Third Biennial Report of the Oregon State Highway Commission Part 11

BENTON COUNTY

During 1917 and 1918, very little work was done by the Highway Department in Benton County. At the request of the County Court a short section of the West Side Highway north of Corvallis was staked for grading to be done by the County, and designs were prepared for three concrete structures. Two of these were for box culverts for the Pacific Highway about five miles north of Corvallis. The other was for an 85 foot reinforced concrete bridge over a mill race south of Corvallis. A short reconnaissance was made of the Corvallis-Newport road between Blodgett and Eddyville.

For work to be done in Benton County in 1919, the Highway Commission has set aside $129,500.00. With this amount it is planned to pave the West Side Highway from Corvallis north to the Polk County Line, approximately seven miles.

CLACKAMAS COUNTY

The work under the supervision of the Highway Department in Clackamas County during 1917 and 1918 has consisted of 4.5 miles of grading between New Era and Oregon City, 7.5 miles of paving between Oregon City and Canby, and 0.2 miles of grading between Oswego and the Multnomah County Line. The first of these jobs was done by the State and County in co-operation; the second was a strictly State job; and the third was a County job supervised by the State.

The total expenditure on the work done in Clackamas County was $198,952.24, of which Clackamas County paid $43,091.14 and the State $155,861.10.

Between New Era and Oregon City, the Pacific Highway has been graded on an entirely new location, paralleling the Southern Pacific Railway along the bank of the Willamette River instead of following the location of the old road farther back from the river, where the grading is not so heavy, but where a number of heavy grades are required. In addition to eliminating these heavy grades, a considerable saving in distance is effected, and the dangerous crossing under the Southern Pacific tracks at Oregon City is avoided.

Grading--Vicinity of New Era

On August 20, 1917, bids were considered by the State Highway Commission for the grading of two and one-half miles on the Pacific Highway near New Era. The most satisfactory proposal received was a cost plus ten per cent proposal submitted by the Warren Construction Company, and a contract was entered into with that firm on the cost plus ten per cent basis.

This work involved the grading of New Era Hill, just south of New Era, and some heavy rock excavation from New Era north. After the work had started, it was decided to pave between Oregon City and Canby, and the contract for this paving let to the Oregon Ha.s.sam Paving Company. The most feasible place to secure the crushed rock necessary for this paving was from the rock being excavated under the grading contract with the Warren Construction Company, and the Highway Department entered into an agreement with the paving company, whereby the state would crush the rock from a big cut at New Era, and furnish the crushed rock for the paving upon certain agreed terms, the crushing to be done under the cost plus contract with the Warren Construction Company.

On this basis the work was carried on by the Warren Construction Company until March 1, 1918, at which time it was deemed advisable by the Highway Commission to take the work over and complete it with State forces.

The total cost of the grading and rock crushing was $66,000.00, and the amount received for the crushed rock furnished for the paving was $19,850.00. Clackamas County co-operated with the State on this work, the total amount paid out of County funds being $15,009.91.

[Ill.u.s.tration: AT THE TOP OF CANEMAH HILL ON THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY. GRADED AND PAVED IN 1918]

Grading--Canemah Hill Section

To complete the grading of the Pacific Highway between Oregon City and Canby preparatory to the paving of this section, Clackamas County agreed to appropriate $25,000.00 toward the grading between Fly Creek and Oregon City, known as the Canemah Hill Section. On December 10, 1917, the Highway Commission received bids for this grading and the lowest bid having been submitted by Clackamas County, the contract was awarded to the County. This piece of work was about one and one-half miles in length and involved some very heavy rock excavation.

There has been expended on this work to date the sum of $24,037.20, of which amount Clackamas County has paid $22,092.53. The work complete will cost approximately $27,500.00. Mr. M. E. DeWitt was the resident engineer in charge.

DETAILED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES TO NOVEMBER 30, 1918

GRADING--CANEMAH HILL (Work in progress)

Engineering $ 1,944.67

Construction-- Clearing and grubbing $ 500.00 Common excavation, 10,231 cu. yds. at 60c 6,138.60 Intermediate excavation, 8,689.4 cu. yds.

at 80c 6,951.52 Solid rock excavation, 7,722.2 cu. yds.

at $1.25 9,652.75 12-inch reinforced concrete pipe, 391 lin. ft.

at $1.25 488.75 36-inch reinforced concrete pipe, 56 lin. ft.

at $4.00 224.00 6-inch porous drain tile, 585 lin. ft. at 10c 58.50 Cla.s.s A concrete, 48 cu. yds. at $15.00 720.00 Cla.s.s C concrete, 2 cu. yds. at $12.00 24.00 Rubble masonry, 2 cu. yds. at $1.25 2.50 Overhaul per 100 lin. ft., 54,862 cu. yds.

at 2c 1,097.24 Crushed rock for drain tile, 30 cu. yds. 46.20 18-inch concrete pipe in place, 45 lin. ft. 87.15 ----------- $ 25,991.21 Less 15 per cent retained pending completion 3,898.68 ----------- 22,092.53 ----------- Total expended to November 30, 1918 $ 24,037.20 Paid by State--engineering 1,944.67 Paid by County--construction 22,092.53 ----------- Total $ 24,037.20 This work is estimated to cost complete $ 27,500.00

[Ill.u.s.tration: BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT ON THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY SOUTH OF OREGON CITY IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY. GRADED AND PAVED IN 1918]

Paving--Oregon City to Canby

A contract was awarded on September 4, 1917, to the Oregon Ha.s.sam Paving Company of Portland, for a sixteen-foot bituminous pavement between Oregon City and Canby, a distance of 7.5 miles.

A considerable part of the crushed rock used in this pavement was furnished by the Highway Department from a rock point which it was necessary to remove in connection with the grading just north of New Era.

The paving of this section is practically complete at this date and the contracting company is to be complimented upon the excellence of its work. The cost of the work completed will be about $135,000.00 of which amount $102,114.85 has been paid.

Mr. M. E. DeWitt acted as resident engineer for the Highway Department on this work.

DETAILED STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURES TO NOVEMBER 30, 1918

PAVING OREGON CITY TO CANBY

Engineering $ 2,444.57

Construction-- Standard Bitulithic pavement, 70,170 sq.

yds. at $1.26 $ 88,414.20 Stone Shoulders, 68,208 lin. ft. at .05 3,751.44 Hauling and placing broken stone furnished by State, 6,168 cu. yds., at $1.18 7,278.54 Broken stone, loose measure, 12,872 cu.

yds., at $2.37 30,507.23 Installing wooden headers at railroad crossing 24.06 Filling low places after rolling, clearing debris after forest fire 59.53 Excavating spongy place in subgrade and refilling 67.10 Loading and hauling to bring outside 2 ft. of roadbed to grade; no material nearby 154.14 Grading 800 feet north from New Era, and dismantling and loading crusher 1,726.40 ----------- Total due contractor for work done to November 30, 1918 $131,982.64 Less 15 per cent retained pending completion 19,797.40 ----------- $112,185.24 Less plant rock and miscellaneous items furnished by State 12,514.96 ----------- $99,670.28 ---------- Total expended to November 30, 1918 $102,114.85 This work is estimated to cost complete $135,000.00

Oswego to the Multnomah County Line

On April 19, 1918, a contract was awarded by Clackamas County to the Glemorrie Quarry Company of Oswego for the regrading of a 0.2 mile section of the West Side Pacific Highway between Oswego and the Multnomah County Line. At the request of the Clackamas County Court the engineering supervision of this work was handled by the Highway Department, Mr. M. E. DeWitt, resident engineer, on work between Oregon City and Canby, being in charge.

This piece of work eliminated some very bad curves on the old road and greatly improved the grade. The work was completed on September 4, 1918, at a total cost of $5,746.68. Of this amount $507.98 was expended by the State for the engineering. The construction cost of $5,238.70 was paid by the County.

DETAILED EXPENDITURE STATEMENT

Grading--Multnomah County Line to Oswego

Engineering $ 507.98

Construction-- Clearing and grubbing $ 200.00 Common excavation, 1,167.3 cu. yds. at 75c 875.47 Intermediate excavation, 2,127.6 cu. yds.

at $1.00 2,127.60 Solid rock excavation, 829.5 cu. yds. at $1.85 1,534.58 12-inch plain concrete pipe, 26 lin. ft.

at $1.50 39.00 15-inch plain concrete pipe, 76 lin. ft. at $1.80 136.80 18-inch reinforced concrete pipe, 84 lin. ft.

at $2.00 168.00 Cla.s.s C concrete, 5 cu. yds. at $15.00 75.00 Drainage structures under roadbed to protect embankment and private water supply 82.25 --------- 5,238.70 --------- Total cost $5,746.68 Paid by State $ 507.98 Paid by County 5,238.70 --------- Total $5,746.68

Oregon City Bridge

The State Highway Department has been requested by the County Court of Clackamas County to prepare plans and estimates for a bridge over the Willamette River at Oregon City. This will replace the old suspension bridge at that place which is too light for the modern traffic conditions in that vicinity.

Surveys and studies of the site are being conducted at this time. In this case, as is customary, the State Highway Department will furnish plans free of cost to the County.