The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-08-27
Mileage of Standard Graded
Roads Now Is $3.50, While
Only 1898 Miles were,
Graded January l, 1926
Gravel Mileage Jumps from
ass to 1,465 in Same Period

More. stress must be placed upon
the HYavcling of state roads by the
highway department In order to
maintain the road system on a parity
with the states needs, Governor A.
&. SOrlie said in review of the
highway situation here today.
Heavy pressure being brought to
bear upon the highway commission
for the further expansion of the
graded road system and lack of money
to do all of the work needs at once
presents a serious problem, the >ex-
ecutivc said. Requests for the grad
ing Of l,421 miles more than the
commission has funds to improve al
ready are on file with the commits
sion, the governor said, and although
much of this will be done next year
some Of it must go over until 1929,
according to present indications.
Improving System Fast
Few people have any idea just
how fast We are improving our State
Highway System, the governor said.
There are $500 miles in the entire
system and by the end of this year
about half of this will be earth grad
ed and drained. About half Of the
improved state roads were built in
VIZ S0St tWO 0uU HAIL years. Ou
January 1st, 1926, there were 1893
day our graded mileage is 5000 miles.
Therefore, since January, 1925, the
present highway administrations has
finished and paid for 1897 miles and
we still have few months more be-
fore the construction season Closes"
Governor A. G. Sorlie, chairman Of
the State Highway Commission,
stated.
"On August 18th, we had S44 miles
under grading construction. OF this,
AL miles or over half is ninety per
cent complete and should be ready for
final acceptance by the department
within a very short time, especially
il weather conditions are favorable
so that the contractors can complete
the work., the governor continued.
"Only 455 miles Of state roads had
been gravel surfaced up to the be-
ginning of 1925, though the State
Highway department was organized
in 1917. Today we have 1,465 miles
of gravcled state highways completed
and in use by the public with some
455 miles under construction Of which
200 miles are 80 per cent finished.
l anticipate that before the close of
the present season we will have over
1900 miles Of graveled highways in
our state system. Thus, it will be
noted that during the past three
years, when the present season closes,
we shall have graveled about three
times rs many .miles OF the State
Highway System as was completed in
the first seven or eight years Of the
commissions existence.
Ma A.,~41~A1~
s.Now that is what should call a
have done considerably more work
had funds been available and we
could have kept better pace with the
demands for more and better state
highways. At present, the State
Highway Commission has on file re-
quests from boards Of county COM
missioners for the grading Of 1921
miles for which It has no funds to
build and we must wait until next
year. In fact, some Of the improve
mGnts may have to go over until
1890. No doubt next year there will
BE- even Z heavier demand. Today
We are Building every mile that our
income permitesand so cannot enlarge
our program 81 construction. Even
at the IAte ~ are building it will
take Ab0ot eight years to complete
the entire State Highway System.
NOR m1et ~ overlook the fact
that we have a1oo eon0tructed three
large bridges, Athe Lewis and Clark,
the verendrye and The Pembina
structures, besides two Valley City
bridges within the past thrse years,
and that we have the tar1o, the
Grand Forks, the ahpeeop .lsA Lit.