The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-01-12
STATE MAKES
NEW HIGHWAYS.
RECORD IN '23
More Miles of Work complet-
ed in That Year Than in
Six Preceding Years
BIG PROGRAM AHEAD
Requests For Federal Aid in
1924 Shows Expanded
Program of Building

were completed and accepted by tne
Federal Bureau of Public Roads dur
ing the year 1928 than during the
six year period from 1917 to 1923,
according to figures compiled in the
Office of w. G. Black, chief engineer
and secretary of the Highway Com
mission. Sevent y-four federal aid
projects were completed between
March, 1917, when the highway de-
partment was organized, and January
l. 1928, while during the period from
January / to December 81, 1924,
there were 96 federal aid highway
projects completed and accepted BY
the federal department.
The extensive work done during the
wear 1928 brought the total miles OF
federal highway projects to 1925
miles of earth graded, 379 miles OF
gravel surfaced and 81 miles Of con-
crete surfaced federal aid highways.
The "a projects completed from 1917
to 1923 included $40 miles of earth
grades, ga miles of gravel surfaced
and 1.9 miles of concrete surfaced
highways. The amount OF gravel
surfaced highways increased greatly
during the year 1923. In that year
825 miles were earth graded, 2S5
miles gravel surfaced and 1.S miles
of concrete surface highway were
completed.
Expect Cheaper Work
Changes in the conduct OF the
work will make for cheaper and bet
ter building of roads. it is believed
bv Chief Engineer Black and State
Highway Commission officials In the
past the department has been crlti-
cized for the delay experiences by
contractors in receiving payment on
monthly estimates covering work
completed, it is stated, the contractors
complaining they were forced to pay
interest on borrowed money and add
Tho item to their bid. To remedy
the situation the present commission
created out Of the State Aid re
volvine fund.- from which payments
were made this year on estimates
covering the Federal Governments
share of all construction work. AS
soon as vouchers were received IRON
the federal government this money
was replaced.
The highway commission believes
that when all contractors are guar
anteed prompt payment for then
work and will not experience delays
I'm having their work accepted by the
federal roads bureau the cost OF
building state federal aid highways
will be lessened.
The highway department faces a
busy year. On December 81, accord
ing to the compilation, there was
under contract PIT miles of earth
Graded and "a miles Of gravel sur
faced highways. Atotal Of 598 miles
of new highway construction and 244
miles of gravel surfacing has been
requested by the various counties fol
the wear 1924. Of this 513 miles
have been surveyed, fifty percent OF
which is now designed, plans pre-
pared and ready for early spring let
ing of contracts. Although this
means 33 1-3 percent more mile to
be prepared than in any one year IN
the past, it is being accomplished
with 40 percent reduction in the
force employed in the drafting rAom
according to A. D. McKinnon, pro
ject engineer. :,
The 1924 contracts probably will
be awarded earlier than usual be-
cause of concessions secured from
the Federal Bureau of Public Roads
by Chief Engineer Black, it is stated.
Many contracts, it is expected, will
be let two months earlier in the
wear than has been Customary. per-
mitting actual construction work to
begin as soon as the ground is tit
BY providing longer construction
season it is expected that there Will
be tendency to lower contract
prices, it ls stated.
One Of the important works under
taken by the commission, in the be-
lief of engineers, is the system OF
marking all state highways in the
state. Each highway has been num-
bered and this number with the OIL
cial marker.is being placed on metal
signs along the highways together
with warming and information signs
wherever necessary. This work, it
is added ;s heinp done without spec