Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-09-10
ByD. A. NFcKTNNON

LII who travel Afontana's high
~ ways undoubtedly have some
- what similar reactions accept
4 ~. ing the good portions without
comment, tOierating the fair
sections and heartily c0ndemning the
bad. The purpose, therefore, Of this
article win be TO explain why you feel
that way and how the situation came
about, at the same time outlining some
Of the problems faced by the highway
commission.
While nearly every portion Of the
state can show almost parallel cases,
one Of our best examples Is located
right In the commissions front yard,
so with your permission we will take
you for q drive from Helena, eastward
to Toston. We win let you drive, know
ing that while you may be little IN
clined to speed, you are careful driver
and are operating car in perfect me
chanical condition
AS you leave town and pass the
Butte intersection YOU open her up,
slowing down for the overpaSs and for
East Helena. AS you again speed up
after leaving the latter place your car
glides along without effort. You meet
and pass cars. It requires no effort 70
stay on your own side Of the road and
you have no uneasy feelings. WhyP
4llC dAAoMCL - CAAEAAANC4AAAH 1S<@AANA-A& 49,
Comfort and safety are built into the
road which is of latest modern type.
But now you have passed Winston
and are on a long straight piece OF
road, with your vision unobstructed as
far as the eye can distinguish objects,
vet you commence to feel q little ner-
vous and If no patrolman Is In sight,
you ride the center stripe. When you
meet approaching vehicles you slow
down as you are forced TO the shoulder.
In general, you are uncomfortable.
Why? Again roadway standards. In
this case the alignment is perfect but
the roadway width is inadequate for
high speed traffic. This section was
constructed some years ago and while
operable at reduced speeds, win soon
require reconstruction for the sake Of
safety and public convenience.
After passing Townsend you are
really irritated and some commence
to curse. If you exceed 40 your car
weaves. You note numerous patches in
the pavement, indicating the great
amount Of work and consequent cost
required to keep the road even passable.
The section is ripe for modernization
and It may be said that this Is con-
templated In the immediate future.
Here we have that combination Of OBJ
solete standards with q very unsatis-
factory fOundaCi0n SOIL Wnlcn really
brings out the worst in a road.
These three contiguous sections are
typical of conditions over the entire
system and you should be informed Of
the reasons therefor.
Montana's primary highways have all
been improved within the past 20 years,
largely within the last 10, so most OF
you can remember conditions as they
were before improvement. If you don't
date back that far, just go out on some
of the back roads in April and you
win understand perfectly. The slogan
was Get Montana Out of the Mud.
and this has been accomplished as far
as the arterial highways are concerned.
Now, it is automatic that high STAN
dards, no matter how desirable, cost
money. Each additional foot of width
in roadway and bitches requires the
removal of additional cubic yards of
soil and additional length of culverts. |
F1attened curves In rough country like !