LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

Salem, Oregon, December 1, 1918.

HONORABLE JAMES WITHYCOMBE,

Governor of the State of Oregon,

Dear Sir: In compliance with Section 5, Article II, Chapter 237, Laws of 1917, we have the honor to submit herewith the report of the State Highway Commission for the period December 1, 1916 to November 30, 1918.

The Commission desires at this time to express its appreciation of the courtesies and assistance rendered to it by the various state officers and county officials in the work of the past two years.

Respectfully submitted,
OREGON STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION,

S. Benson, Chairman
W. L. Thompson, Commissioner
R. A. Booth, Commissioner

Attest:

Roy A. Klein, Secretary

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Letter of Transmittal to the Governor[4]
Table of Contents[5]
Report of the State Highway Commission[7]
General Resume of the Work of the Biennium[7]
Proposals Received on Construction Jobs[9]
Bond Sales[10]
Financial Statement[11]
State Highway Engineer’s Report to the Highway Commission[13]
Letter of Transmittal[14]
Work Accomplished[17]
Moneys Available and Expended[17]
Paving[18]
Macadamizing[18]
Grading[19]
Bridges[19]
Elimination of Grade Crossings[21]
Federal Cooperation[22]
Post Road Projects[23]
Forest Road Projects[23]
The Pacific Highway[27]
The Columbia River Highway[28]
County Work Supervised by the Highway Department[29]
Construction Work by State Forces[29]
State Highway Funds[30]
Equipment[31]
Office Organization[32]
Cost Keeping[34]
Employes in the Army Service[35]
Tabulated Statements of Expenditures and Costs[39]
Allotments to Various Highway Funds[40]
Summary of Fund Allotments and Fund Expenditures[40]
Expenditures Segregated by Counties[41]
Expenditures Segregated Under the Heads of General Administrative, Surveys,Construction Engineering, Construction, Equipment, Etc.[41]
Expenditures for Construction Detailed by Jobs[42]
Expenditures for Surveys Detailed by Jobs[45]
Expenditures for Equipment, Bond Interest and Overhead[47]
Summary of County Funds Expended by the Department[48]
General Tabulated Information and Highway Maps[51]
Miles of Highway Construction by the Department During 1917 and 1918[52]
Tabulation of Bridge Design and Construction[54]
Miles of Location Surveys Made by the Department during 1917 and 1918[58]
Miles of Different Types of Roads in Each County[59]
Motor Vehicle Registration by Counties[60]
County Bond Issues[60]
Tabulation of Contract Prices[—]
Yearly Expenditure of State Funds in Counties[61]
Mileage Table of Main Travelled Roads[62]
Map of Main Travelled Roads[—]
Official Designation of State Highways[63]
Employes of the Highway Commission[65]
Numbers and Mileages of State Highways[66]
Map of State Highway System[67]
General Description of Work in Various Counties[69]
Baker County[69]
Benton County[71]
Clackamas County[71]
Clatsop County[75]
Columbia County[80]
Coos County[89]
Crook County[89]
Curry County[90]
Deschutes County[91]
Douglas County[92]
Gilliam County[100]
Grant County[101]
Harney County[104]
Hood River County[106]
Jackson County[112]
Jefferson County[117]
Josephine County[117]
Klamath County[122]
Lake County[122]
Lane County[122]
Lincoln County[123]
Linn County[123]
Malheur County[124]
Marion County[125]
Morrow County[129]
Multnomah County[131]
Polk County[132]
Sherman County[132]
Tillamook County[133]
Umatilla County[135]
Union County[138]
Wallowa County[141]
Wasco County[142]
Washington County[143]
Wheeler County[146]
Yamhill County[150]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  1. [On The Pacific Highway In The Siskiyou Mountains, Jackson County. Macadamized In 1917]
  2. [Little Jack Falls On The Columbia River Highway Between Goble And Rainier In Columbia County]
  3. [Reinforced Concrete Bridge Over Hood River, Nearing Completion, On The Columbia River Highway At Hood River City. Built In 1918]
  4. [Mount Ashland From The Pacific Highway In Jackson County. Elevation Of Highway 4,480 Feet]
  5. [Reinforced Concrete Half Viaduct On The Columbia River Highway Between Goble And Rainier In Columbia County, Constructed In 1918]
  6. [Reinforced Concrete Cribbing Near Prescott On The Columbia River Highway In Columbia County. Built In 1918]
  7. [Automobile Road Map, Showing The Main Traveled Roads Of Oregon With Mileages. Prepared by the Oregon State Highway Department]
  8. [State Of Oregon. System Of State Highways. Proposed By State Highway Commission, 1918]
  9. [The Pacific Highway In Pass Creek Canyon, Douglas County. Graded And Macadamized In 1917 And 1918]
  10. [At The Top Of Canemah Hill On The Pacific Highway In Clackamas County. Graded And Paved In 1918]
  11. [Bituminous Pavement On The Pacific Highway South Of Oregon City In Clackamas County. Graded And Paved In 1918]
  12. [Bituminous Paving Near Svenson In Clatsop County On The Columbia River Highway. Paved In 1917]
  13. [Covered Wood Drawbridge On The Columbia River Highway In Clatsop County, Over The John Day River East Of Astoria. Built In 1918. Lift Span—40 Feet]
  14. [On The Columbia River Highway Near Goble In Columbia County. Graded And Macadamized In 1917 And 1918]
  15. [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]
  16. [Bridge On Pass Creek—20 Ft. Span. On Pacific Highway Near Comstock In Douglas County]
  17. [Along The Umpqua River North Of Myrtle Creek In Douglas County. Graded In 1917 And 1918]
  18. [Van Tyne Creek Viaduct North Of Myrtle Creek In Douglas County. Built In 1918]
  19. [The John Day River Highway South Of Condon In Gilliam County Macadamized In 1917]
  20. [The Columbia River Highway West Of Lindsay In Hood River County]
  21. [The Columbia River Highway Near Viento In Hood River County. Graded And Graveled In 1917 And 1918]
  22. [On The Columbia River Highway In Hood River County Two Miles East Of Cascade Locks. Graded And Graveled In 1917 And 1918]
  23. [Heavy Grading On Ruthton Hill In Hood River County. Constructed In 1917 And 1918]
  24. [Concrete Pavement On Ashland Hill In Jackson County, On The Pacific Highway North Of Ashland. Graded And Paved In 1918]
  25. [On The Pacific Highway South Of Wolf Creek In Josephine County. Constructed In 1917 And 1918]
  26. [On The Wolf Creek-Grave Creek Section Of The Pacific Highway In Josephine County. Graded In 1918]
  27. [On The Wolf Creek-Grave Creek Section Of The Pacific Highway In Josephine County. Graded In 1918]
  28. [Intercounty Bridge Over The Willamette At Salem. Built By Marion And Polk Counties In 1917 And 1918. Cost $250,000.00. Total Length 2,220 Feet.]
  29. [On The Paved Road Between Pendleton And Adams In Umatilla County. Paved In 1917]
  30. [A Survey Camp In Eastern Oregon]
  31. [Covered Wood Bridge Over The Tualatin River On The West Side Highway In Washington County. Built In 1918]
  32. [State Owned Paving Plant In Operation Near Sheridan In Yamhill County. On The Yamhill Nestucca Highway]

Third Biennial Report
of the
State Highway Commission
of the
State of Oregon
1917-1918

The law establishing this Commission was approved by Governor Withycombe on February 19, 1917 and on March 1 the following appointments were made: S. Benson, Portland, for the three-year period; W. L. Thompson, Pendleton, two-year period; E. J. Adams, Eugene, one-year period. The first meeting was held on March 6, 1917, when this Commission was organized and S. Benson elected Chairman and G. Ed Ross, Secretary.

The former Commission, consisting of James Withycombe, Governor, Ben W. Olcott, Secretary of State, and Thos. B. Kay, State Treasurer, held meetings on December 15, 1916 and January 15, 1917 and on the qualification of the members of the new commission, as provided in Section 14, Article II, Chapter 237, Laws of 1917, transferred all records, maps, equipment and property in its possession. The former Commission, in view of proposed legislation providing for a new highway code, made no appropriations nor were policies outlined, so that when the new Commission entered upon its duties, it was not embarrassed by policies made by its predecessors.

At a meeting on April 10, 1917, Herbert Nunn was appointed State Highway Engineer. On April 1, 1918, Robert A. Booth, of Eugene, was appointed by Governor Withycombe to succeed E. J. Adams. On August 6, 1918, Roy A. Klein was appointed Secretary to succeed G. Ed Ross, resigned.

The Commission has held fifty-one meetings for the transaction of its business. The State highway system as outlined in the law has been adopted and the work of the biennium confined to the various units of this system. Specifications covering hard surface pavement have been prepared by the State Highway Engineer and adopted by the Commission, as well as specifications for grading and bridge construction which have been acceptable to the United States Office of Public Roads and are used on all Federal Aid Projects in the State.

Surveys have been made on State highway routes to determine the best and most economical location, at the request of the counties, and also several important bridges have been designed and constructed under the supervision of the Department. Engineers have been furnished at State expense to supervise construction work being done by the counties on State highways in several instances.

The program for 1917 depending upon the passage of the $6,000,000.00 Bonding Act, the working season remaining after ratification by the voters was short, but engineering parties were sent out and the first contract under this act was let on June 30, 1917. All except the smaller contracts entered into were carried over into the 1918 working season. No new paving or grading contracts of any magnitude have been awarded this year due to the rising costs of material and scarcity of labor.

There was early seen the necessity of conserving labor and capital in the national emergency and for that reason the Commission has been unable to give aid to many meritorious projects submitted by various sections of the State. At a meeting held on June 25, the Commission went on record, as a war measure, to devote its resources to the completion of the two trunk line highways, the Columbia River Highway and the Pacific Highway, completing projects under construction, temporary surfacing to keep trunk highways open or roads to develop resources which are an aid in the prosecution of the war. Notwithstanding the mandatory nature of the State law which created the Commission and provides funds for work under it, the Commission believes this course was warranted and that its action will be supported.

Due to the uncertainty of materials, supplies, labor conditions, etc., contractors have been unable to make satisfactory bids and on several occasions no satisfactory bids being received, the Commission undertook to do the work by day labor, in each case effecting a saving under the low bid.

In a few cases, either no bids being received or the ones received being considered excessive, work has been let on the cost plus basis with definite cost limit set, beyond which no percentage would be paid. Three of these force account jobs have later been taken over by the Commission, as it was felt that the work could be handled more economically with its own forces.

To determine the legality of the State and Federal co-operative bonds for co-operation on post and forest roads, a friendly suit was brought in the Supreme Court which was decided favorable to the issue.

The interpretation placed on the Federal Aid Road Law by the Secretary of Agriculture requiring actual carriage of the mails or a reasonable prospect before approving as eligible for Federal co-operation eliminated from the classification practically all of the Columbia River Highway and especially links in the Pacific Highway in Douglas county on which it was desired to receive Federal aid.

Under the post road law seventeen projects have been agreed upon, and to date ten have been approved, three disapproved, two pending and two in preparation. Construction work has been started on two of these projects. Under the forest road law fourteen projects have been approved. Construction has been started on four of these projects. Several will carry over into the 1920 program.

A railroad asphalt paving plant was purchased but not used during the 1918 season, since no bituminous pavements were constructed, under new contracts, in that period. Three concrete pavers are owned by the Commission, as well as three road rollers, four rock crushers, and six auto trucks, besides considerable grading construction equipment. A large part of this equipment has been in use this season and not only has saved the cost of rented equipment but has been available at times when it was impossible to get the same elsewhere.

A total of seventy-one projects have been advertised as follows. It will be noted that the number of proposals exceeds the number of bidders which may be explained by the fact that on paving work bidders have made proposals on more than one type of pavement.

ProjectDateNumber of
Proposals		Number of
Bidders
Sheridan PavingMay29,191722
Sheridan GradingMay29,191782
Cummings Hill GradingJune19,191711
Pendleton PavingJune29,191784
Rex-Tigard GradingJuly20,191754
Rex-Tigard PavingJuly20,191794
Clackamas-Marion PavingJuly20,191795
Siskiyou GradingJuly20,191711
Siskiyou PavingJuly20,191711
Astoria-Svenson GradingJuly20,191744
Astoria-Svenson PavingJuly20,191774
Goble Section GradingJuly30,191722
Rainier Hill Section GradingJuly30,191744
Cascade Locks Section GradingJuly30,191733
Viento Section GradingJuly30,191744
Ruthton Hill Section GradingJuly30,191777
Columbia County Bridges, WoodAug.7,191755
Columbia County Bridges, ConcreteAug.7,191755
Wasco County, MacadamAug.7,191711
Cummings Hill, MacadamAug.7,191711
Condon-Thirty Mile Creek, MacadamAug.7,191711
Mult. County Line-Scappoose, PavingAug.7,191732
Bend-Lapine, CinderingAug.7,191722
Clatsop County Line-Goble, MacadamAug.7,191722
New Era GradingAug.7,191711
Divide-Latham MacadamAug.7,1917......
Pioneer Mountain Section, GradingAug.7,1917......
Lakeview-Paisley MacadamAug.7,1917......
Svenson-Westport MacadamAug.7,191711
Tillamook-Cloverdale PavingAug.7,191793
Oregon City-Canby PavingSept.4,191711
Lane County Line-Comstock GradingSept.5,191722
Comstock-Leona GradingSept.5,191722
Yoncalla-Oakland GradingSept.5,191733
Locust Hill Section GradingSept.25,191744
Wolf Creek-Grave Creek GradingNov.6,191799
Myrtle Creek-Dillard GradingNov.27,191777
Bridge Creek Section GradingNov.27,191722
John Day BridgeNov.27,191744
Goble Creek BridgeNov.27,191755
Onion Flat BridgeNov.27,191733
Canemah-New Era GradingDec.10,191744
Tualatin BridgeJan.1,191833
Umpqua Bridge 21⁄2 miles south of DillardJan.9,191844
Umpqua Bridge 1 mile north of DillardJan.9,191855
Pendleton-Echo Grading and MacadamFeb.5,191833
Echo-Morrow County Line Grading and MacadamFeb.5,191854
Umpqua Bridge 21⁄2 miles south DillardFeb.5,191844
Hood River BridgeMar.5,191844
Umpqua Bridge 21⁄2 miles south DillardMar.5,191833
Beaver Creek Bridge No. 11Mar.23,191811
Half Viaduct Little Jack FallsMar.23,191811
Svenson-Columbia County Line MacadamMar.23,191811
Sheridan-McMinnville Section PavingMar.23,191811
Graham Creek BridgeMar.23,1918......
Plympton Creek BridgeMar.23,1918......
Little Creek BridgeMar.23,1918......
Big Creek BridgeMar.23,1918......
Clatsop County Line-Tide Creek MacadamMar.23,1918......
2 half viaducts in Columbia CountyMar.23,1918......
Stone Wall Construction Columbia CountyMar.23,1918......
Cascade Locks Section GravelMay14,191811
Salem-Aurora Paving unit No. 1June25,191832
Salem-Aurora Paving unit No. 2June25,191832
Fanno Creek BridgeJuly9,191866
Elgin-Minam Section GradingJuly9,191811
Union-Telocaset Section GradingJuly9,191844
Elgin-Minam Section GradingJuly9,191833
Ashland PavingJuly9,191832
Divide-Comstock MacadamJuly9,191811
Divide Overhead CrossingSept.10,191811
Divide Overhead Crossing GradingSept.10,191811
Marshfield-Coquille MacadamOct.8,191822
216182

Under the provisions of the Six Million Dollar Bonding Act, bonds to the amount of $2,190,000.00 par value have been sold. These bonds bear four per cent interest and mature in from five to twenty-five years from date of issue. An average of six proposals were made for each issue.

Date of SalesDate of BondsNumbersHighest BidderPar ValuePrice Paid
Aug.7,1917Aug.1,19171-520Lumbermen’s
Trust Company		$ 500,000$ 471,300
Sept.12,1917Sept.1,1917521-1040E. H. Rollins & Sons500,000472,130
Mar.15,1918April1,19181041-1560Henry Teal500,000455,850
July9,1918July1,19181561-2280E. H. Rollins & Sons
and A. B. Leach		690,000643,770
Totals$ 2,190,000$ 2,043,050

Under the provisions of Chapter 175 of the Laws of 1917, (Bean-Barrett) bonds to meet Federal co-operation are authorized. Four hundred thousand dollars par value of these bonds were sold August 18, 1918 by the Board of Control to the highest bidder, Clark-Kendall & Co., whose proposal was $381,160.00. These bonds are four per cent and mature in from four to eight years.

The work accomplished during the biennium may be summed up as follows:

50 miles of hard surface.
111.8 miles of broken stone or gravel surface.
134.5 miles of graded roadbed.
40 bridges.

With the close of the war and the prospect of declining prices of material and a more plentiful supply of labor, the Commission looks forward to 1919 as a year in which a great deal can be accomplished and at this date a tentative program has been prepared providing for improvement of the State Highways in every county of the State.

The report of the State Highway Engineer to the Commission is hereto appended, showing in detail the work accomplished and the expenditures during the biennium.