Primary Road

4
the Federal Bureau of Public Roads,
at San Francisco, setting forth the
attitude of the state of Utah towards
the construction of highway across
the western half of that state and
recommending that the Lincoln
Highway In Utah be designated as
the primary route to join the Lin
coin Highway, or southern route
across the state of Nevada. The
communication reads in part as fol-
lows:
Utah early announced that it
would construct but one highway to
its westerly border. 1t also an
nounced that positively 1t would con-
slider only what is known as the
Wendover road.
In Nevada il was imperative that
two east and west highways be con-
structed: one through the northern
portion of the state; the other
through the central portion. Inas-
much as intimations have been made
that in the semi-arid states the pri-
mary requirements for construction
would not be insisted upon, which
meant that actually there was little
difference between primary and sec
ondary construction, Nevada had no
decided preference.
While ii was true that the Cen
trail route. known as the Lincoln
highway, more nearly correlated all
the important state highways than
did the northern or Victory high
way, Nevada realized that the con-
struction would be practically ident-
ical on either and that their techni-
cal compliance with the provision of
and interstate connection would
have no material effect on the SER
vice rendered to the people of the
state. Therefore, Nevada named the
northern route as primary SO as to
make connections with the only road
which Utah had said 1t would con-
struct to the west. Information
which has been received is that Ne
vada would as soon designate one as
the other as primary and would un-
doubtedly be willing to change its
designation If by so doing the well
fare of the state could be better
served.
II Vi q iOn6 tlllt oludCnlS III lOdu
construction were at loss to under
stand why Utah was SO insistent on
road which was generally believed
to be practically impossible of eco
nomical construction and mainte-
nance. For over six years the Wen
dover road has been under construc-
tion. Each winter has seen it prac-
tically wiped away Those who ques-
toned its feasibility have long hoped
that the road would some day be
completed, and so proclaimed, SO
that the theory either of its oppon-
ents or its proponents would be
proven.
In December, 1921, the Wendover
road was officially announced as
completed. This announcement
was made by the sponsors OF
the road and also by the gov
ernor and state highway commits
sion. The grade was completed at
what was considered to be a salts
factory height and width, with a
satisfactory covering of gravel. Pre-
sumably the minimum width at any
point was twenty feet. At points
where erosion of water was feared
breakwaters were erected to over
come such difficulty. Three months
later we find this road for several
miles reduced to a width of from six
to eight feet, with the breakwaters
battered down and the road barely
passable for a single car; absolutely
too narrow for two cars to pass at
any point and water erosion appar-
emily as marked on the side presum-
ed to be protected by the railroad
grade as on the side toward the
open fats.
II is evident that the method OF
construction heretofore adopted is
not feasible for that section of high
way. 1t is unquestionably true that
a highway can be built in this loca-
tion II II is done as the Western Pa
cific did at cost of approximately
fifty thousand dollars per mile and
probably five hundred dollars pei
mile. But, what is there to justify
the people of Utah in assuming a
burden of construction and mainte-
nance of this proportion?
On the other hand, We find the
Seiberling section of the Lincoln
highway in the same county, partial
ly completed in the year 1919, prac.
tically abandoned on days notice;
seventeen miles graded. seven miles
graveled, no dressing of dirt portion
ever made, no compacting of grave
ever done; no finish to any part oi
it; constructed by elevating grader;
which left deep burrow pits as chan
nels for running water; insufficient
culverts, and a generally incomplete
lob such as would not stand In ordi
nary open dry country. Yet, IL
spite of all this, the seven miles
which received its gravel is in prac
tically as good condition as wher
the Job was abandoned. with the ex
ception of a point four and a hal
miles from the west end where in
sufficient culverts were provided.
The dirt portion has had no cart
at all until early in June of thil
year when private citizen of Golt
Hill, Utah, on his own initiative
dressed up the road sufficiently 81
that 1t now carries all of the west
ern interstate travel, and that with
out difficulty.