The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1935-08-01
u. S. Approves 700 Mile
State Road Program


State Road Program
Letting of Contracts Awaits Action
of Executive Council, Els
berg Says
A years program of nearly 700
miles of trunk highway construc-
ton, submitted to the United States
Bureau Of Public Roads recently
by N. w. Elsberg, state highway
commissioner, has been approved
by the federal authorities, accord
ing to an announcement by the
highway department.
Approximately $6,300,OO0 will be
required to carry out the approved
of which the national
government will pay half in the
form of regular, matched federal
aid. A list of additional projects in
volving about 100000 is awaiting
federal approval and will complete
the program.
The highway department will be-
gin letting contracts for the
work whenever the State Executive
council authorizes the sale of high
way bonds to meet the states
share Of the cost, Mr.. Elsberg
stated. This method of financing
was provided by the last Legisla-
ture, and is the only way in which
the federal funds can be obtained,
he explained. Another construction
program of equal size can be car
ried on next year by the matching
as Minnesota has been al
lotted nearly 100000 Of regular
federal highway aid for 1885 and
1896.
Included in the program al
ready approved by the federal
roads bureau is 120 miles of con-
crete paving, PIG miles of grading
with gravel lifts, 20 miles Of heavy
gravel surfacing, % miles OF bit
luminous surfacing, 10 bridges and
a qantity of miscellaneous work.
Further progress in closing gaps
in important paved highways is
provided in the 1895 paving pro-
gram. On U. s. 16, across the state
through the southern tier OF coun-
ties, the program includes five
miles Of concrete east of Fair
mont, seven miles of concrete In
Freeborn county beginning at the
west county line and three miles
in Fillmore county from Spring
Valley east. Spring Valley also
will have half a mile Of paving in
the village on No. 60. Nine miles OF
gravel lift will be placed on No. IL
between Wykoff and Fountain.
Completion Of u. s. 16 as a paw
ed road from the Iowa border to
the Twin Cities is provided by
means of ten miles of concrete be-
tween the Iowa line and Blue
Earth in Faribault county.
On U. s. IA, another southern
cross-state highway, five-mile gap
in the pavement at Walnut Grove
is to be closed, nine miles will be
paved between Eagle Lake and
Mankato, and the Stockton Hill
gap just west of Winona will be
eliminated by another nine miles
of concrete. The Highway depart
ment plans to bituminous treat the
west end of No. IA from Balaton to
the South Dakota line, giving a
dustless surface from one side OF
the state to the other.
On No. 60 in Mountain Lake a
mile of paving is provided, with
another mile in Butterfield on the
same route. Waseca Is to get a
mile of concrete on streets carry
ing Highways Is and IA.
other improvements IN South
eastern Minnesota include a mile
Of paving from Stewartville TO the
Root River bridge on U. s. SO, sew
en- miles Of paving on No. A from
Prosper to the east Fillmore coun-
ty line, and "a miles Of grading on
No. A from Hokah to the west line
of Houston county in anticipation
of future paving. Two bridges are
to be built in this stretch.
In Goodhue county % miles OF
gravel lift Is to be placed on NO.
So between Red Wing and Zumoro-
Ia, making this stretch suitable for
a higher type surface later. A re-
vision of U. s. 81 at Wells Creek In
Goodhue county also Is planned
a new bridge and a mile
of grading and paving.
The stretch of oil treated surface
on u. s. 81 between Wabasha and
Lake CITY is to be raised to the
status Of pavement by constructing
a high type bituminous roadway,
thus taking advantage Of the In
vestment already made In bitumin-
Gus applications.
Among other important projects
included in the program are the
following:
On u. s. 75-sixteen miles OF
gravel lift between Wheaton and
the south line of Traverse county;
seven miles Of concrete paving be-
tween Breckenridge and Doran;
eleven miles Of concrete paving
from five miles south Of Moorhead
to five miles north Of Moorhead;
fourteen miles Of gravel lift in
Norman county between Ada and
two miles north of Hendrum, with
a mile of concrete in Ada on U.
s. rs and No. 81; gravel lift for
20 miles between Hallock and the
north state line, with a mile OF
in Hallock. Crookston will
have nearly a half mile OF con-
crete on the streets used by No. 2.
On U. s. 212 in Chippewa county,
three miles Of concrete paving
from Montevideo to the south
county line.