The Mankato free press., 1922-06-23
ON ROADS
KEEPS UP RECORD
RAPID PROGRESS SECOND
YEAR Is NOTED
ISSUANCE OF BULLETIN
Highway Dollars Are Being
Stretched And The Motor
lists Benefited.

efuately maintain Minnesota's T.
000- mile primary road system un-
der the grind of record traffic and
to extend permanent betterments as
fast as curtailed funds will permit
are summarized in a bulletin this
week from the state highway de-
partment 1t covers the entire state
shows that highway dollars are be.
ing stretched to take advantage of
unusually favorable costs and other
advantages, and indicates that ev-
cry section Is sharing in benefits.
The bulletin follows general re-
ports that tourist travel now is the
heaviest in state annals that
Minnesota already is beginning to
get indirect profits from good roads
in greatly icreased measure. Car
owners are beginning to profit
through savings on car upkeep,
gasoline and tires in excess Of tax
es paid. Every rural locality is be-
ginning to benefit and to see the
earlier advent of all season high
ways and every city and town is
enjoying increasing prosperity
from tourist travel which is filling
camps and resorts.
Charles NJ Babcock, state highway
commissioner, comments briefly on
the results supporting good roads
claims. ."Other states, like Mimi
nesota," he said. "aTe realizing
more and more that a good road
pays for ITSELF, and if this state is
to maintain its advanced position,
good roads advocates must give en-
thusiastie support to continuation of
the program along broader lines. 1t
is only good business to speed plans
to get the biggest measure of prof
it's" -
How the highway forces are
working to keep the routes smooth
traffic and to build maximum new
improvements in spite of curtailed
funds is shown in reports from six
teen maintenance districts. Items
for this section include the follow
ing:
District No. 14-R. ]. Short, Man
kato, maintenance superintendent.
Contract projects and maintenance
operations now are progressing salts
factorily in this highway district.
Betterments run from routine patrol
work to big grading and surfacing
undertakings by contract and
current review lists these:
Trunk Highway No. 5.-From the
state line through Blue Earth and
Mankato tbs is\pow rated a good
highway.
by state crew of the Blue Earth
river bridge is late Improvement.
Trunk Highway No. 7.-On the
Mankato- Janesville section in ad-
vance Of extensive grading opera
tions concrete culverts are being
built. A detour north around this
section is well marked and in good
shape. -..
Trunk Highway No. 9.-Between
turn is being made less dangerous
by cutting the corner at the Jake
Bergsather farm.
In Blue Earth City, state forces
are re- gravelling streets carrying
the trunk routes through the town,
and bridges have been repaired and
refioored.
South OF Wells, another bridge
has been repaired and refioored.
Trunk Highway No. 15.-Be-
tween Madelia and Truman, exten-
sfve re-shaping operations are well
advanced and scheduled for com
pletion next month.
North of Madelia. construction of
a large concrete culvert has started.
Trunk Highway No. 16.-West
from Butterfeld, reshaping and
gravel surfacing improvements are
being made to connect with those
In maintenance district No. Is.
Trunk Highway No. 21.-On the
St.Peter- Cleveland section the big
construction work is progressing
rapidly now and the improved mil
cage will be reopened on schedule
time.
Trunk Highway No. 22.-Between
Gaylord and Norseland, II miles Of
new construction has been put
throug b in record time and the big
project will be completed within 80
days.
Trunk Highway No. 3s.-In this
district has already been improved
by the state and is now in good
condition.
District No. BE v. H. Brown
Albert Lea, Maintenance superinten
dent. Generally satisfactory CON
struct1on progress and maintenance
results are listed in this district and
many highway betterments are
scheduled here as funds can be pro-
yided. The superintendent's fol-
lows:
Trunk Highway No. Near
Glenville, the bridge over Shell
Rock River, has been re- ioored and
repainted by contract.
South Of Owatonna gravel is be-
Ing spread on a section previously
reshaped under the new state pro-
gram. The gravel surfacing was
part OF the winter program and was
held up about Jan. ! but is now to
be pushed to completion.
The Owatonna southwark section
has been surveyed in advance of
plans for its permanent Improve
ment when funds are available
Between Faribault and Owatonna,
several proposed locations have
been surveyed, this being among the
frst- listed sections to be paved.
The Faribault- Northfield pave
ment is receiving attention and a
crew this week finished the filing of
expansion openings.
Trunk Highway No Running
from Dodge Center to Janesville in
this district, the route is in good
condition.
Through owatonna, the route is
being surveyed by party which be-
gan work this week aud the state
department plans early permanent
improvements here.
Trunk Highway No. 9.-East of
Austin special equipment is being
used to help the patrolmen keep the
surface smooth under heavy traffic
Through Albert Lea extensive i'm