The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-11-13
HIGHWAY STAFF HAS
PLAN TO FINANCE
CLEARING ROUTES.
On important Sections of N. D.
Road System Aid Will Be
$25 to Mile
COUNTIES BUY EQUIPMENT
First Attempt to Keep Lines
Open During Winter by
State Machines Failed
COUNTIES BUY EQUIPMENT

kota highways this winter Will be
carried out under a cooperative plan
between the state highway depart
ment and counties. :
On the more important routes the
department will assist counties to the
extent of S25 a mile. and OF the
less important routes aid will be fur
nished to the extent of $40 a mile.
North Dakota has a comparatively
extensive state highway system, con-
sidering the population served" H. E.
Fowler, assistant maintenance en2i-
neer for the department, said in eX-
planning the plan.
Our system of $500 miles serves
a population of less than zoo 900. AS
a result traffic is light. Snow re-
moval under these conditions pre-
sents somewhat of a difficult eco
nonic problem, in addition to that OF
the usual snoW removal routine OF or
ganisation, methods and procedure,
which is Of primary Importance on
heavy-traffic routes. Snow removal is
an expensive activity. 1t requires
costly units maintained In first-clasS
condition at all times. Heated garages
and shop facilities for storage, servic-
ing and repair work must be con
veniently located and maintained
throughout the state.
Winds Swept Grades Solution
unfortunately for us, snow re-
moval costs 90 not vary in accord
ance with the traffic density. In other
words, it costs nearly as much to
keep open a highway carrying a traf-
fic of SO vehicles per. day during the
winter months in the snow belt as
for a highway carrying 5000 vehicles
per day. However, in one respect the
state is in a fortunate position. Our
highways are mostly of the lOW-coSt
type. earth-graded and gravel sur
faced. Very little has been spent in
the way Of high-type, expensive sur
facing. Therefore, to meet this CON-
paratively recent demand for year.
around open roads We can reconstruct
and relocate u roads to consist
largely of wind-swept grade lines
which will maintain themselves free
Of snow, at q very small loss of the
original investment. Older states in
the snow belt are not SO fortunate in
this respect. and can only choose be-
tween an expensive SnoW-remoVal
program or reconstruction Sacrltlc-
ing present costly road surfaces.
Winds Cause Packing
LAS in all prairie states within the
snow-belt area, our problem in main
tanning open winter roads is not due
so much TO the amount of snowfall,
which averages some 50 inches annu-
ally, as to other governing factors and
conditions. North Dakota'S topography
is largely gently rolling, with very
little timbered lands other than small
groves planted at building sites.
while tornadoeS are practically
unknown, moderately strong winds are
conducive to drifting and to soiidify-
ing and packing the drifts. A road
may be opened, and be completely
blocked within a few hours there
after. Exceptionally strong equipment
is required to cope with resultant
hard-packed drifts and i~ce-cruSted
snow conditions. Equipment designed
and operating successfully in the tim
0CAC0p AlIlly SCSl1Ollo vi Vic ollOW OSlV
where the volume Of snoW may be
considerably larger but in a looss
condition, usually fails to meet the
rigid demands Of now removal
operating conditions.
Too Many Miles for State
Our first attempt at snow remova
work was undertaken during the 1928.
90 coocn,, tn thu fnM ne 1000 ov-n,
pieces of snow removal units uruck'
plows and tractor-plows) were pur'
chased and distributed to the severa
maintenance districts throughout tn,
state. Seeing this equipment ant
knowing the expenditure therefor, tn
general public apparently felt tina
henceforth all our North Dakota stat,
highways would be free of snow an,
open to uninterrupted traffic through
out the winter months. They faile'
to realize the large mileage OF con
structed highway per unit purchased
Some districts tried to satisfy thi
unreasonable demand and public ex
pectation. Obviously such an attemr
could not succeed. Much good wor
was accomplished, but all to frequent
ly expensive units did not receiv
proper attention. Necessary widenin
operations, too, were overlooked.
such a procedure soon left til
highways in worse condition than
no snow removal work had been al
tempted. However, it clearly demon
strated to our people the rigid require
r1ents of proper snow removal wor
It paved the way for the formulate
of a limited removal program consis
ent with our means. backed by gener
public sentiment. Operation of lin
tied snow removal equipment urd
a definite fixed program is absolute
necessary if service is to be renders
and expenditure of funds justifie
And this limited program must ha'
the official sanction of the cover,
ing board, and they in turn must
backed by the general public.
New Plan Now Year Old
There are approximately $50
miles Of roads in our designated sta
highway system. OF this mileage 49,
miles were constructed and tran
ferred to the maintenance depar
ment up to January !, 1880. Maint
nance funds are expended only
the constructed portions of the sta
highway system, other than that
marking all designated routes. At t
beginning of the 1929-3O season Il
state highway commission adopted
definite snoW removal program. r.
state-owned equipment was assign
to keep open, and its operations liz
tied to. EOS miles of the most II