A location survey was started January 1, 1918, from the West City limits of Beaverton and completed to the city limits of Hillsboro, a distance of 7.7 miles. The alignment parallels the Southern Pacific Railway on the north side of the tracks and eliminates four grade crossings. The entire section was graded by Washington County during the 1918 season.
Survey—Forest Grove to Gaston
A survey was made from Forest Grove to Gaston, a distance of approximately 6 miles. The alignment follows the existing road with the exception of a change at Dilley to eliminate two railroad crossings.
Considerable grading was done between Dilley and Gaston, reducing the grade to five per cent.
Mr. C. G. Reiter, County Surveyor of Washington County, was employed as locating engineer for the State, and also supervised the grading in both of the above sections.
WHEELER COUNTY
Wheeler County, being without either rail or water transportation facilities, is entirely dependent upon its roads for communication with outside points, as well as between points within the County. All of the large amount of agricultural products of the county must be transported for long distances over roads and highways, and likewise, all manufactured articles and other supplies from points without the County must be brought in over them. For that reason, good roads are of the utmost importance to all of Wheeler County, which fact is fully recognized by the Wheeler County people.
Every effort is being made by the County to build up and improve its road system, but the funds available within the County are entirely inadequate. In November, 1916, bonds were voted to the amount of $80,000.00, the maximum allowed the County under the State laws, but this amount is hardly enough to make a beginning on the necessary road construction in the county, as Wheeler County is rough and mountainous, and road construction is therefore heavy and expensive.
The State Highway Commission realizing the importance of the construction of roads in this County, and the impossibility of the financing of their construction by the County alone, early determined to assist to the greatest possible extent.
Surveys have been made by the Department over all but two miles of the two most important cross-county roads, the John Day River Highway and the McKenzie River Highway. During 1917 and 1918 the State Highway Department expended the sum of $46,997.79, cooperating with the County in the construction of 4.2 miles of grading and macadamizing between Fossil and the Gilliam County Line. State aid was also granted the County to the amount of $14,235.45 for the construction of nine-tenths of a mile, known as the Bridge Creek Section, on the McKenzie River Highway just west of Mitchell, the total cost of which was $24,235.45.