The Sauk Centre herald., 1925-04-16
NOT MUCH PROSPECT
FOR THE SOUTH ROAD.
BIRCHDALE DELEGATION MAKE
INQUIRIES ABOUT SAUK
CENTRE ROAD
LEGISLATURE TO BLAME
MATTER RESTS WITH STATE DE-
PARTMENT-NO DEFINITE
ROAD DESIGNATED ..a

PARTMENT-NO DEFINITE
ROAD DESIGNATED .a.a
A delegation of citizens from Birch
dale attended the County Board meet
ing Monday to make inquiries abou
what is likely to be done with tn
Sauk Centre state road through
Round Prairie and Birchdale this sum
mer, says last weeks Long Prairi,
Leader. 49,.
Inasmuch as this is a state roat
and not county road, the Count,
Board could give no information.
1t is quite probable, however, tina
nothing will be done this summer, &C
cording to those familiar with tn,
situation. The State Highway De
partment has been fuddling arount
for two years trying to decide where
the road is to go and has made M
decision yet. AS it is short of funds
therefore not likely to continue tt
consider the matter further as thu
lack of designated road offers {
good excuse for delay in improve
ment.
The Highway Department is no
wholly to blame, however, as the leg
islature is holding up the entire roae
program trying to agree on what thu
Department finances are to be and o.
course all plans for road construc
tion are held up pending the actor
of the legislature. In all probability
with the funds available the Highway
Department will make the Sauk Cen
er road one of it's early project.
as it is an important road and looms
up strong on the map as one of the
longest stretches of unimproved state
roads in the entire state. Aside from
maintenance the state has not spent
dollar on the road since it tool
over the system and this notwithstand
ing it is one of the most important
roads in Central Minnesota.
A survey has been made to run
the road straight north from the
school house at the foot of the big
hill six miles north of Sauk Centre
If this road is designated it will near
practically newly constructed roac
and the abandonment of the present
road which was built by the county a,
so much expense few year ago. The
new road would touch Round Prairie
village and then come north along the
east side of the track. 1t would re.
quire the acquisition of much right.
of-way and while it would be a short.
er road for the state, would have the
effect of throwing all the present
road back onto the county to main
tain. There would be two expensive
roads through the same neighborhood
and running parallel at distances
tances varying from quarter mile
to u miles.
A route which some of the authori.
ties say has the best chance of being
designated by the State Department
is the new route through Little Sauk
then south on the east side of the
track, skirting Sank lake on the west
and entering Sauk Centre, over what
is known as the ''Narrows." The
Leader was informed Monday by ar
official having much to do with roads
that this route is in high favor with
the Department and may be the route
accepted. Citizens of Little Sauk vii
lage are pulling for this designation
The Birchdale delegation which want
ed the present road, point out that
the road across the "narrows" would
be expensive to build and would be 6
new road to be built. The so-calleC
Fairy lake road now enters Sank Cen.
tire only short distance further west
and they say there is no need so fan
as local travel is concerned of going
to the expense of another roac
through practically the same terri.
tory. The delegation also objects tC
the building of a new road at great
expense north from the school house
on the present state road to Round
Prairie as referred to above. Theil
objection is based on the matter
of expense for a new road when there
is a good road already traversing the
territory. They also object to the
matter of additional expense there
will be to the county if the state
builds another road for itself through
the same territory, thereby leaving
the present road for the county tx
maintain.
The Highway Department has the
whole say in the matter and isn't say
ing very much. But if it gets the
money as a result of legislative ac
tion on gas tax and license tax, there
may be something doing. on this roao
project although probably not unit
1926. %"
There is some talk to the effect
that there is no need of No. a state
road entering Sauk Centre at all
That if it is built south to meet No
28 running east from Grey Eagle tx
Sauk Centre, all the requirements O.
travel will be met and the distance
Of No. a shortened the distance from
where it joins No. % to Sauk Centre
In general way travel to the cities
from the northwest and from all The
county towns north of here is cas-
to the pavement at Little Falls ane
will be southeast to Grey Eagle ano
Upsala to the pavement after the
Grey Eagle-Upsala road is built thi!
summer.