ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY NEAR GOBLE IN COLUMBIA COUNTY. GRADED AND MACADAMIZED IN 1917 AND 1918ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY NEAR GOBLE IN COLUMBIA COUNTY.GRADED AND MACADAMIZED IN 1917 AND 1918
ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY NEAR GOBLE IN COLUMBIA COUNTY.GRADED AND MACADAMIZED IN 1917 AND 1918
The material for the east approach was obtained by trimming up the cut left by the railroad company.
A contract for grading the cutoff was awarded to the Warren Construction Company, August 7, 1917, and work started in July, 1917. From the east end of the section to Ruben, about one mile in length, the material was handled by teams. Rock work at Ruben and at Goble was sub-let to station men. The fill across the flat between Ruben and Goble was made from side borrow, by using a steam hoisting engine, with boom and clam shell bucket. This work was done in the fall and winter and the material was light loam and sand and very wet, and did not pack very solid in the fill, therefore a strip of rock sixteen feet wide and one foot in thickness, taken from the rock cuts at either end, was placed on the fill and rolled thus making a solid base for the crushed rock macadam.
The engineering work was done by A. F. Pratt, resident engineer and W. E. Eddy, assistant state highway engineer, until October 1, 1917, when it was taken over by H. C. Compton, resident engineer, under the supervision of Chas. H. Whitmore, assistant engineer.
On July 30, 1917, a contract was entered into with A. L. Clark of Rainier for the widening of the Rainier Hill Section, a section two and two-tenths miles in length, located just west of Rainier. This work was let under a unit price contract, but the nature of the work was such that a considerable part of it could not be fairly measured and paid for on a unit, and on this part the contractor was allowed cost plus ten per cent. The total cost of this improvement was $6,350.61. A detailed cost statement follows:
Before the Columbia River Highway through Beaver Creek Canyon between Delena and Inglis was opened for traffic in July, 1918, in order to reach Clatskanie from Delena, it was necessary to travel over a narrow, dangerous, earth and corduroy road, either by way of Maygar and Quincy or through the hills about eight miles into Clatskanie. Both of these roads were passable for autos only about three months during the dry season.
The grading of this section was partly completed by the County under supervision of Mr. Bowlby, State Highway Engineer in 1914. This section being a very important link in the Columbia River Highway and no funds being available from County or State funds during 1915 or 1916, S. Benson decided to advance the necessary funds to make this section passable. About four miles of grading was completed between Inglis and Delena, leaving only the building of bridges to open this section. This work was later macadamized by the State.
The engineering work was done by A. K. Grondahl.
A bill was passed by the 1917 Legislature refunding to Mr. Benson $20,978.22 which is a large portion of the amount expended by him.
This section of the highway was built along the steep hillside, several slides having occurred narrowing the roadbed in some places to about eight feet and making it very dangerous, it was necessary to build several retaining walls, half viaducts and guard fences.
This was done by Oscar Lindstrom on a basis of cost plus ten per cent.
A half-viaduct seventy-five feet in length was built containing fifty-three cubic yards of concrete and 4,100 pounds reinforcing steel, with standard bridge railing for guard fence.
Two hundred and fourteen linear feet of rubble masonry walls were built on a slope of three-fourths to one, and standard bridge railing placed on top for guard fence. These walls contain 438 cubic yards of rock.
A reinforced concrete crib forty-one feet long, fifteen feet high and sevenfeet wide was built and filled with large rock. The members were cast on the dock in Rainier and hauled to the location. A reinforced concrete slab on solid earth foundation was used for footing, on the required angle to give the crib a batter of one-fourth to one.
The total cost of the Prescott Hill improvement was $9,039.86.
A ninety-foot reinforced concrete bridge was built over Goble Creek on the Columbia River Highway about one-half mile east of Goble. This bridge has a pile foundation which was put in by the Warren Construction Company on a cost plus basis for $1,583.32. The superstructure was built by Lindstrom and Fiegeson on a unit price basis. The cost of the structure complete was $5,907.14.
The engineering work in connection with this work was handled by H. C. Compton, resident engineer, on the Goble Section, and the inspection of the placement of steel and pouring of concrete was in charge of L. M. Huggins.
For a considerable distance between Rainier and Clatskanie the Columbia River Highway follows Beaver Creek, crossing the creek in many places. To replace a number of temporary wooden structures and to provide bridges at every crossing, the highway department in 1917 and 1918 constructed nine reinforced concrete bridges across this stream. The spans of these structures vary from thirty to 105 feet, there being one thirty-foot, one fifty-foot, two sixty-foot, four seventy-foot and one 105-foot spans in all.
The thirty-foot span structure was built by L. O. Herrold of Salem, on a cost plus ten per cent basis and cost $3,600.00.
The other eight structures were built by L. O. Herrold of Salem, on a unit price basis, the cost of the eight being $32,000.00.
A double 6x6 foot reinforced concrete box culvert was built on the Columbia River Highway to provide passage for Graham Creek near Marshland. This culvert was built with State forces. It contains fifty cubic yards of concrete and cost $804.49.
A survey was made between Scappoose and McBride a distance of eleven and two-tenths miles. This survey follows the S. P. & S. Ry. on the south side the entire distance and is shorter than the present traveled road by about one mile, and also does away with six grade crossings. While most of the roadbed will be entirely new work, it will not be of heavy construction, the country being comparatively flat. Between Scappoose and St. Helens the material is mostly earth. Between St. Helens and McBride the material is mostly rock.
ONE OF NINE REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGES IN THE BEAVER CREEK VALLEY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY BETWEEN RAINIER AND CLATSKANIE. ALL BUILT IN 1917 AND 1918ONE OF NINE REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGES IN THE BEAVER CREEK VALLEY, COLUMBIA COUNTY,ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY BETWEEN RAINIER AND CLATSKANIE.ALL BUILT IN 1917 AND 1918
ONE OF NINE REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGES IN THE BEAVER CREEK VALLEY, COLUMBIA COUNTY,ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY BETWEEN RAINIER AND CLATSKANIE.ALL BUILT IN 1917 AND 1918
Two bridges of thirty foot spans or more are needed, also several box culverts and pipe culverts.
The survey from Scappoose to St. Helens was made by P. W. Marx; from St. Helens to McBride by H. C. Compton.
The work of the Highway Department in Coos County consisted entirely in assistance given the County in the making of surveys and the engineering of construction work done under the County’s bond issue of $362,000.00. For this purpose $16,967.68 of State funds were expended, and the total amount of County expenditures audited and vouchered through the Highway department was $170,781.83. These expenditures were made on work on the Coast Highway between Marshfield and the Curry County Line, and on the Coos Bay-Roseburg Highway between Coquille and Myrtle Point. The engineering work was in charge of R. B. Murdock.
Crook County is one of the districts of Eastern Oregon where the road program is an expensive one. Prineville now has rail communication with outside points, and in sections of the County there is found some good natural roads, but much is wanting in the line of transportation facilities. Owing to a large portion of the County being mountainous in character, much of the roads are little else than trails.
Formerly the boundaries of Crook County encircled an area now comprising several counties. The paring process, caused by the forming of new counties left Crook County in a peculiar position. The local road map indicates that the County is divided into two communities with the dividing line following the rugged country a few miles east of Prineville. A single road that is a succession of heavy grades and poor alignment, is the sole medium of traffic communication between the two ends of the County.
The people of Crook County are fully aware of the importance of highways. Although local funds will not go far, a remarkable beginning has been made. A County bond issue of $95,000.00 has been voted for road construction. The general progressiveness and co-operative spirit existing throughout the County is shown by the fact that $85,000.00 of the bond issue is to be expended on one road. Reference is made to the proposed road up Crooked River from Prineville, connecting the east and west end of the County.
The State Highway Commission has ordered a location survey made of the Crooked River Highway between Prineville and the Shorty Davis Ranch. The length of this line will be about thirty miles, and practically a water grade can be secured. This work will start easily in 1918.
The immediate purpose of the survey is to gather definite data for the consideration of the State Highway Commission. The County authorities have made application for State aid and request early consideration of the matter.
The State Highway Commission is cooperating in the construction of the Ochoco Forest Road in Crook County.
The State Highway Commission extended aid to Crook County by helping to secure Federal aid and by appropriating State funds for the construction of a nine and seven-tenths mile section of the McKenzie River Highway between Prineville and Mitchell. This section is adjacent to the Wheeler County Line and connects up with proposed grading work in Wheeler County.
Construction work is in progress under the direction of the United States Office of Public Roads. The cost of this work will be defrayed by co-operative funds from the State, County and Government. The total estimated cost is $52,500.00. The following statement shows the appropriations made for this work:
The most important highway in this County is, of course, the Coast Highway, which affords an outlet to California on the south and Coos Bay on the north. Between the Coos County Line and Port Orford the route of the Coast Highway lies along the foot of the mountains and on a comparatively level plain and, except in a few cases at river crossings, the grades of the present road are not excessive. The alignment could be improved but is satisfactory for the present. A gravel surfacing on this section makes it passable the whole year round.
South of Port Orford the topography of the County changes. The slopes are steep; in many cases reaching forty degrees, and are badly broken up. This section is also subject to slides of which there is abundant evidence of recent activity. The drainage being at right angles to the coast must be crossed by the highway requiring considerable rise and fall in the grade line.
A survey from Port Orford south was commenced in December of 1917. A line was located and staked ready for construction between Port Orford and Hubbard Creek, eliminating steep grades and sharp curves on the present road. A close preliminary line was run between Hubbard Creek and Mussel Creek (Arizona Inn), a thorough study made of the conditions and the following route recommended, which eliminates the excessive grades and high summit of 1,100 feet of the present road. The location lies between elevation 100 and 400, dropping into and crossing drainage as it is met, following close to the beach until Brush Creek is reached, then following up Brush Creek on the east side of Humbug Mountain until an intersection with the present road is reached, straightening out present road for about one mile, then following the coast between elevation 200 and 400, dropping into Mussel Creek.
The controlling points on this route are the slides which must be headed to secure a stable roadbed. A twelve-foot roadbed has been proposed for this project, with maximum six per cent grades and the construction even for this narrow width is heavy as it will be necessary to bench out the entirewidth of the roadbed on solid ground, the slopes being too steep for fill to catch. Considerable bridging is required and a gravel surface provided throughout the entire length to insure an all year road, so the cost of even this narrow roadbed will be high.
A beach route located about ten feet above high tide has been proposed, and, while this has the advantage of shorter distance and no rise and fall, this route is not believed to be feasible because the underlying rock is soft and disintegrates readily and is eroded by tidal action to a considerable extent. The numerous slides at this elevation would also make construction on this location inadvisable for a permanent road.
A reconnaissance was made between Mussel Creek and Gold Beach. After leaving Mussel Creek, considerable development work is required to attain standard grade, and but a small portion of the present road could be used. Passing Euchre Creek, there will be utilized along Cedar Creek a new section of road about eight miles in length which has been recently graded by the County. If widened and the alignment corrected in a few locations, this would afford a direct route to the Rogue River where a ferry runs regularly. Between the river crossing and Gold Beach there is a fair road requiring only straightening out and widening.
A large portion of the total area of Curry County is in the forest reserve making the taxable area relatively small. For this reason and in view of the heavy cost of construction, aid is asked by the County from State and Federal sources. The most needed improvement is the section between Port Orford and Brush Creek. In view of the increasing probability of the Coast Military Highway by the Federal Government, which would be a great benefit to this County as well as to the State in general, it is desired to construct such sections as are undertaken on the correct location and standard grades, so that future widening and surfacing only will be necessary to bring it to the high standards which will undoubtedly be maintained on this military highway.
It has been proposed by the Commission to co-operate with the Forest Service in a joint Forest Aid Project in Coos and Curry Counties, each contributing $50,000.00, the Forest money to be spent in northern Coos County and the State money, between Port Orford and Brush Creek. Curry County has offered to co-operate with County tax funds. It is hoped that this project can be carried out during the 1919 season.
During the year 1917, an appropriation was made by the Highway Commission for the construction of cinder macadam between Bend and Lapine. This work was advertised and, proposals were received on August 7, 1917. As the bids submitted at that time were not considered favorable, all were rejected, and the work was undertaken under the supervision of the County Court.
This section, which had been graded under a previous administration, passes through a flat, pine district, with a surface formation of volcanic ash, which is a very poor road material, roads without surfacing becoming practically impassable during the summer season.
As no rock or gravel was available for macadamizing, scoria or volcanic cinder was used, of which material there is an inexhaustible supply along the right-of-way. This scoria is very light, weighing about 1,700 poundsper cubic yard. It, however, has made an excellent macadam, and because of its lightness can be handled and placed cheaper than either rock or gravel. The results are as favorable as if the best pit-run gravel could have been had.
A total of 18,300 cubic yards of cinder macadam was placed on this section and twelve and five-tenths miles of completed surface was secured. The total cost was $20,183.60, giving a unit cost of approximately $1,600.00 per mile, which is proof of the economy of this type of construction where volcanic cinder is obtainable.
In September and October, 1918, the State Highway Commission made a location survey on the section of the Bend-Burns Highway between Rolyat, in Deschutes County and the One Hundred Mile Road, in Harney County. The object of the survey at this time is to secure a more direct route and to avoid the bad section of the present road through the Glass Buttes district. The length of this survey is seventeen and one-tenth miles and it materially shortens the distance, as compared with the present road between the terminal points mentioned.
Fifteen and six-tenths miles of this line are in Deschutes County and one and five-tenths miles in Harney County. The northeast corner of Lake County is touched by the survey but only for a short distance. The definite limits are not shown as the County Lines could not be found and it was deemed not advisable to go to the cost of reestablishing the lines for the purpose of the survey. The new location leads in an easterly direction from Rolyat and continues to the north of the present road.
The plans for this survey will be made up in the near future. H. B. Wright was the locating engineer in charge.
As a result of the liberal co-operation of Douglas County, a very large amount of work has been done during 1917 and 1918 on the Pacific Highway across that County. From a $500,000.00 bond issue the County set aside $200,000.00 for the improvement of the Pacific Highway north of Roseburg, with the understanding that the Highway Department would expend an equal amount on the same highway south of Roseburg. In accordance with this arrangement, it was agreed that the County would grade 10.4 miles between Yoncalla and Oakland, grade and macadamize 4.6 miles between Comstock and Leona, and grade 2.4 miles between Comstock and the Lane County Line; and that the State would grade 12.8 miles between Myrtle Creek and Dillard and macadamize 2.4 miles between Comstock and the Lane County Line. It was further agreed that if the County would cooperate with the State and Federal Government to the amount of $23,000.00 on the Canyonville-Galesville Forest Road Project, this amount would be considered a part of the $200,000.00 to be provided by the County in connection with the general scheme of improvement outlined.
All of the work contemplated in this co-operative agreement has been carried to completion, and when final payments have been made the total expenditure by the State will be approximately $205,000.00 and by the County $175,000.00.
The Canyonville-Galesville Forest Road Project referred to above involves the grading of a 9.7 mile section over Canyon Creek Pass, and it will eliminate one of the very worst stretches on the Pacific Highway betweenPortland and the California Line. This is estimated to cost $211,000.00, of which the County will pay $23,000.00, the State $94,000.00 and the Federal Government $94,000.00.
In summary, the improvement work on the Pacific Highway in Douglas County during 1917 and 1918, including the work now under way, consisted of 39.9 miles of grading and 7.0 miles of macadamizing.
The expenditures on the individual sections by the County, State and Federal Government when final payments are completed, will be approximately as follows:
BRIDGE ON PASS CREEK—20 FT. SPAN. ON PACIFIC HIGHWAY NEAR COMSTOCK IN DOUGLAS COUNTYBRIDGE ON PASS CREEK—20 FT. SPAN. ON PACIFIC HIGHWAY NEARCOMSTOCK IN DOUGLAS COUNTY
BRIDGE ON PASS CREEK—20 FT. SPAN. ON PACIFIC HIGHWAY NEARCOMSTOCK IN DOUGLAS COUNTY
This section runs through the northern portion of the Pass Creek Canyon, and has been the dread of tourists heretofore. It has always been a hard road to travel under summer conditions and absolutely impassable in winter, even for horse-drawn conveyances.
The contract for this improvement involved 2.4 miles of grading and was awarded to S. S. Schell of Oakland, Oregon on September 5, 1917. The bulkof the grading was done that fall and the job was completed in the spring of 1918. The road bed was graded to a width of 24 feet with 5 per cent maximum grades and easy curves. In addition to the grading, the contract included two drainage structures over Pass Creek, one a double 6x6 reinforced concrete box culvert and the other a 20-foot reinforced concrete bridge. All construction charges were paid by Douglas County. Engineering charges were paid by the State.
Mr. E. B. Bishop was the Resident Engineer in charge on this section.
On August 6, 1918, a contract was awarded to S. S. Schell for macadamizing the above newly graded section in Pass Creek Canyon, by the State Highway Commission, same to be a standard three course broken stone, water bound surface. This work was carried through in a very able manner on the part of the Contractor and completed November 16, 1918. This surfacing makes an all year road, of one of the worst pieces of road in the State. The entire cost of this work was paid by the State.
This section is through the south end of Pass Creek Canyon, beginning approximately a mile and a half south of Comstock and extending to a point a half mile north of Leona, being 4.6 miles in length. The contract was a joint contract signed by the County Court and State Highway Commission and was awarded to Hall & Soleim of Eugene on September 5, 1917. Work covered by the contract was for grading and macadamizing, culverts and bridges.
Due to shortage of labor, poor shipments on macadam rock, and financial difficulties, the contractors were obliged to ask the State Highway Commission to take over the work. On August 20, 1918, after a conference withthe County Court and the Contractor’s Surety Company, this was done. The work was completed November 30, 1918. The construction details under the State supervision were handled by a State construction engineer, representing the Contractors and Surety Company, and the engineering details by the resident engineer on the work—the latter rendering regular monthly estimates of work done on the unit contract prices, of the original contract.
This work complete will cost approximately $80,000.00 of which the County will pay $74,349.72 and the State $5,650.28.
The construction of this section was in charge of E. B. Bishop, resident engineer, and F. E. LaPointe, construction superintendent.
This work extends from the Calapooya River Bridge at Oakland to a point two miles south of Yoncalla, a total distance of 10.4 miles. A contract for clearing, grading and culverts was awarded the Warren Construction Company, September 5, 1917, being the last of three contracts signed jointly by the County Court and State Highway Commission.
This work was completed July 25, 1918, and is an excellent piece of standard construction 24 feet in width. It eliminates the old excessive grade over Rice Hill, and some bad sections just north of Oakland—there being now no grades over 5 per cent.
On the completion of the grading the State Highway Commission requested permission Of the Capital Issues Committee to sell bonds, part of which were to cover the rocking of this unit to make it passable for winter. This request was refused on the ground that it was not a necessary war measure. The road will therefore not be passable this winter, but it is expected that the section will be macadamized during the 1919 season.
Mr. Robert A. Pratt was resident engineer in charge of the construction.