The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-12-31


sums if undertaken to any large ex-
tent as it costs fully $4,000 and
over to pave single mile.
Next Years Road Demands
At present, the state highway
department has on file requests
emanating from the various coun-
ties Of the state for state highway
improvement totaling LOO miles OF
earth grading and over 700 miles
requested for gravel surfacinQt
Despite the fact that the gas tai
has been increased to two cents an
has more than doubled the incoue5
of the state highway commissiosl
from this source, the departmenq
will not be able to let contracts next
year for all the Improvement WORK
requested and some of the less in1-s
portant projects must be left 70
the following year. Adding federal
aid, which amounts to 81, zoo, 100000
per year in round figures, the re-s
sources available to the state high
way commission for constructions
purposes and the money which tho
different counties will put up tor
Improvement Of state roads within
their borders, it is doubtful if motel
than 900 miles of earth grading anal
about 700 miles of gravel surfac-t
ing can be put under contract dur-f
ing the coming year. Of course,
by reason of their Importance thef
primary roads will be given first
consideration in the award of these
contracts. ANY diminution Of thel
present income Of the departmentI
will seriously curtail its pr0graml
and render it more Incapable oil
meeting the demands now beingl
made upon it.
Those familiar with rast opera
tions of the highway forces are ALL
agreed that at no time has thel
department been functioning Is
efficiently and as economically ~
at present. Even though the work
is many times in excess of what its
was in the past, the cost of admin-4
istration Of the headquarters ~
Bismarck has not risen, in fact Il
has decreased slightly over that ofs
other years and other chief engin-1
GERS. Manuals of standard prac-a
tees, standard plans and specifica-I
tiOns are being prepared and about
ready for issuance. Besides, there
has been a general keying up and
improvement all along the line.
Improvement of Main Highways fl
Nearly Completed A
By this time next year all of the
more important highways will bes
improved and most of them fullv
gravel surfaced. State Highway:
No. 3, which is now also known e.
u. S. Road No. 10 and generally
called the National Parks Highway
will be completely improved FROM
one end of the state to the othe
and nearly all Of it surfaced with
gravel or scoria. The constructions
work in progress in Stutsman, Kid
der, Burleigh, Morton, Stark,
Golden Valley and Billings counties
should be finished by midsummer.
Those portions not yet improved in
Morton and Stark counties will be
put under contract early in the
spring as will also contracts for
gravel surfacing Of portions all
ready graded. The route will be-
nearly 30 miles shorter than when
used several years ago, and will bel
practically free of all main line
railway crossings. No. 8, the Roose-s
welt trail, also known as U. S. Road
No. 2, will be in similar condi.1
ton, for the short unimproved gapa
between Towner and Rugby will bel
built in the coming season. MuchI
crawling will also be done along
this interstate road. q
The biggest general Improvement
of any interstate road is that now.
taking place on State Highway MOI
l. u. S. Road No. 81, or the Merid-S
ian highway. This is being inn
proved throughout and that mott
already under agreement will ben
taken care in 1927. State high
way No. 4 today can probably
boast Of being the best improycsl]
of any state road. II is not un-y
likely that it will bc the first state
road 100 per cent gravel surf ed.
A determined effort is being .,adca
to complete the entire improvcn mt
of State Highway No. Q and to-
gravel surface it shortly. The .;:..ne.
may be said Of the most northcrly
OF the state roads, State Highway.
No. 5, and it will be a close racag
between this road and state hieh.
way No. 7 which shall be the Hrnts
to be completed.
Of Interest to Bismarck II
Next to the Red Trail, the pei3S
pie Of Bismarck are most interest
in the improvement Of what may
some day be U. S. Road No. 83. as
9 request has been made for such
designation of the road from State
Highway No. s south through
Minot, Underwood, Washburn, Will
ton, Bismarck, Sterling, Linton,
Hazelton and thence on to Pierre,
8. D. This route in part is over
State Highway No. 6, No. 3 and
No. IL. This route is now either
FULLY improved or proposed for
1877 construction for its entire
length except for six mile gap
n Emmons county near the state
line, and the distance from Bis
marck to Wilton. The southern ex-
tremtty will be graveled next year
ana part Of the characterization
section should be under contract
within 2 fortnight. When the work
20 finally completed it will be an
invaluable highway leading into the
Capital City. As this road is part
Of the states primary system, con-
struction work will be pushed as
expeditiously as possible.
The state highway department is
looking forward to . very busy
new year and expects to present to
the people Of the state by the fol.