Evening star., 1928-10-14
MODERN, IMPROVED HIGHWAY +
NOW IN USE FROM EAST TO WEST
Route 80, Available From Ocean to Ocean.
Traverses 3,347 Miles of Territory.
Notable in History.

When the New Jersey legislators
passed a law in 1891 providing for a
certain measure of State participation
in road building (the first State to so
acD. little did they dream that 80 years
later the Federal Government would be
cooperating with the States in the CON-
struction of Federal-aid highway sys-
tenn. And farthest from their dreams.
perhaps. was the fact that in the short
span of 81 years a connected and
traversable highway of 3,347 miles would
be constructed and in operation from
Atlantic City. on the Atlantic. to As
toria, on the Columbia River 10 or Is
miles from where it flows into the
Pacific.
This highway is United States Route
80. In the East it follows the old In
dian trails and traders paths and CO.
lonial roads and passes through his
toric Philadelphia and Gettysburg and
busy Pittsburgh. In the Middle West it
passes through the birthplaces, homes
and final resting places of some of our
noted statesmen and political leaders.
1t slso passes through rich agricultural
sections and through important grain
centers. West of the Missouri it follows
generally the historic Old Oregon Trail
called the Great Medicine Road of the
Whites by the Indians, into oregon and
follows the beautiful Columbia River
practically to the sea.
1,467 Miles Well Paved.
OF the total of 3,347 miles, 1857 miles,
or A per cent, is surfaced with brick
concrete and bituminouS macadan1, ac-
cording to figures of the Bureau Of Pub
lie Roads of the Department of Agri-
culture Three hundred and Sixty-flve
miles, or slightly over 10 per cent, Is
surfaced with oiled gravel or macadam;
965 miles, or almost % per cent, with
gravel, sand-clay and selected material;
529 miles, or almost 16 per cent, is OF
graded and drained earth. OF unim-
proved road there are only 81 miles.
That Route 80 is traversable today
from one end of the continent to the
other Is due in great measure to Fed
eral aid. OF the total of 3,347 miles
.623 miles were improved with Federal
aid. The total cost of the 1923 miles
was $31 ,065,421. to which over A per
cent, or $13,829,086, Of Federal funds
was applied.
From Atlantic City to the Mississippi
a. distance of 819 miles through New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia,
c hio,. Indiana and Illinois, Route 30 Is
/ a paved highway of high and medium
| type surfaces for the entire distance,
according to figures of the Bureau of
Public Roads Classified as high-type
surfaces are pavements of concrete
bituminous concrete and brick. Bridges
also come under this classification. In
| termediate types are water-b bound mac
adam and bituminous macadam. Low
| type construction is graded and
[ IVA
road.
| Many Superior Roads Listed.
Through Iowa Route so is a concrete
road for 201 miles, a gravel road for 81
miles and is graded and drained for 9e
miles. In Nebraska it is brick or con-
! crete for 81 miles. gravel for 274 miles
| graded and drained for 155 miles and
| is unimproved for 81 miles, the only
unimproved stretch on the route. In
wyoming it Is Surface-treated gravel
for 30 miles. is gravel for 80 miles. is
of selected material for 96 miles and
! is graded and drained for 270 miles.
| In Idaho 1t is of concrete and war;
| renite for 81 miles, of gravel and sand
clay for 405 miles and Is graded and
| drained for Is miles. Through oregon
! Route 80 is bituminouS concrete or
concrete road for 218 miles and an
| oiled gravel or macadam road for $40
miles.
| From Atlantic City the famous pleas
ure and health resort Route 80 for So
| miles is paved road westward through
, the level fruit-growing section of New
Jersey to Camden, on the Delaware
River. Camden was originally settled
| by Quakers in 1879. Here Walt Whit
man lived and died and the house is
| now a museum.
Connecting Camden with Philadel-
phia is the new three-mile publicly
owned and operated toll bridge. This
suspension span has largely eliminated
steam ferry transportation of railroad
| trains. automobiles, trucks and other
classes of transportation and passengers