Third Biennial Report of the Oregon State Highway Commission Part 15

For this purpose $16,967.68 of State funds were expended, and the total amount of County expenditures audited and vouchered through the Highway department was $170,781.83. These expenditures were made on work on the Coast Highway between Marshfield and the Curry County Line, and on the Coos Bay-Roseburg Highway between Coquille and Myrtle Point. The engineering work was in charge of R. B. Murdock.

CROOK COUNTY

Crook County is one of the districts of Eastern Oregon where the road program is an expensive one. Prineville now has rail communication with outside points, and in sections of the County there is found some good natural roads, but much is wanting in the line of transportation facilities. Owing to a large portion of the County being mountainous in character, much of the roads are little else than trails.

Formerly the boundaries of Crook County encircled an area now comprising several counties. The paring process, caused by the forming of new counties left Crook County in a peculiar position. The local road map indicates that the County is divided into two communities with the dividing line following the rugged country a few miles east of Prineville. A single road that is a succession of heavy grades and poor alignment, is the sole medium of traffic communication between the two ends of the County.

The people of Crook County are fully aware of the importance of highways. Although local funds will not go far, a remarkable beginning has been made. A County bond issue of $95,000.00 has been voted for road construction. The general progressiveness and co-operative spirit existing throughout the County is shown by the fact that $85,000.00 of the bond issue is to be expended on one road. Reference is made to the proposed road up Crooked River from Prineville, connecting the east and west end of the County.

The State Highway Commission has ordered a location survey made of the Crooked River Highway between Prineville and the Shorty Davis Ranch. The length of this line will be about thirty miles, and practically a water grade can be secured. This work will start easily in 1918.

The immediate purpose of the survey is to gather definite data for the consideration of the State Highway Commission. The County authorities have made application for State aid and request early consideration of the matter.

The State Highway Commission is cooperating in the construction of the Ochoco Forest Road in Crook County.

Ochoco-Canyon Forest Road

The State Highway Commission extended aid to Crook County by helping to secure Federal aid and by appropriating State funds for the construction of a nine and seven-tenths mile section of the McKenzie River Highway between Prineville and Mitch.e.l.l. This section is adjacent to the Wheeler County Line and connects up with proposed grading work in Wheeler County.

Construction work is in progress under the direction of the United States Office of Public Roads. The cost of this work will be defrayed by co-operative funds from the State, County and Government. The total estimated cost is $52,500.00. The following statement shows the appropriations made for this work:

Total estimated cost of work $52,500.00 Appropriated by State 17,500.00 Appropriated by Government 17,500.00 Appropriated by County 17,500.00

CURRY COUNTY

The most important highway in this County is, of course, the Coast Highway, which affords an outlet to California on the south and Coos Bay on the north. Between the Coos County Line and Port Orford the route of the Coast Highway lies along the foot of the mountains and on a comparatively level plain and, except in a few cases at river crossings, the grades of the present road are not excessive. The alignment could be improved but is satisfactory for the present. A gravel surfacing on this section makes it pa.s.sable the whole year round.

South of Port Orford the topography of the County changes. The slopes are steep; in many cases reaching forty degrees, and are badly broken up. This section is also subject to slides of which there is abundant evidence of recent activity. The drainage being at right angles to the coast must be crossed by the highway requiring considerable rise and fall in the grade line.

A survey from Port Orford south was commenced in December of 1917. A line was located and staked ready for construction between Port Orford and Hubbard Creek, eliminating steep grades and sharp curves on the present road. A close preliminary line was run between Hubbard Creek and Mussel Creek (Arizona Inn), a thorough study made of the conditions and the following route recommended, which eliminates the excessive grades and high summit of 1,100 feet of the present road. The location lies between elevation 100 and 400, dropping into and crossing drainage as it is met, following close to the beach until Brush Creek is reached, then following up Brush Creek on the east side of Humbug Mountain until an intersection with the present road is reached, straightening out present road for about one mile, then following the coast between elevation 200 and 400, dropping into Mussel Creek.

The controlling points on this route are the slides which must be headed to secure a stable roadbed. A twelve-foot roadbed has been proposed for this project, with maximum six per cent grades and the construction even for this narrow width is heavy as it will be necessary to bench out the entire width of the roadbed on solid ground, the slopes being too steep for fill to catch. Considerable bridging is required and a gravel surface provided throughout the entire length to insure an all year road, so the cost of even this narrow roadbed will be high.

A beach route located about ten feet above high tide has been proposed, and, while this has the advantage of shorter distance and no rise and fall, this route is not believed to be feasible because the underlying rock is soft and disintegrates readily and is eroded by tidal action to a considerable extent. The numerous slides at this elevation would also make construction on this location inadvisable for a permanent road.

A reconnaissance was made between Mussel Creek and Gold Beach. After leaving Mussel Creek, considerable development work is required to attain standard grade, and but a small portion of the present road could be used. Pa.s.sing Euchre Creek, there will be utilized along Cedar Creek a new section of road about eight miles in length which has been recently graded by the County. If widened and the alignment corrected in a few locations, this would afford a direct route to the Rogue River where a ferry runs regularly. Between the river crossing and Gold Beach there is a fair road requiring only straightening out and widening.

A large portion of the total area of Curry County is in the forest reserve making the taxable area relatively small. For this reason and in view of the heavy cost of construction, aid is asked by the County from State and Federal sources. The most needed improvement is the section between Port Orford and Brush Creek. In view of the increasing probability of the Coast Military Highway by the Federal Government, which would be a great benefit to this County as well as to the State in general, it is desired to construct such sections as are undertaken on the correct location and standard grades, so that future widening and surfacing only will be necessary to bring it to the high standards which will undoubtedly be maintained on this military highway.

It has been proposed by the Commission to co-operate with the Forest Service in a joint Forest Aid Project in Coos and Curry Counties, each contributing $50,000.00, the Forest money to be spent in northern Coos County and the State money, between Port Orford and Brush Creek. Curry County has offered to co-operate with County tax funds. It is hoped that this project can be carried out during the 1919 season.

DESCHUTES COUNTY

Bend-Lapine Cinder Macadam

During the year 1917, an appropriation was made by the Highway Commission for the construction of cinder macadam between Bend and Lapine. This work was advertised and, proposals were received on August 7, 1917. As the bids submitted at that time were not considered favorable, all were rejected, and the work was undertaken under the supervision of the County Court.

This section, which had been graded under a previous administration, pa.s.ses through a flat, pine district, with a surface formation of volcanic ash, which is a very poor road material, roads without surfacing becoming practically impa.s.sable during the summer season.

As no rock or gravel was available for macadamizing, scoria or volcanic cinder was used, of which material there is an inexhaustible supply along the right-of-way. This scoria is very light, weighing about 1,700 pounds per cubic yard. It, however, has made an excellent macadam, and because of its lightness can be handled and placed cheaper than either rock or gravel. The results are as favorable as if the best pit-run gravel could have been had.

A total of 18,300 cubic yards of cinder macadam was placed on this section and twelve and five-tenths miles of completed surface was secured. The total cost was $20,183.60, giving a unit cost of approximately $1,600.00 per mile, which is proof of the economy of this type of construction where volcanic cinder is obtainable.

Survey--Rolyat to One Hundred Mile Road

In September and October, 1918, the State Highway Commission made a location survey on the section of the Bend-Burns Highway between Rolyat, in Deschutes County and the One Hundred Mile Road, in Harney County. The object of the survey at this time is to secure a more direct route and to avoid the bad section of the present road through the Gla.s.s b.u.t.tes district. The length of this survey is seventeen and one-tenth miles and it materially shortens the distance, as compared with the present road between the terminal points mentioned.

Fifteen and six-tenths miles of this line are in Deschutes County and one and five-tenths miles in Harney County. The northeast corner of Lake County is touched by the survey but only for a short distance. The definite limits are not shown as the County Lines could not be found and it was deemed not advisable to go to the cost of reestablis.h.i.+ng the lines for the purpose of the survey. The new location leads in an easterly direction from Rolyat and continues to the north of the present road.

The plans for this survey will be made up in the near future. H. B.

Wright was the locating engineer in charge.

DOUGLAS COUNTY

As a result of the liberal co-operation of Douglas County, a very large amount of work has been done during 1917 and 1918 on the Pacific Highway across that County. From a $500,000.00 bond issue the County set aside $200,000.00 for the improvement of the Pacific Highway north of Roseburg, with the understanding that the Highway Department would expend an equal amount on the same highway south of Roseburg. In accordance with this arrangement, it was agreed that the County would grade 10.4 miles between Yoncalla and Oakland, grade and macadamize 4.6 miles between Comstock and Leona, and grade 2.4 miles between Comstock and the Lane County Line; and that the State would grade 12.8 miles between Myrtle Creek and Dillard and macadamize 2.4 miles between Comstock and the Lane County Line. It was further agreed that if the County would cooperate with the State and Federal Government to the amount of $23,000.00 on the Canyonville-Galesville Forest Road Project, this amount would be considered a part of the $200,000.00 to be provided by the County in connection with the general scheme of improvement outlined.

All of the work contemplated in this co-operative agreement has been carried to completion, and when final payments have been made the total expenditure by the State will be approximately $205,000.00 and by the County $175,000.00.

The Canyonville-Galesville Forest Road Project referred to above involves the grading of a 9.7 mile section over Canyon Creek Pa.s.s, and it will eliminate one of the very worst stretches on the Pacific Highway between Portland and the California Line. This is estimated to cost $211,000.00, of which the County will pay $23,000.00, the State $94,000.00 and the Federal Government $94,000.00.

In summary, the improvement work on the Pacific Highway in Douglas County during 1917 and 1918, including the work now under way, consisted of 39.9 miles of grading and 7.0 miles of macadamizing.

The expenditures on the individual sections by the County, State and Federal Government when final payments are completed, will be approximately as follows:

======================+===========+===========+==========+=========== Sections | By | By | By | Total | State | County | Federal | | | | Govt. | ----------------------+-----------+-----------+----------+----------- Lane County Line- | | | | Comstock Grading |$ 2,027.30|$ 17,119.44| ... | $19,146.74 Lane County Line- | | | | Comstock Macadam | 15,185.09| ... | ... | 15,185.09 Comstock-Leona | | | | Grading and | 5,650.28| 74,349.72| ... | 80,000.00 Macadam | | | | Oakland-Yoncalla | 17,565.28| 83,530.84| ... | 101,096.12 Grading | | | | Myrtle Creek-Dillard | 120,000.00| ... | ... | 120,000.00 Grading | | | | Canyonville-Galesville| 94,000.00| 23,000.00| 94,000.00| 211,000.00 Grading | | | | Umpqua River Bridges | 45,500.00| ... | ... | 45,500.00 +-----------+-----------+----------+----------- Total |$299,927.95|$198,000.00|$94,000.00|$591,927.95 ----------------------+-----------+-----------+----------+-----------

[Ill.u.s.tration: BRIDGE ON Pa.s.s CREEK--20 FT. SPAN. ON PACIFIC HIGHWAY NEAR COMSTOCK IN DOUGLAS COUNTY]

Grading--Comstock to the Lane County Line

This section runs through the northern portion of the Pa.s.s Creek Canyon, and has been the dread of tourists heretofore. It has always been a hard road to travel under summer conditions and absolutely impa.s.sable in winter, even for horse-drawn conveyances.

The contract for this improvement involved 2.4 miles of grading and was awarded to S. S. Sch.e.l.l of Oakland, Oregon on September 5, 1917. The bulk of the grading was done that fall and the job was completed in the spring of 1918. The road bed was graded to a width of 24 feet with 5 per cent maximum grades and easy curves. In addition to the grading, the contract included two drainage structures over Pa.s.s Creek, one a double 6x6 reinforced concrete box culvert and the other a 20-foot reinforced concrete bridge. All construction charges were paid by Douglas County.

Engineering charges were paid by the State.

Mr. E. B. Bishop was the Resident Engineer in charge on this section.

DETAILED EXPENDITURE STATEMENT--GRADING COMSTOCK TO LANE COUNTY LINE

Engineering $ 2,029.80 Construction-- Clearing and Grubbing $2,400.00 Common Excavation, 11,688 cu. yds. at 45c. 5,259.60 Intermediate Excavation, 6,085 cu. yds. at 60c. 3,651.00 Solid Rock Excavation, 1,016 cu. yds. at $1.15 1,168.40 Overhaul per 100 ft., 7,220 cu. yds. at 3c. 216.60 12-inch Plain Concrete Pipe, 134 lin. ft. at $1.00 134.00 24-inch Reinforced Concrete pipe, 160 lin. ft.