Part 13

The Baker-Middle Bridge section extends from Baker to a point near Middle Bridge on Lower Powder River. Beginning at Baker the line follows closely the present main traveled road east for about six miles, thence along the Palmer road to the present crossing at Ruckles Creek, thence down Ruckles Creek to a point about two miles south of Keating, thence easterly, leaving Ruckles Creek, and entering the lower Powder River Valley near Middle Bridge. This survey is 18.64 miles in length. The plans for this work are completed.

The Love Bridge-Black Bridge section covers that portion of the route through the canyon between the Keating and Richland districts. At present all traffic passes through Sparta and over the mountains to the north of the Powder River there being no road through the canyon. This survey is about ten miles long and involves heavy and expensive construction. This project begins at a point about seven miles east of Keating and ends about five miles west of Richland. There is a four-mile section of the Baker-Cornucopia Highway lying between Middle and Love Bridges that has not been definitely located. No office work has been done for this survey.

What is known as the Canyon Section extends through the canyon east of Richland. This survey begins at a point 1.5 miles east of Richland and parallels the Powder River along the north bank for a distance of 4.64 miles. The project ends at the point where the proposed route leaves the Powder River and leads over the mountains toward Pine Valley. Plans are almost completed for this project.

The Sag Section is that part of the road leading north from the divide between Powder River and Pine Valley. This survey which is 4.69 miles long begins at the divide and ends at a point in the edge of Pine Valley two miles south of Halfway. The location follows very near the route of the present road. The office work in connection with this survey is nearing completion.

Baker-Cornucopia Post Road Project

The State Highway Commission requested Government aid in the construction of the Baker-Cornucopia Highway and this request has resulted in the approval by the Federal Office of Public Roads of three projects on this highway. These three projects, namely, Baker-Middle Bridge, Canyon Section and Sag Section have a combined length of 27.97 miles, and the total estimated cost of these constructions is $94,731.00. Baker County will co-operate with the State and Government in defraying the cost of this construction. The following tabulation indicates the amounts and segregations of funds for each project.

================================+============+============+============ Appropriated for expenditure in | State | County | Government 1919 | Funds | Funds | Funds --------------------------------+------------+------------+------------ Baker-Middle Bridge Section | $13,978.00 | $15,000.00 | $13,978.00 Canyon Section | 8,249.00 | 6,000.00 | 8,249.00 Sag Section | 11,639.00 | 6,000.00 | 11,639.00 +------------+------------+------------ Totals | $33,866.00 | $27,000.00 | $33,866.00 --------------------------------+------------+------------+------------

No plans have been made for financing the Love Bridge-Black Bridge Section which was surveyed in 1917. This is an important section of the road and will probably receive early attention from the State Highway Commission.

BENTON COUNTY

During 1917 and 1918, very little work was done by the Highway Department in Benton County. At the request of the County Court a short section of the West Side Highway north of Corvallis was staked for grading to be done by the County, and designs were prepared for three concrete structures. Two of these were for box culverts for the Pacific Highway about five miles north of Corvallis. The other was for an 85 foot reinforced concrete bridge over a mill race south of Corvallis. A short reconnaissance was made of the Corvallis-Newport road between Blodgett and Eddyville.

For work to be done in Benton County in 1919, the Highway Commission has set aside $129,500.00. With this amount it is planned to pave the West Side Highway from Corvallis north to the Polk County Line, approximately seven miles.

CLACKAMAS COUNTY

The work under the supervision of the Highway Department in Clackamas County during 1917 and 1918 has consisted of 4.5 miles of grading between New Era and Oregon City, 7.5 miles of paving between Oregon City and Canby, and 0.2 miles of grading between Oswego and the Multnomah County Line. The first of these jobs was done by the State and County in co-operation; the second was a strictly State job; and the third was a County job supervised by the State.

The total expenditure on the work done in Clackamas County was $198,952.24, of which Clackamas County paid $43,091.14 and the State $155,861.10.

Between New Era and Oregon City, the Pacific Highway has been graded on an entirely new location, paralleling the Southern Pacific Railway along the bank of the Willamette River instead of following the location of the old road farther back from the river, where the grading is not so heavy, but where a number of heavy grades are required. In addition to eliminating these heavy grades, a considerable saving in distance is effected, and the dangerous crossing under the Southern Pacific tracks at Oregon City is avoided.

Grading--Vicinity of New Era

On August 20, 1917, bids were considered by the State Highway Commission for the grading of two and one-half miles on the Pacific Highway near New Era. The most satisfactory proposal received was a cost plus ten per cent proposal submitted by the Warren Construction Company, and a contract was entered into with that firm on the cost plus ten per cent basis.

This work involved the grading of New Era Hill, just south of New Era, and some heavy rock excavation from New Era north. After the work had started, it was decided to pave between Oregon City and Canby, and the contract for this paving let to the Oregon Hassam Paving Company. The most feasible place to secure the crushed rock necessary for this paving was from the rock being excavated under the grading contract with the Warren Construction Company, and the Highway Department entered into an agreement with the paving company, whereby the state would crush the rock from a big cut at New Era, and furnish the crushed rock for the paving upon certain agreed terms, the crushing to be done under the cost plus contract with the Warren Construction Company.

On this basis the work was carried on by the Warren Construction Company until March 1, 1918, at which time it was deemed advisable by the Highway Commission to take the work over and complete it with State forces.

The total cost of the grading and rock crushing was $66,000.00, and the amount received for the crushed rock furnished for the paving was $19,850.00. Clackamas County co-operated with the State on this work, the total amount paid out of County funds being $15,009.91.

Grading--Canemah Hill Section

To complete the grading of the Pacific Highway between Oregon City and Canby preparatory to the paving of this section, Clackamas County agreed to appropriate $25,000.00 toward the grading between Fly Creek and Oregon City, known as the Canemah Hill Section. On December 10, 1917, the Highway Commission received bids for this grading and the lowest bid having been submitted by Clackamas County, the contract was awarded to the County. This piece of work was about one and one-half miles in length and involved some very heavy rock excavation.

There has been expended on this work to date the sum of $24,037.20, of which amount Clackamas County has paid $22,092.53. The work complete will cost approximately $27,500.00. Mr. M. E. DeWitt was the resident engineer in charge.

DETAILED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES TO NOVEMBER 30, 1918

GRADING--CANEMAH HILL (Work in progress)

Engineering $ 1,944.67

Construction-- Clearing and grubbing $ 500.00 Common excavation, 10,231 cu. yds. at 60c 6,138.60 Intermediate excavation, 8,689.4 cu. yds. at 80c 6,951.52 Solid rock excavation, 7,722.2 cu. yds. at $1.25 9,652.75 12-inch reinforced concrete pipe, 391 lin. ft. at $1.25 488.75 36-inch reinforced concrete pipe, 56 lin. ft. at $4.00 224.00 6-inch porous drain tile, 585 lin. ft. at 10c 58.50 Class A concrete, 48 cu. yds. at $15.00 720.00 Class C concrete, 2 cu. yds. at $12.00 24.00 Rubble masonry, 2 cu. yds. at $1.25 2.50 Overhaul per 100 lin. ft., 54,862 cu. yds. at 2c 1,097.24 Crushed rock for drain tile, 30 cu. yds. 46.20 18-inch concrete pipe in place, 45 lin. ft. 87.15 ----------- $ 25,991.21 Less 15 per cent retained pending completion 3,898.68 ----------- 22,092.53 ----------- Total expended to November 30, 1918 $ 24,037.20 Paid by State--engineering 1,944.67 Paid by County--construction 22,092.53 ----------- Total $ 24,037.20 This work is estimated to cost complete $ 27,500.00

Paving--Oregon City to Canby

A contract was awarded on September 4, 1917, to the Oregon Hassam Paving Company of Portland, for a sixteen-foot bituminous pavement between Oregon City and Canby, a distance of 7.5 miles.

A considerable part of the crushed rock used in this pavement was furnished by the Highway Department from a rock point which it was necessary to remove in connection with the grading just north of New Era.

The paving of this section is practically complete at this date and the contracting company is to be complimented upon the excellence of its work. The cost of the work completed will be about $135,000.00 of which amount $102,114.85 has been paid.

Mr. M. E. DeWitt acted as resident engineer for the Highway Department on this work.

DETAILED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES TO NOVEMBER 30, 1918

PAVING OREGON CITY TO CANBY

Engineering $ 2,444.57

Construction-- Standard Bitulithic pavement, 70,170 sq. yds. at $1.26 $ 88,414.20 Stone Shoulders, 68,208 lin. ft. at .051/2 3,751.44 Hauling and placing broken stone furnished by State, 6,1681/4 cu. yds., at $1.18 7,278.54 Broken stone, loose measure, 12,8721/4 cu. yds., at $2.37 30,507.23 Installing wooden headers at railroad crossing 24.06 Filling low places after rolling, clearing debris after forest fire 59.53 Excavating spongy place in subgrade and refilling 67.10 Loading and hauling to bring outside 2 ft. of roadbed to grade; no material nearby 154.14 Grading 800 feet north from New Era, and dismantling and loading crusher 1,726.40 ----------- Total due contractor for work done to November 30, 1918 $131,982.64 Less 15 per cent retained pending completion 19,797.40 ----------- $112,185.24 Less plant rock and miscellaneous items furnished by State 12,514.96 ----------- $99,670.28 ---------- Total expended to November 30, 1918 $102,114.85 This work is estimated to cost complete $135,000.00

Oswego to the Multnomah County Line

On April 19, 1918, a contract was awarded by Clackamas County to the Glemorrie Quarry Company of Oswego for the regrading of a 0.2 mile section of the West Side Pacific Highway between Oswego and the Multnomah County Line. At the request of the Clackamas County Court the engineering supervision of this work was handled by the Highway Department, Mr. M. E. DeWitt, resident engineer, on work between Oregon City and Canby, being in charge.

This piece of work eliminated some very bad curves on the old road and greatly improved the grade. The work was completed on September 4, 1918, at a total cost of $5,746.68. Of this amount $507.98 was expended by the State for the engineering. The construction cost of $5,238.70 was paid by the County.

DETAILED EXPENDITURE STATEMENT

Grading--Multnomah County Line to Oswego

Engineering $ 507.98

Construction-- Clearing and grubbing $ 200.00 Common excavation, 1,167.3 cu. yds. at 75c 875.47 Intermediate excavation, 2,127.6 cu. yds. at $1.00 2,127.60 Solid rock excavation, 829.5 cu. yds. at $1.85 1,534.58 12-inch plain concrete pipe, 26 lin. ft. at $1.50 39.00 15-inch plain concrete pipe, 76 lin. ft. at $1.80 136.80 18-inch reinforced concrete pipe, 84 lin. ft. at $2.00 168.00 Class C concrete, 5 cu. yds. at $15.00 75.00 Drainage structures under roadbed to protect embankment and private water supply 82.25 --------- 5,238.70 --------- Total cost $5,746.68 Paid by State $ 507.98 Paid by County 5,238.70 --------- Total $5,746.68

Oregon City Bridge

The State Highway Department has been requested by the County Court of Clackamas County to prepare plans and estimates for a bridge over the Willamette River at Oregon City. This will replace the old suspension bridge at that place which is too light for the modern traffic conditions in that vicinity.

Surveys and studies of the site are being conducted at this time. In this case, as is customary, the State Highway Department will furnish plans free of cost to the County.

CLATSOP COUNTY

During the period from December 1, 1916, to November 30, 1918, the State Highway Department expended in Clatsop County the sum of $344,387.23. The work accomplished consists of 3.5 miles of bituminous paving, 22.7 miles of broken stone macadam, 1.7 miles of gravel macadam, 1.2 miles of new grading, one covered wood draw bridge, two reinforced concrete bridges, and 1-6x12 ft. reinforced concrete box culvert, all of these improvements being on the Columbia River Highway between Astoria and the Columbia County Line.

Astoria-Svensen Paving

On July 20, 1917, the State Highway Department contracted with the Warren Construction Company for nine miles of paving between Astoria and Svensen. This contract called for a 16-foot bituminous pavement on a crushed rock base and with two-foot macadam shoulders. The contract also included the grading of a section 1.2 miles in length about midway between Astoria and Svensen, this section being known as the John Day Cut-off.

Work was started on the grading of the cut-off on August 6, 1917, and on the erection of the paving plant on August 15. On September 20, the first batch of hot stuff was placed on the road at the Svensen end. The work was just nicely started, however, when the rainy season which came on unusually early, started in and the work had to be discontinued. At this time the work on the grading of the cut-off was but fifty or sixty per cent complete, and only one mile of paving had been laid.

The following season, the roadbed did not become sufficiently dry to permit of resumption of work until about the 15th of June, but even at that late date the contractors were not able to start work on account of the shortage in materials and labor resulting from the participation of the United States in the war, and it was not until July 23 the work was resumed. Continued shortage of labor and material made progress very slow particularly on the placing of rock base, and when the 1918 rainy season came on a total of only 3.5 miles of paving had been completed. The grading of the John Day Cut-off had been finished, however, and considerable progress made on the removal of slides and regrading of roadbed.

The paving was discontinued on October 2 but in order to provide a passable roadbed at as early a date as possible, it was decided to continue the placing of rock base during the winter months. This work is now in progress, and it is expected that a rocked surface over the remaining unpaved distance of 5.5 miles will be secured by about January 1, 1919.

The paving work will be continued again next season, and will undoubtedly be completed early in the season.

It is estimated that the grading and paving of this section will cost completed $236,000.00. The total expenditures to November 30, 1918, amounted to $96,955.97 and there remained unpaid to the contractor for work done to that date the sum of $15,225.64.

The engineering work was in charge of Mr. J. E. Nelson, during the 1917 season, and in charge of Mr. H. N. Hackett during the 1918 season.

Svensen-Westport Macadam

From Westport to Svensen in Clatsop County, 13.55 miles of 16-foot waterbound macadam, 3.6 miles of 9-foot waterbound macadam and 1.76 miles of gravel was laid. This work was handled by the Warren Construction Company prior to December 26, 1917, at which time the State Highway Department took the work over and proceeded with State forces.

On this section the unit costs show a slight advantage in favor of doing the work with State forces. Conditions were practically the same as on the Clatskanie-Westport Section in Columbia County--the State paying higher wages than the contractor, but the contractor having the disadvantage of more unfavorable weather conditions. The main advantage in the State doing this work was gained by having better control of the organization and more direct supervision of the work.

The original intention was to complete all macadam 16-feet wide but the increased cost of labor, supplies, etc., made it necessary to reduce the width of the macadam to nine feet so as to complete the full distance with the money available.

COST STATEMENT--SVENSEN-WESTPORT MACADAM

===========================+==========+=========+============+======= Item | Unit | Quan- | Cost | Unit | | tity | | Cost ---------------------------+----------+---------+------------+------- By Warren Construction Co.,| | | | on cost plus contract-- | | | | Clearing and grubbing | Acres | 1 |$ 112.18 |$112.18 Excavation | Cu. Yd. | 9,069 | 6,468.95 | .71 6-inch by 12-inch pipe | Foot | 1,519 | 4,472.69 | 2.90 Waterbound macadam |[8]Cu. Yd.| 13,409 | 53,010.60 | 3.95 Engineering | ... | ... | 971.84 | ... By State Forces-- | | | | Excavation | Cu. Yd. | 11,512 | 7,540.71 | .64 6-inch by 12-inch pipe, | Foot | 1,760 | 328.80 | .19 laying only | | | | Waterbound macadam | Cu. Yd. | 34,722 | 134,022.23 | 3.86 Engineering | | | 1,651.69 | ... | | +------------+ Total | ... | ... |$208,579.69 | ... ---------------------------+----------+---------+------------+-------

[8] Including 1,839 cubic yards of gravel purchased at a cost of $1,839.00 and 5,278 cubic yards crushed rock purchased at a cost of $6,333.60. All other rock was crushed and cost of crushing is included in the cost of the macadam.

John Day River Bridge

As a part of the improvement of the Columbia River Highway between Astoria and Svensen, a bridge was constructed over the John Day River about four miles east of Astoria.

The John Day River is a stream navigable to small boats, so it was necessary to provide a movable span of 40-foot clear opening. Owing to the unusually high price of steel it was decided to construct this bridge of wood. The movable span is of the single leaf bascule type operated by a windlass. Counter weights are employed to assist the movement of the span and in order to compensate for the variable pull required to lift the span at different phases of its movement, the counter weight cables operate over spiral drums in such manner that their pull is a maximum when the span is down, and is least when the span is raised, gradually changing between the two extremes. In order to guard against failure of the operator to close the gate on the side of the stream opposite the machinery, an automatic gate was constructed. It closes when the bridge starts to open and when the bridge closes it swings back out of the way automatically.

The bridge rests on concrete piers carried on piling, and besides the lift span there are two 90-foot covered wooden spans. The operating machinery is completely housed in by means of a tower.

The crossing was designed to carry 20-ton trucks and the covered spans have laminated wood floors with asphaltic wearing surface.

One of the most serious objections raised against covered wooden bridges is the lack of light. This was overcome in this case, as in other wooden bridges on primary roads designed by this Department, by whitewashing the interior and the addition of open windows at panel points. These are provided with returns, and with the asphaltic wearing surface on the floors of such bridges prevent moisture coming in contact with the structural timbers of the bridge.