Third biennial report of the Oregon State Highway Commission

by Simon Benson; R. A. Booth; Herbert Nunn; W. L. Thompson

GILLIAM COUNTY

Gilliam County presents an interesting situation from the viewpoint of highways. Besides the Columbia River Highway the County is traversed by the John Day Highway, one of the important routes of Eastern Oregon. This large mileage of State highways along with the fact that there are many large agricultural communities to be served, renders important and necessary an extensive road building program.

THE JOHN DAY RIVER HIGHWAY SOUTH OF CONDON IN GILLIAM COUNTY
MACADAMIZED IN 1917

The people of Gilliam County have long realized the value of good roads. Although continuous effort has been put forth, expensive construction and limited funds have resulted in only a beginning. County authorities have always shown a keen interest in the plans for state co-operation, regardless of whether Gilliam County was to be benefitted directly or whether improvements were to be made in the neighboring counties.

The State Highway Commission has always recognized the urgency of building the Columbia River Highway, and in addition has from the beginning realized the necessity of an improved road leading inland from Condon.

During 1918 the State Highway Commission made a location survey of the Columbia River Highway between John Day River and Arlington, and a reconnaissance survey has been made from Arlington east to the Morrow County Line.

Since August 1917 the State Highway Commission has expended $28,673.43 for macadamizing the John Day Highway between Condon and Thirty Mile Creek. In addition $9,000.00 of State funds has been set aside for maintaining and resurfacing this section during the coming winter.

Gilliam County Court and the road district in the north end of the County through heroic efforts have raised $60,000.00 for grading the Columbia River Highway between Arlington and Blalock, a distance of eight and sixty-eight one-hundredths miles. This work is to be started at once and rushed during the winter season. The State Highway Department will supply engineering supervision.

Condon-Thirty Mile Creek—Macadam

In August 1917 a contract was let by the State Highway Department to Warren Construction Company of Portland for macadamizing a five and seven-tenths mile section of the John Day Highway between Condon and Thirty Mile Creek. The contractor was paid on the basis of cost plus ten per cent for labor and plus five per cent for materials.

Rock was quarried and crushed at two different points on the job and trucks and teams were used for hauling. The old road was scarified and re-dressed prior to laying the macadam. A dry macadam six inches thick was laid over the five and seven-tenths miles. The average width of the surface is about fourteen feet.

The State paid the entire cost of this work amounting to $28,673.43 and it is thought that about $1,500.00 per mile will be required for maintenance and re-dressing during the next few months.

C. A. Harrington was resident engineer and inspector for the Department on this work.

Mayville-Wheeler County Line—Grading and Macadam

At the completion of the state work on the Cummins Hill macadam, Gilliam County deemed it advisable to avail themselves of the opportunity to utilize the installed equipment and organization for macadamizing the John Day Highway between Mayville and Wheeler County Line, one mile south. Accordingly they graded and laid macadam for this distance thereby connecting Mayville up with the Wheeler County macadam. Gilliam County paid the full cost of this work amounting to about $6,500.00 for both grading and macadam.

The engineering and inspection was done by the State Department with George Hibbet in charge.

Columbia River Highway—Survey

A location survey of the Columbia River Highway was made by the State Highway Department during 1918. Beginning at the John Day River near its mouth the line follows up the Columbia River paralleling the O.-W. R. & N. Railway and ends at Arlington. The total length of the survey is twenty-three and ninety-six one-hundredths miles. The plans for the eight and sixty-eight one-hundredths miles section from Arlington to Blalock have been completed but there are revisions to be made in the remainder of the line owing to right-of-way encroachments upon the railroad property.

This survey was made under the direction of C. A. Harrington and B. H. McNamee, locating engineers for the State Department.