Milford chronicle., 1924-01-04
Mr.. Buck Says More Than SO Miles
Have Been Built In Past Year.
Cheaper Method Followed.
RECOMMENDS new ROUTES
Report Carries His Suggestions For
Completion Of System. Praises
Police. Would Tax Signs.

c. Douglas Buck, Chief Engineer of
the State Highway Department sub
mitted his annual report to the High
way Department on Tuesday. In it he
gives information of vital interest to
all residents of Delaware. His sugges-
lions and deductions are worthy of
careful consideration. The report
shows that during the year Just closed
a total of 1916 miles of hard-surfaced
highways were constructed. This sur
passed all previous Delaware State
Highway construction records. During
the year contracts were awarded for
100 miles of road. The estimated cost
of construction for these roads was
S3,4S2,09 On this a saving of ap-
prOXimately S183,O00 has been saved
by the adoption of a different method
of road construction. The new princi-
pal involved has proven so satisfac-
tory that it will be used on all Della
ware hard surface road construction
in the future. The total of improved
hard surface roads completed and in
use by the Highway Department to
date is 354 miles.
Mr.. Buck says that during the year
IS miles of preliminary road surveys,
1908 miles of construction surveys
and 43 miles of final surveys have
been carried on by the department in
different sections of the State. In adj
ditiOn to this, detail plans and esti-
mates were prepared by the 1908 |
miles of roads awarded and put under
construction.
1.-THE combined cost of bridges and |
culVerts, excluding the Seaford bridge |
averaged $1,7170 per mile as compar-
ed to $3.50 per mile in 1922.
During the year new rights of way
have been secured on 81 contracts,
tOtaling 1908 miles in length; OPP
lions have been secured from 544
property owners and fee simple titles
have been taken in the name of the
State Of Delaware to 462 properties
at a total cost of $79,OO6,7 200. In addi-
ton II properties have been secured ]
by condemnation proceedings, the to- {
tai of these awards being $6,82744. S
"The average cost of rights of way {
per mile for all highways constructed
during the year, has been $842.39. This
is substantial reduction from any 7
previous year, and reflects the change
in public opinion and the growing ap-
probation, by the property owners of
the State, of the benefits of the State
Highway system to their properties.
This change has been in evidence
Turing the past two years or more, II
and is equally shown in the awards
made by condemnation commission
srs.
"The most important event in our
season occurred October
Il when the last foot of concrete was l..
aid for the DUPONT boulevard. With no -
recognition, save a blast from the =
whistle of the contractors mixer, the -
dupont road, the greatest personal II II
contribution known in the history of u
he world, to the good roads of any ma a a
ion, was completed for it's entire -
ength Of 96.7 miles, with the one ex- " "
,eption of 1900 feet at Drawers "
,reek in New Castle county, where by al
easOn of the unsettled condition of us
he new roadbed the surfacing cannot
'e of concrete and must be temporar- 81 81
ly postponed. This work when under Nl
aiken in 1924 will be financed by the u
state, as the unusually heavy con- ~ VI
truction involved in the unfinished 10
ection, will be in excess of the guar vi
nteed cost of $4,000 per mile. Con- e1
tituting as it does the backbone Of On
he entire State system of improved 10
highways the worth of the DUPONT an
Continued on page a tn