White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-10-14
HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION
REJECTS WENDOVER ROUTE

'~E
house. Our board is at a loss to un
derstand what basis exists for the
consideration Of these possible routes
via Baker into Ely.
Neither of these routes as a whole
is at the present time any more than
the Lincoln highway, on the state or
federal aid system of Nevada and
Utah. Neither of them is in as good
condition as the Lincoln way is at
the present time. They are not as
short as the Lincoln way. They
could never be made as short and as
direct. Neither of them is in line
with any material volume OF travel.
The Delta Route
Taking up your first suggestion
as to the possibility of a connection
from Salt Lake City by way of Delta
and Baker to Ely, We find the dis
tance via this route between Salt
Lake City and Ely to be 342.2 miles
The present Lincoln way by way Of
ibapah is 1884 miles from Salt Lake
City to Ely, a difference of SS.S miles
in favor of the Lincoln way route. or
the Delta route the first 1852 miles
are on the state highway system of
Utah and on the federal aid, system
approved by you. This comprises
the distance from Salt Lake City to
Delta. However, from Delta west
for lie miles to Baker to the Utah
line is not on the state or federal aid
system and the existing trail travers-
ing the desert in Millard county has
never received any material improve
ment %traverses a desert countrymuch
the same as that crossed by the Lin
coin way further north, is not used
at present by any through traffic. and
receives but a very small local
travel, there being practically no
population along this route in Utah.
What advantages the adoption of this
route as a part of the Lincoln way
would bring to the main travel using
that route across America we are
unable to visualize. OF the next six
ty-four miles from Baker to Ely in
Nevada thirty-seven miles are not on
the Nevada state highway system or
on the federal aid system. The
duOpJlOu VI tuI0 ~uSStotCu lOltc ny
way of Delta would, therefore, neces-
state the addition to the state and
federal aid systems of Utah and Ne
vada of lat miles Of road not now
considered of sufficient Importance
to be on the state highway system
and which would require. if improve
ments were to be accomplished, the
addition of this mileage to the fed
eral aid system over and above the
present approved mileage thing
we do not believe is possible.
The NewhOuse Route
Taking up, now, the connection
via Newhouse which you suggest, we
find the distance from Salt Lake City
10 Ely via Beaver, Milford and New
house to be 3s4.7 miles. AS above
stated the length of the Lincoln way
at present from Salt Lake City via
Ibapah to Ely is 1884 miles. The
adoption of the Newhouse connec-
tion would, therefore, increase the
length of the Lincoln way by 141.3
miles. What would be gained by
this procedure?
The existing road from Salt Lake
City to Newhouse. a distance of 1867
miles. is ON the state and federal
aid systems and the existing route
from Salt Lake City to Beaver is in
excellent condition. However, from
Newhouse for a distance of sixty
four miles to the state line near
Baker, Nevada, is not on the state
or federal aid systems, and the eX
listing trail through the same desert
followed by the road from Delta is
in bad shape, receives little travel,
serve nc local population, and pre-.
sents in no way a gain over the
present route OF the Lincoln way
This latter route would follow the
same line from Baker to Ely as would
The route from Delta, necessitatIng
The addition of thirtv-seven miles be-
tween Baker and Ely to the state and
federal aid system of Nevada.
No Reason for a Change for the
Worse
Why it should be suggested that
this association adopt unused desert
trails not in line with main travel
and not in line for improvement, add
ing between ninety and $50 miles to
the length of the Lincoln way in. or
der to reach Ely from Salt Lake City
by a devious and poor route differ
ent from the existing Lincoln way,
we cannot see!
The Lincoln highway IS the main
travelled road! now.
A recent traffic census taken by
the Nevada state highway commits
sion showed a heavier traffic on the
Lincoln highway in Nevada between
the Nevada state line and Ely than
on any other road in the state of Ne
vada with the exception of the pave.
ment traffic around Reno.
The Lincoln way is carrying al,
traffic bound tor northern California
west of Salt Lake City this year. 1.
is in very fair condition in spite of
the heavy travel--better IN fact than
it has hepn for vaare--dua tO lopaI