The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-19
HIGHWAY CHIEF
FORECASTS BIG
BRIDGE TREND
Snow Removal Program to
Raise Maintenance Figures,
Secretary Says
PAVING COSTS ARE HIGH
Slope Counties 'Straining Every
Energy for More I'm.
prOvements

Dickinson, n. D., Nov. 49,
Twenty-Five to twenty-five million
dollars will be needed to complete
the North Dakota highways system
and surface it. j. J. Ermatinger, Sec
rotary of the state highway COM
mission, declared here today.
Ermatinger was the principal
speaker at the regular meeting Of
the local Rotary club, held here at
noon.
He quoted figures to show that by
January next the highway depart
ment will have either completed or
have under construction for COM
pletion early next year about 1900
miles of earth graded state roads.
Of this mileage, he said, about 2.400
miles will be gravel surfaced and
only 10 miles paved.
Many Roads CnimprOved
At $4,000 per mile, it will cost
more than Sl3,0OO,00O TO complete
the project Of improving the remain
ing $500 miles in the state, he said.
There remains 500 miles Of high
way to be surfaced either with
gravel or scoria, which at a cost Of
$1,000 per mile will cost $l0,000,00O
more.
During the next 10 years." he
continued. lit is probable that no
less than S4,O0O,O0O will be expended
for bridges. We have three bridges
across the Missouri at present and
we may safely predict that within
the next decade two if not three or
even four more structures will cross
the Big Muddy. The department has
just awarded contract for a bridge
1t Grand Forks. We have a gentle
mems agreement with the Mime
sofa department for three bridges
in Fargo and Moorhead. The de-
mand for several bridges across the
Red river is increasing. A legisla-
tive appropriation for a bridge at
Wahpeton is in the making. The
state highway system shows that
ultimately several more bridges
across the Cannon Ball river must
be built and another across the Little
Missouri river
Policy Defended
Some persons are wont to criti-
CHE the state department for lack
Of paving. In the first place, it will
cost from $50, to $4,000 to pave
a mile Of road and the state high
way commission has not the funds
now and never will have sufficient
money to undertake even a very
modest paving program unless our
fiscal policy is changed. Our pres.
ent road surface is only "a feet wide;
for paving it should be at least 30
and preferably So feet for our main
highway. The cost of rebuilding the
old roads will be in the neighborhool
Of $4,000 per mile and at total of
from $4,0OO,O00 to $12,0OO,OOO, de-
pending upon how extensive a paw.
ing program is proposed"
Removal of snow from the state
highways this winter will add con-
siderable to the total cost of main.
tenance, he said. The highway com.
mission has asked for bids on snow
removal equipment. he said. and in
dications are that a new policy will
be followed this year.
New Policy Defended
Heretofore, the burden wa.
thrown on the counties to buy equip
ment while the commission paid q
part of the operating costs. Doubt
less snow removal on state high
ways by the department in the lona
run will be more satisfactory, but i,
will cost q great deal Of money, es
pecially if we have a heavy season.
The Slope country, general,
known as the counties west Of tn,
east line of Emmons, Burleigh, Nc
Lean and Mountrail except Burk'
and Divide, cannot be criticized b,
anyone familiar with past Slope con
ditions, he said. But now tn
Slope is fully alive to the value o
better roads. Stark county ha
bonded itself to provide its shar
of the cost Of state road improve
ment. Others are agitating tn
same procedure, and all counties ar
straining every energy for bette
state highways.
During the present year, tn
state highway department contracte
for the grading Of an average Of /
miles to the county and even the
some counties received nothing. A
the maintenance costs rise, the abil
ity to assist must decrease. Base
on conservative estimates it is m
personal belief that maintenance
costs and income will be equal with
in Z few years"