Third Biennial Report of the Oregon State Highway Commission.

by S. Benson, W. L. Thompson, R. A. Booth, Herbert Nunn.

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 a.s.sistance 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

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 embarra.s.sed 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 pa.s.sage 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 cla.s.sification 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.

=============================+================+===========+=========== Project | Date | Number of | Number of | | Proposals | Bidders -----------------------------+----------------+-----------+----------- Sheridan Paving | May 29, 1917 | 2 | 2 Sheridan Grading | May 29, 1917 | 8 | 2 c.u.mmings Hill Grading | June 19, 1917 | 1 | 1 Pendleton Paving | June 29, 1917 | 8 | 4 Rex-Tigard Grading | July 20, 1917 | 5 | 4 Rex-Tigard Paving | July 20, 1917 | 9 | 4 Clackamas-Marion Paving | July 20, 1917 | 9 | 5 Siskiyou Grading | July 20, 1917 | 1 | 1 Siskiyou Paving | July 20, 1917 | 1 | 1 Astoria-Svenson Grading | July 20, 1917 | 4 | 4 Astoria-Svenson Paving | July 20, 1917 | 7 | 4 Goble Section Grading | July 30, 1917 | 2 | 2 Rainier Hill Section Grading | July 30, 1917 | 4 | 4 Cascade Locks Section Grading| July 30, 1917 | 3 | 3 Viento Section Grading | July 30, 1917 | 4 | 4 Ruthton Hill Section Grading | July 30, 1917 | 7 | 7 Columbia County Bridges, Wood| Aug. 7, 1917 | 5 | 5 Columbia County Bridges, | | | Concrete | Aug. 7, 1917 | 5 | 5 Wasco County, Macadam | Aug. 7, 1917 | 1 | 1 c.u.mmings Hill, Macadam | Aug. 7, 1917 | 1 | 1 Condon-Thirty Mile Creek, | | | Macadam | Aug. 7, 1917 | 1 | 1 Mult. County Line-Scappoose, | | | Paving | Aug. 7, 1917 | 3 | 2 Bend-Lapine, Cindering | Aug. 7, 1917 | 2 | 2 Clatsop County Line-Goble, | | | Macadam | Aug. 7, 1917 | 2 | 2 New Era Grading | Aug. 7, 1917 | 1 | 1 Divide-Latham Macadam | Aug. 7, 1917 | - | - Pioneer Mountain Section, | | | Grading | Aug. 7, 1917 | - | - Lakeview-Paisley Macadam | Aug. 7, 1917 | - | - Svenson-Westport Macadam | Aug. 7, 1917 | 1 | 1 Tillamook-Cloverdale Paving | Aug. 7, 1917 | 9 | 3 Oregon City-Canby Paving | Sept. 4, 1917 | 1 | 1 Lane County Line-Comstock | | | Grading | Sept. 5, 1917 | 2 | 2 Comstock-Leona Grading | Sept. 5, 1917 | 2 | 2 Yoncalla-Oakland Grading | Sept. 5, 1917 | 3 | 3 Locust Hill Section Grading | Sept. 25, 1917 | 4 | 4 Wolf Creek-Grave Creek | | | Grading | Nov. 6, 1917 | 9 | 9 Myrtle Creek-Dillard Grading | Nov. 27, 1917 | 7 | 7 Bridge Creek Section Grading | Nov. 27, 1917 | 2 | 2 John Day Bridge | Nov. 27, 1917 | 4 | 4 Goble Creek Bridge | Nov. 27, 1917 | 5 | 5 Onion Flat Bridge | Nov. 27, 1917 | 3 | 3 Canemah-New Era Grading | Dec. 10, 1917 | 4 | 4 Tualatin Bridge | Jan. 1, 1918 | 3 | 3 Umpqua Bridge 2 miles south | | | of Dillard | Jan. 9, 1918 | 4 | 4 Umpqua Bridge 1 mile north | | | of Dillard | Jan. 9, 1918 | 5 | 5 Pendleton-Echo Grading and | | | Macadam | Feb. 5, 1918 | 3 | 3 Echo-Morrow County Line | | | Grading and Macadam | Feb. 5, 1918 | 5 | 4 Umpqua Bridge 2 miles south | | | Dillard | Feb. 5, 1918 | 4 | 4 Hood River Bridge | Mar. 5, 1918 | 4 | 4 Umpqua Bridge 2 miles south | | | Dillard | Mar. 5, 1918 | 3 | 3 Beaver Creek Bridge No. 11 | Mar. 23, 1918 | 1 | 1 Half Viaduct Little Jack | | | Falls | Mar. 23, 1918 | 1 | 1 Svenson-Columbia County Line | | | Macadam | Mar. 23, 1918 | 1 | 1 Sheridan-McMinnville Section | | | Paving | Mar. 23, 1918 | 1 | 1 Graham Creek Bridge | Mar. 23, 1918 | ... | ...

Plympton Creek Bridge | Mar. 23, 1918 | ... | ...

Little Creek Bridge | Mar. 23, 1918 | ... | ...

Big Creek Bridge | Mar. 23, 1918 | ... | ...

Clatsop County Line-Tide | | | Creek Macadam | Mar. 23, 1918 | ... | ...

2 half viaducts in Columbia | | | County | Mar. 23, 1918 | ... | ...

Stone Wall Construction | | | Columbia County | Mar. 23, 1918 | ... | ...

Cascade Locks Section Gravel | May 14, 1918 | 1 | 1 Salem-Aurora Paving unit | | | No. 1 | June 25, 1918 | 3 | 2 Salem-Aurora Paving unit | | | No. 2 | June 25, 1918 | 3 | 2 Fanno Creek Bridge | July 9, 1918 | 6 | 6 Elgin-Minam Section Grading | July 9, 1918 | 1 | 1 Union-Telocaset Section | | | Grading | July 9, 1918 | 4 | 4 Elgin-Minam Section Grading | July 9, 1918 | 3 | 3 Ashland Paving | July 9, 1918 | 3 | 2 Divide-Comstock Macadam | July 9, 1918 | 1 | 1 Divide Overhead Crossing | Sept. 10, 1918 | 1 | 1 Divide Overhead Crossing | | | Grading | Sept. 10, 1918 | 1 | 1 Marshfield-Coquille Macadam | Oct. 8, 1918 | 2 | 2 | +-----------+----------- | | 216 | 182 -----------------------------+----------------+-----------+-----------

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 | Date of | Numbers | Highest |Par Value |Price Paid Sales | Bonds | | Bidder | | -----------+----------+-----------+---------------+----------+---------- Aug. 7, | Aug. 1, | 1- 520 | Lumbermen's | $ 500,000| $ 471,300 1917 | 1917 | | Trust | | | | | Company | | Sept. 12, | Sept. 1, | 521-1040 | E. H. Rollins | 500,000| 472,130 1917 | 1917 | | & Sons | | Mar. 15, | April 1, | 1041-1560 | Henry Teal | 500,000| 455,850 1918 | 1918 | | | | July 9, | July 1, | 1561-2280 | E. H. Rollins | 690,000| 643,770 1918 | 1918 | | & Sons and | | | | | A. B. Leach | | | | | +----------+---------- 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.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT OREGON STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION

STATEMENT FOR THE BIENNIUM ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 1918

ONE-QUARTER MILL TAX FUND-- Balance on hand December 1, 1916 $ 94,418.14 Turnover January 1, 1917 219,690.98 Turnover January 1, 1918 232,151.39 ----------- Total receipts $ 546,260.51 Expenditures from mill tax fund to Nov. 30, 1918 528,789.99 -------------- Balance on hand December 1, 1918 $ 17,470.52

AUTOMOBILE LICENSE FUND-- Turnover October 1, 1917 $150,000.00 Turnover April 1, 1918 300,000.00 Turnover October 1, 1918 125,000.00 ----------- Total receipts $ 575,000.00 Total expenditures to Nov. 30, 1918 281,902.67 ------------ Balance, December 1, 1918 $293,097.33

SIX MILLION DOLLAR BOND FUND-- August 7, 1917, $500,000.00 bonds $471,300.08 Accrued interest 2,333.33 Sept. 12, 1917, $500,000.00 bonds 472,130.00 Accrued interest 1,833.33 March 15, 1918, $500,000.00 bonds 455,850.00 Accrued interest 222.22 July 9, 1918, $690,000.00 bonds 643,770.00 Accrued interest 2,606.54 ----------- Total receipts from bond sales $2,050,045.42 Expenditures to November 30, 1918 2,049,025.47 ------------ ------------ Balance on hand December 1, 1918 $ 1,019.95

STATE AND FEDERAL CO-OPERATIVE BONDS-- August 18, 1917, sold $400,000.00 $388,040.00 Accrued interest 2,844.44 ----------- $390,884.44 Expenditure of Board of Control this issue 400.00 ----------- Turnover by Board of Control to State Highway Commission $ 390,484.44 Expenditures to Nov. 30, 1918 28,539.55 ------------ Balance on hand December 1, 1918 $361,944.89