Part 3

===============================+================+================ | For | For | Post Roads | Forest Roads -------------------------------+----------------+---------------- July 1, 1916, to July 1, 1917 |$ 78,687.00 | $ 127,794.00 July 1, 1917, to July 1, 1918 | 157,375.00 | 127,794.00 July 1, 1918, to July 1, 1919 | 236,062.00 | 127,794.00 July 1, 1919, to July 1, 1920 | 314,749.00 | 127 794.00 July 1, 1920, to July 1, 1921 | 393,437.00 | 127,794.00 +----------------+---------------- Totals |$ 1,180,310.00 | $ 638,970.00 -------------------------------+----------------+----------------

Total amount of government funds apportioned to the State of Oregon for co-operative work. $1,819,280.00.

With the funds thus apportioned to the State, the Government will co-operate on approved road projects to not to exceed fifty per cent of their cost. Therefore, the State, or the State co-operating with the Counties, must provide amounts at least equal to the amounts set aside by the Federal Government in order to avail itself of the funds apportioned to it.

In 1917, the State Legislature passed a bill accepting the terms of the Federal Government's co-operative offer and authorizing the issue of bonds to the amount of $1,819,280.00 to provide the funds necessary to match the Government funds. There is thus available for expenditure on post and forest roads in the State during the five years prior to July 1, 1921, the following amounts:

For Post Road Projects: Federal Government Funds $1,180,310.00 State Funds 1,180,310.00 -------------- $2,360,620.00 For Forest Road Projects: Federal Government Funds $ 638,970.00 State Funds 638,970.00 -------------- 1,277,940.00 -------------- Total $3,638,560.00

For Post Road Projects the plans are prepared, contracts let and work supervised by the State Highway Department, subject, of course, to approval and acceptance by the Secretary of Agriculture through the Federal Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering. For Forest Road Projects, the plans are prepared, contracts let and work supervised by the Federal Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering acting for the Secretary of Agriculture. The State Highway Department is, therefore, directly responsible for the work done on Post Road Projects, whereas on Forest Road Projects the responsibility rests with the Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, the State Highway Department simply approving the projects and auditing the claims presented by the Federal Government against the State's share of the funds.

It is the policy of the Highway Department to match the Government Funds with equal amounts from State Funds only, any County Funds which may be available being used to increase the total amounts available rather than to reduce the amount of State co-operation. On projects approved to November 30, 1918, the amount of these additional funds provided by counties is approximately $325,000.00.

POST ROAD PROJECTS

Up to November 30, 1918, fifteen Post Road Projects had been submitted to the Office of Public Roads for approval. Of these fifteen projects nine have received approval, three have been rejected as not complying with the government requirements as regards rural and star route mail service over them, and three are pending action by the Secretary of Agriculture. The rejected projects were the Wolf Creek-Grave Creek project in Josephine county, the Canyonville-Galesville project in Douglas County, and the Myrtle Creek-Dillard project also in Douglas County. The first and third of these projects have since been constructed without government co-operation, and the second is under construction as a "Forest Road."

Construction is now under way on two Post Road Projects both of which are in Union County. These are the Elgin-Minam project, estimated to cost $41,151.00, and the Union-Telocaset project, estimated to cost $30,000.00. The contracts for the construction of both jobs were let on July 9, 1918, to Union County, represented by the County Court, the lowest bidder. Subsequent to the letting, however, the Attorney General gave the opinion that the County Court had no legal authority to enter into a contract of this nature, and in order to facilitate matters and prevent delay in construction the State Highway Commission on September 10, 1918, agreed to take the work over at the prices bid by the County, the County agreeing to reimburse the State in case the cost of the work exceeded the bid prices.

The total estimated cost of all projects agreed upon to date is $1,409,993.24 of which $627,496.62 is to be paid by the Federal Government, $627,496.62 by the State, and $155,000.00 by the Counties interested. On page 24 is given a tabulation of the Post Road Projects approved, giving the estimated cost of each project with the respective amounts to be paid by the State, the Federal Government and the Counties.

FOREST ROAD PROJECTS

The Federal authorities and the State Highway Commission have to date agreed upon co-operation on fourteen Forest Road Projects. The total estimated cost of these fourteen projects is $1,246,204.65; $538,231.78 to be provided by the Government, $538,231.78 by the State, and $169,741.09 by the Counties.

Construction is already under way on three of the Forest Projects, namely: the Canyonville-Galesville section of the Pacific Highway in Douglas County, the Three Rivers Project in Tillamook County, and the Ochoco Canyon Project in Crook County.

POST ROAD PROJECTS

PROJECTS AGREED UPON TO NOVEMBER 30, 1918

=========+=======+========+=============+=================================== |Project| Miles | | Funds Provided Projects |Number | and | Estimated +-----------+-----------+----------- +----+ | Kind | Total | By | By | By | | of Work| Cost |Government | State | Counties --------------+--+--------+-------------+-----------+-----------+----------- Baker | | | | | | County: | | | | | | Baker-Middle |10|17.0 |$ 71,235.45|$ 28,117.73|$ 28,117.72|$ 15,000.00 Bridge | |miles-- | | | | section | |grading | | | | Sag Section | 9|4.9 | 41,926.00| 17,963.00| 17,963.00| 6,000.00 of Baker- | |miles-- | | | | Baker- | |grading | | | | Cornucopia | |and | | | | Road | |gravel | | | | Canyon |11|4.5 | 22,498.00| 8,249.00| 8,249.00| 6,000.00 Section of | |miles-- | | | | Baker- | |grading | | | | Cornucopia | | | | | | Road | | | | | | | | | | | | Grant County: | | | | | | John Day to |13|7.2 | 143,817.14| 71,908.57| 71,908.57| ... Fiske Creek | |miles-- | | | | Section | |grading | | | | | |and | | | | | |gravel | | | | Hall Hill to |14|2.2 | 43,282.47| 21,641.23| 21,641.24| ... Prairie | |miles-- | | | | City | |grading | | | | Section | |and | | | | | |gravel | | | | | | | | | | Harney County:| | | | | | Burns-Crane |15|6.0 | 48,000.00| 20,000.00| 20,000.00| 8,000.00 Project | |miles-- | | | | | |grading | | | | | |and | | | | | |gravel | | | | Malheur | | | | | | County: | | | | | | Project to be| | | 100,000.00| 40,000.00| 40,000.00| 20,000.00 selected | | | | | | | | | | | | Marion | | | | | | County: | | | | | | Salem- | 7|18.0 | 347,232.60| 173,616.30| 173,616.30| ... Aurora | |miles-- | | | | Project | |grading | | | | | | | | | | Union County: | | | | | | Elgin-Minam | 5|9.3 | 41,151.00| 20,575.50| 20,575.50| ... Project | |miles-- | | | | | |grading | | | | Union- | 8|6.0 | 30,000.00| 15,000.00| 15,000.00| ... Telocaset | |miles-- | | | | Project | |grading | | | | | | | | | | Wasco County: | | | | | | The Dalles- |..|2.0 | 44,000.00| 20,000.00| 20,000.00| 4,000.00 Three Mile | |miles-- | | | | Creek | |paving | | | | Project | | | | | | | | | | | | Wheeler | | | | | | County: | | | | | | Fossil- | 4|9.5 | 36,733.40| 18,366.70| 18,366.70| ... Sarvice | |miles-- | | | | Creek | |grading | | | | Project | | | | | | | | | | | | Wheeler and | | | | | | Grant | | | | | | Counties: | | | | | | Sarvice | 6|48.5 | 400,433.80| 157,216.90| 157,216.90| 86,000.00 Creek- | |miles-- | | | | Valades | |grading | | | | Ranch | | | | | | Project | | | | | | | | | | | | Yamhill | | | | | | County: | | | | | | Grande |12|2.8 | 39,683.38| 14,841.69| 14,841.69| 10,000.00 Ronde | |miles-- | | | | Project | |grading | | | | | |and | | | | | |gravel | | | | --------------+--+--------+-------------+-----------+-----------+----------- Total estimated cost|$1,409,993.24| | | of all Projects | | | | Federal Government | |$627,496.62| | Funds | | | | State Funds | | |$627,496.62| County Funds | | | |$155,000.00 --------------------------+-------------+-----------+-----------+-----------

The Canyonville-Galesville section is what is generally known as Cow Creek Canyon, one of the worst stretches on the Pacific Highway. This section is 9.7 miles in length, and is to be graded sixteen feet wide; the estimated total cost being $211,000.00. The work is under contract to John Hampshire & Co., of Grants Pass.

The Three Rivers Project is 10.35 miles in length and lies between Hebo and Dolph on the Portland-Tillamook Highway in Tillamook County. The County of Tillamook, represented by its County Court was the low bidder on this work, but before the contract was entered into, the Attorney General ruled that the County Court had no authority to contract work of this kind. The State Highway Department having available the necessary equipment and desiring to get this important piece of road work under way, agreed with the Federal Government to take the work over at the prices bid by Tillamook County.

A tabulation of Forest Road Projects approved to date and giving the estimated cost and amounts of County, State and Government Funds is given below.

FOREST ROAD PROJECTS

PROJECTS APPROVED TO NOVEMBER 30, 1918

=====================+=============+=================================== | | Funds Provided | Estimated +-----------+-----------+----------- Projects | Total | By | By | By | Cost | Government| State | County ---------------------+-------------+-----------+-----------+----------- Clackamas County: | | | | Zigzag Section of | | | | Mt. Hood Road |$ 48,000.00|$ 24,000.00|$ 24,000.00| ... | | | | Crook County: | | | | Ochoco Canyon | 52,500.00| 17,500.00| 17,500.00| 17,500.00 Project | | | | | | | | Curry County: | | | | Curry-Coos Project | 110,000.00| 55,000.00| 55,000.00| ... | | | | Deschutes-Lane | | | | Counties: | | | | McKenzie Pass | 190,455.00| 82,078.00| 82,078.00| 26,299.00 Project | | | | | | | | Douglas County: | | | | Canyonville- | 211,000.00| 94,000.00| 94,000.00| 23,000.00 Galesville | | | | Tiller Trail | 123,603.00| 48,439.00| 48,439.00| 26,725.00 Project | | | | | | | | Lake County: | | | | Lapine-Lakeview | 79,419.00| 39,709.50| 39,709.50| ... Project | | | | | | | | Jackson County: | | | | Medford-Crater | | | | Lake Project | 72,372.00| 34,436.00| 34,436.00| 3,500.00 | | | | Josephine County: | | | | Grants Pass- | | | | Crescent City | 31,476.00| 15,738.00| 15,738.00| ... Project | | | | | | | | Klamath County: | | | | Anna Creek Section | | | | of Crater Lake | 6,780.40| 3,390.20| 3,390.20| ... Road | | | | | | | | Lane County: | | | | Eugene-Florence | 123,951.25| 41,317.08| 41.317.08| 41,317.09 Project | | | | | | | | Tillamook County: | | | | Three Rivers | 122,000.00| 50,250.00| 50,250.00| 21,500.00 Project | | | | | | | | Wallowa County: | | | | Flora-Enterprise | 29,648.00| 12,324.00| 12,324.00| 5,000.00 Project | | | | | | | | Wheeler County: | | | | Ochoco Canyon | 45,000.00| 20,050.00| 20,050.00| 4,900.00 Project | | | | +-------------+-----------+-----------+----------- Total estimated |$1,246,204.65| | | cost of all | | | | Projects | | | | Federal Govt. Funds| |$538,231.78| | State Funds | | |$538,231.78| County Funds | | | |$169,741.09 ---------------------+-------------+-----------+-----------+-----------

THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY

The Pacific Highway running from Portland, through Oregon City, Salem, Albany, Eugene, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Medford and Ashland to the California line, is probably the most important through highway in the State. Along it are situated nine of the most important cities of the State. It traverses the immensely productive valleys of the Willamette, the Umpqua and the Rogue Rivers. It is the intercommunicating road for nine of the thirty-five counties of the State, and passes through the county seats of all but one of the nine. It is the only continuous and direct road along the Pacific Coast west of the Cascade Mountains, and connecting as it does the metropoli of the three Pacific Coast States it is the most important interstate highway in the West. From the standpoint of the tourist, Oregon would not be on the map if it had no Pacific Highway. It is the road that makes Oregon accessible to tourists from other states.

Being the most important highway in the State, the Pacific Highway should be the best highway in the State. To make it the best and at the same time to bring it up to the standard of the same highway in the adjacent states of Washington and California is one of the ends toward which the Highway Commission has been working during the past two years. During that time 53.3 miles of the very worst stretches of this highway have been newly graded to trunk highway standards. This grading has eliminated practically all of those heavy and dangerous grades which have made Oregon notorious for bad roads and which have kept thousands of auto tourists from visiting the State. In addition to grading 53.3 miles on the Pacific Highway, the Highway Commission has put down 8.3 miles of pavement and 14.5 miles of macadam, the total cost of all of these improvements being $971,000.00. As a part of the 1919 program, the Highway Commission has already appropriated for the improvement of the Pacific Highway the sum of $1,147,000.00, with which it is planned to build 46 miles of pavement and 38 miles of macadam surface.

The particular sections of the Pacific Highway constructed during 1917 and 1918, together with their mileages and total costs are given below. All of these sections are completed with the exception of the Canyonville-Galesville Forest Road Project which is well under way.

================================================+=====+=========== Sections |Miles| Total Cost ------------------------------------------------+-----+----------- Grading (including bridges)-- | | Oregon City to New Era | 4.0|$ 75,000.00 Divide to Leona | 7.0| 50,000.00 Yoncalla to Oakland | 10.8| 101,100.00 Myrtle Creek to Dillard | 12.8| 165,500.00 Canyonville to Galesville | 9.7| 211,000.00 Wolf Creek to Grave Creek | 4.9| 68,300.00 Grants Pass to Jackson County Line | 3.3| 13,000.00 Ashland Undercrossing | .8| 9,800.00 | | Macadam-- | | Cottage Grove to Divide | 1.0| 6,100.00 Divide to Leona | 7.0| 64,000.00 Siskiyou to California Line | 6.5| 56,300.00 | | Paving-- | | Oregon City to Canby | 7.5| 135,000.00 Ashland Hill Section | .8| 15,900.00 +-----+----------- Total cost of improvements completed and under| | way on Pacific Highway, 1917-1918 | |$971,000.00 ------------------------------------------------+-----+-----------

THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY

The Columbia River Highway is second only to the Pacific Highway as a commercial necessity in the state of Oregon; furthermore, the Columbia River Highway is the only connecting link between Eastern and Western Oregon that can be kept open for vehicular traffic throughout the entire year.

From a scenic standpoint, the Columbia River Highway has now become world famous, not only because of its wonderful natural advantages of location, but because of the high standard of construction. A large part of this combined commercial and scenic road is now open to traffic and the coming year will see the elimination of the last almost impassable barrier--the summit between Hood River and Mosier, a piece of construction 5.8 miles in length which will cost approximately $350,000 for the grading alone.

The Columbia River Highway parallels the Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean to Umatilla, a distance of 320 miles, thence southeast an additional 40 miles to Pendleton, where it connects with the Old Oregon Trail. The Old Oregon Trail continues southeast for a distance of 190 miles, crossing the Idaho-Oregon line at Huntington; making a continuous highway 550 miles in length.

At this date, the grading of the Columbia River Highway is practically complete from Astoria to Hood River, a total distance of 174 miles, and the greater part of it is now either paved or macadamized.