The Bismarck tribune., 1929-04-26
DETAILED REPORT
ANALYZES HIGHWAY
BUILDING IN 1928
Secretary Ermatinger Makes
First Statement Of Its Kind
Every Given Commission
MILE engineering s419.e3
Fluctuations From $53.62 to
$30O.44 Credited to Prelim.
mary Planning Work

Analysis OF cost data on l3 different
road building projects shows that 1t
cost the state highway department
$4,262.45 per mile for earth grading.
of which $4l9.e3 represents engineer
ing costs.
Submitting a detailed report cover
ing l3 projects which totaled $l,ll0.-
22O.l3 on the 1923 construction pro-
gram, J. J. Ermatinger, secretary OF
the highway commission said:
Conforming to the suggestion made
at the last meeting. am re-submit-
ting in greater detail statement
showing the cost of earth grading
projects 'finaled' during 1928, together
with the engineering costs for each.
In addition there are also submitted
analyses Of l3 projects, two from each
division except Valley City.
This is the first time to my know
ledge that analyses Of this type have
been made by the department. About
three years ago I made q few detail
analyses Of similar kind and sub.
mitted the same to Mr.. Moe Com
missioner /. J. Moe Of Valley City,
with the suggestion that the disclo-
sures merited thorough investiga-
ton and the need for current reports
OF a like nature. The suggestion was
brushed aside as inmtaerial. No
business, especially Of the magnitude
of the department OF state highways,
can operate successfully unless cost
data is produced. studied and acted
upon. Unless executives arc interested
in real efficiency, public agencies will
run themselves and not economically.
THE summary report shows
fluctuation In preliminary engineer
ing costs from $53.62 per mile to
$380.4A per mile with an average Of
$l74.19 or 80 per cent Of the total
cost per mile. Construction engineer
ing costs vary from $4795 to $425.33
per mile. with an average cost per
mile OF $245l2. or So plus per cent
of the total average cost. The total
engineering Is 9.8 plus per cent Of the
entire cost of the average mile. or
$4l903. The percentages range from
6.4 per cent to 22.5 per cent engineer
ing for the individual projects. Pre-
liminary engineering includes survey
parties and plans or design. while
construction engineering embodies su-
pervision by the division engineers
and resident engineers and inspectors
In charge Of the work. AS the analysis
covers 26O miles Of earth grading. the
total cost of which. including engi-
\ neering. totaled $l.ll0,22013, the data
: furnishes ample information for
sound judgments or criticism.
"The thirteen detail analyses arc:
bismarck Division: Burleigh
clpn1v, state highway No. 6, Bismarck
/ n inward. and Mercer county. state
IN Awhy No. Is. Golden Valley west.
In the latter, the engineering cost
per mile was 97 per cent or $483.l7
per mile. OF this cost 80 per cent
was for travel expense and the bal
ance for salaries. The work was COM
pleted ten months after the time
fixed in the contract. In the Bur-
leigh county job. the engineering cost
was 1l.9 per cent or 4474.37 per mile,
due In part to very heavy prelim-
mary charges because of the work
first done by q private engineer, then
rejected and re-surveyed by the de-
partment. II we omit these private
charges the rate would be 9.5 per