The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1922-07-20
PAVING NEEDED
ON TRUNK ROUTES
Highway Department Shows Cost of
Upkeep of Gravel Surfacing
Under Heavy Travel.
SHOULD AVOID ACCIDENTS
About $2,6O0,00O to be Spent in Main
tanning Highways This Year;
to Gravel $50 Miles.

Average costs of upkeep on Mime
sofa trunk highways marked with the
official numbers on yellow stars, as
given in a new highway department
bulletin, are $3.50 mile on graveled
sections, $123 on pavement and $181
on unsurfaced mileages, the last figure
rated being about the limit that can
be used to advantage on that type.
The highway department estimates
that it is impractical to maintain an
unsurfaced road when the daily travel
is more than 200 vehicles.
Charles M. Babcock, state highway
commissioner, commenting on upkeep
costs during the first year under the
new program, said:
"Only about 80 miles Of paving is
being paid for with state highway
funds this year, the remaining is being
financed with reimbursement money
which must be used in the counties is
suing the bonds. The upkeep expert
ence proves that paving is necessary
on several routes now being main
tanned at excessive cost and will not
only best serve thousands Of highway
users but will release funds for other
needed improvements on the trunk
system. The figures show that when
highway carries more than 1000
vehicles daily the cost of maintaining
gravel surface is greater than that
of paving, interest and all other
charges included"
In addition to the big mileage OF
grading and crawling on Minnesota
trunk routes by contract this season
about $50 miles of gravel surfacing
300 miles of reshaping, also scarifyine
and other special improvements will be
spread by maintenance forces.
It was announced that this week {
special maintenance expenditure Of
$426,125 has been authorized to sur
face 553 miles and to reshape 90 miles
Additional items estimated at $175,O0(
are tc be added upon recommendation!
from. district superintendent some O.
whom have yet to submit their lists
Trunk highway maintenance fund
this year will total about $2,600,000
highway officials stated. After pro
viding for the special improvements
many of which border on the contrac
class, the remainder of the fund is t.
be used for patrol upkeep, bridge re
pairs and other undertakings which
distribute benefits to all parts of tn
state.
! Special maintenance projects will
differ from those Of last year, it wa
explained. During the first year un
der the Babcock good roads plan mucl
new mileage was improved by tn
maintenance forces, while this yea
the operations will be mainly on pre-
vious work, including shaping, surfac
ling and so forth.
i Speeding lure on broad, smooth
straightaway sections of the Mime
sofa trunk highway system is runnin
up accident totals with the railroa
grade crossings, sharp turns and othe
dangerous sections which are bein
made safe as rapidly as possible, say
the current bulletin of the state high
way department.
"The better the road, the greater i
the inclination to over estimate safet
as to speed" said John Fl. Muller
chief highway engineer. "Eliminat
ing railroad grade crossings, clearing
and widening curves, building guar
rails and in other ways, the state i
working to make trunk routes 100 pc
cent safe. But careful driving is tn
first essential to highway safety as i
shown by the large number of acci
dents where the road conditions ar
nearly perfect"
i Dance at Green Lake.
Last Thursday evening the Mason
and tho manohnrc of Tho Ia cforn S+o