John Day Bridge
This inter-county bridge will be located on the Columbia River Highway across the John Day River, below McDonald, and will obviate the necessity for the toll ferry at McDonald.
As designed, the crossing calls for 2-123 foot wooden deck spans on concrete piers and about 120 feet of high class wooden approach and 100 feet of fill. The cost, which is estimated to be $20,000.00, will be borne by Sherman and Gilliam Counties, and the State, and it is probable that construction work will start next spring.
TILLAMOOK COUNTY
Paving—Tillamook South
A contract was awarded on August 7, 1917, to Oskar Huber of Portland for the grading and paving of a five mile section extending south from the end of the paving then in place about three miles south of Tillamook City.
The old road which this paving was to follow in a general way contained many sharp curves and had a roadbed not eighteen feet wide on the average. On this was a light surfacing of gravel and rock macadam about twelve feet in width. The roadbed was widened to a twenty-four foot width, all excessively sharp curves were eliminated, and all wooden culverts, trestles, and bridges were replaced with modern concrete structures, and the decking on two steel bridges renewed and paved.
As there is available in this vicinity no ledge rock, it was found necessary to haul and crush large boulders from the creek bed to provide the necessary rock for the base and mixture. Some sand was obtained locally, but most of it had to be shipped in from Portland and hauled to the work from Tillamook.
The job was completed by December 15th of this year, and on account of the unusually bad conditions faced by the contractor as regards labor and materials, Mr. Huber is to be commended for the prompt completion of the work as well as for the excellence of construction.
By an arrangement between the County and the Highway Commission the County pays for all grading in connection with this improvement and also for twenty-five per cent of the cost of the paving. The total cost of the grading and paving complete is $109,250.00 of which the County will pay $34,325.00 and the State $74,925.00.