The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-12-15
SOME WORK ON
ROADS MUST BE
HELD TO 1927
NUMEROUS

commission will be forced to defer
until 1927 road work to the total OF |
100000, an article prepared for pub
LEGATION in the next issue OF the state |
highway bulletin says.
Tho reason given for curtailment !
Of requests from counties is that
there will not be enough money
available to meet the growing demand
for good roads in North Dakota by
o. that amount.
Figures given out by the commits
sion estimate its total available
funds for 1926 at $4,294, 900, where
rs work totaling $4,934,0OO already
has been projected.
The road and general bridge con-
struction program for 1926, calls for
the expenditure Of $3,3S4 900, includ-
ing new road construction and main
tenance Four large bridges in ad-
dition to the small bridge program
are estimated to cost 81 100000.
y Some Money Left Over
Even the program which the COM
mission will attempt to complete
would not be possible were it not for
the fact that $67l .237.Sl of federal
aid money, available for use TINS
wear. was not spent and will be used
in 1926.
Under the present system, the
article points out, the federal aid
funds available fixed by the allotment
for 1926 was 81 lSO,699. BY adding the
amount unspent this year the com
mission estimated that a total OF
Sls5l,936.s7 in federal aid funds
will be available for use next year
To carry out all of the work request
ed for 1926. the article points out,
if would require S2,49- 900 in federal
aid funds
Despite the prospective shortage
oc funds. however, the commission
NAV he able to do all Of the work re-
uuestcd of it by the various coun-
ties, the article explained, because
sollc Of the counties may not carry
to completion the road-building plans
contemplated for 1926. Another fac
tor which may relieve the situation
is the fact that all Of the bridges
NAV not be sufficiently advanced as
to require the full appropriation next
wear. This is particularly true OF
me bridges across the Missouri river
mt Williston and Sanish which are
not scheduled for completion until
the summer Of 1927.
Work Requested
Work which the highway commits,
sion has been asked to do by conn'
ties includes the grading Of 6s5 miles
of roadway at an estimated cost o1
s.olO 900: yravcling of 81 miles a,
an estimated cost Of $l,l44 900 anl
''the four major bridge projects whi'f
are estimated To cost as follows;
Williston bridge, $75O,o00; Sanisf
bridge. $i5O,O0O; interstate bridge
netwaen Fargo and Moorhrad, $500,
COO, one half to be paid by Nortf
Dakota and one half by Minnesota
and the Des Lacs bridge, $loO,ooo.
Pointing to the fact that the de
mand for more and better roads Il
increasing rapidly, the article set
forth that the state will reach II
1926 the peak program possible uh
der present laws.
Under the present system so pc
cent of roadbuilding costs are born
by the government through the 'ea
cral aid system. 20 per cent D! IN
) state and rs per cent by the count
in which the improvement is made
Has Reached Top Speed
Pointing out that 1.-The state high
wav commission can not build road
at greater rate of speed than
now obtains" and that "it is nc
likely that federal aid in large
amount will be granted to the stat
in the future" the article declare
that it twill be necessary to reduc
the amount Of federal aid TO D
granted to any project and to max
IN tho shrinkage from state source
in order to build roads at sreale
rate of speed"
Continuing the article declare
.h.+ "ovon If this be done in the nea
future and the revenue Of the higf
wav department not increased
will be probably 1880 before the az
partment can again build highway
at the 1928 rate"
OF the 7,434 miles of roadway
the state the federal government n;
approved of 6,488 miles to partic
pate in federal aid funds, VI tf
entire system 36 per cent has bee
graded. or 2,709 miles and 10 p'
cent, or LII miles have been grave
ed. At the present rate Limited .
federal aid income, the article poin
). ont. it will require 10 years to in
prove the whole system on the pre-
emit cost basis. If grading work
continued on the same basis as pr
jected for 1926 the job will ha'
been completed by 1921, the artic
estimates. and if crawling IS co
tinued at the proposed 926 rate
will be 1885 before that work is II
ished.
To Pave Would Stop Other Work
Under the present financial a
rangement, the article points out:
hard surface road paving can be do
without almost eliminating the wo
of grading and crawling since pa
ing costs between $4,000 and 50
600 a mile. The article conten
that a daily traffic of 1900 cars a
trucks day makes paving mo
economical than grayeling becau
Of the high cost Of keeping gray
roads in good condition under hea
traffic.
The article estimates that
CENTS from the gasoline tax will
sufficient to maintain roads airea
improved and that. increased J
ceipts because Of the greater numb
of ears using the roads will offs
the additional demand for such We