The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-12-31
1880 Miles Are Earth Graded
or Improved Dirt Roads
1878 Miles Have Been
Graded and Gravel Surfaced
10 Miles Paved-Big Pro.
gram For 1928


highway system an, also 5s4 miles
additional gravel surfacing and about
four miles scorio surfacing. Conse-
quently, out Of the $500 miles which
comprise the State Highway System
1880 miles arc earth graded or I'M
proved dirt roads and l,723 miles
have not only been graded but also
gravel surfaced and about 10 miles
have been paved. The total number
of miles of the state highway system
which have been improved runs tc
the handsome figure Of 1924, which
is about 425 miles short of being
half Of the entire state highway
system.
At the close of the construction
season the department had still in
process of building 476 miles Of
earth grading Of which 258 miles
are about 90 per cent completed.
When this work is finished over half
Of the highway system will have been
improved. Likewise there were 2S4
miles of gravel roads incomplete, of
which about half is 80 per cent
gravel surfaced.
During the past year, also. con-
struction of the Lewis and Clark
bridge at Williston was completed
and likewise the Verandrye bridge
at Sanish-two excellent structures
which are doing much to promote
intercourse between the various por-
tions Of the northwest section of the
state. The department at present is
building bridge across the Little
Missouri river Ii miles south Of Wat
ford City at point known as Chal.
loner's Ferry. This structure will
b. ready for public use early in the
spring.
Maintenance Costs
In addition to it's road building
program the department has expend-
ed large sum of money for the
daily maintenance and patroling OF
the completed state highways. 1t
has also done no little re-graveling
and re-surfacing on WORKOUT gravel
roads. Owing to the erosion, due
to wind and water, Of the older dirt
roads it was necessary to re-shape a
number of the older dirt roads and
bring them up to the standard of
. newly built highway. In order to
aid in keeping the main roads Of
the state open for winter travel the
department purchased and erected
something like 100000 lineal feet
Of snow fence. 1t now has in place
approximately 100000 feet Of snow
fence which, if placed end to end,
would cover LAP miles. The depart
inent believes that snow prevention
is more effective in North Dakota
than endeavoring to remove snow
from all the highways by means Of
snow removal equipment, such as
caterpillars and snow plows. 1t may
surprise some people to learn that
in exclusive snow prevention work
it will cost the highway department
something like $4,000 dollars year
remove the snow in cooperation
with the various county boards desir-
ing the same.
Main Highways Completed
With the exception Of few minor
gaps, all Of the u. S. roads in the
state have been earth graded and the
major portion thereof gravel sur.
faced, except U. $. No. IS in the west
end of the state. One can travel
over U. S. Road No. 2 for its entire
length on improved highway with
the exception of 10-milc ap be-
tween Rugby and Towner which is
still in process of construction and
which will be finished early next
year. Most Of this road also is
gravel surfaced.
retween Bismarck and Fargo the
whole stretch has been improved and
will be gravel surfaced completely
early in the spring, some portions
under contract for crawling remain
ing to be done in Stutsman and Bur-
leigh counties. From Mandan west
ward construction work will be begun
next year for the unimproved por-
tions in Morton and Stark Counties
and by fall the entire highway will
be built. U. S. No. 81 running
through Wahpeton. Fargo and Grand
Forks is now complete except small
portion in Pembina county still under
construction. 1t should be fully
gravel surfaced by the close Of 1928,
State Highway No. is entirely built
and about 80 pc cent gravel SUR
faced. State Highway No. 4 is
. about completed AMI mostly gravel
1surfaced; some construction work is
6Etill pending south Of Jamestown
none Of the best east and west roads
TIN the State is State Highway No. Z
switch is about 80 per cent grave
surfaced. Not far behind is State
Highway No. 5, close to the Canadian
border, which should be fully eartf
Graded by the close of the year ane
about so per cent gravel surfaced
State Highway No. 8, which cut:
diagonally across the state through
Valley City, Darlington, Harvey
1finot and on to Bowbells, is also
nearing completion. u. S. No. 8;
has been improved and is rapid,
being surfaced.
No. 6 Nearly All Improved
State Highway No. 6 from Bis
9narck north is entirely improved
except for 8 stretch between Under
wood and Coleharbor, which is II
!. process Of construction, and . small
stretch from Bismarck north tx
baldwin, the contract for which ha,
rot yet been let, but no doubt will
"a on the construction program fol
1923. II is gravel surfaced from
State Highway No. 5 southwark t.
Max, Ward county already having
surfaced some years ago. There ART
also short stretches Of crawling il
tho neighborhood Of Wilton and
Washburn.
IN Construction Program
under the terms Of the act passet
r. ~ last session Of the Legislature
~ SDtnte highway commission vii
Vt IT. 1928 construction program