The Columbia River Highway is second only to the Pacific Highway as a
commercial necessity in the state of Oregon; furthermore, the Columbia
River Highway is the only connecting link between Eastern and Western
Oregon that can be kept open for vehicular traffic throughout the entire
year.
From a scenic standpoint, the Columbia River Highway has now become
world famous, not only because of its wonderful natural advantages of
location, but because of the high standard of construction. A large part
of this combined commercial and scenic road is now open to traffic and
the coming year will see the elimination of the last almost impassable
barrier--the summit between Hood River and Mosier, a piece of
construction 5.8 miles in length which will cost approximately $350,000
for the grading alone.
The Columbia River Highway parallels the Columbia River from the Pacific
Ocean to Umatilla, a distance of 320 miles, thence southeast an
additional 40 miles to Pendleton, where it connects with the Old Oregon
Trail. The Old Oregon Trail continues southeast for a distance of 190
miles, crossing the Idaho-Oregon line at Huntington; making a continuous
highway 550 miles in length.
At this date, the grading of the Columbia River Highway is practically
complete from Astoria to Hood River, a total distance of 174 miles, and
the greater part of it is now either paved or macadamized.
The cost of work completed on the Columbia River Highway between Astoria
and Portland during the period covered by this report, after all
payments are made will be approximately $866,000.00, of which amount
$832,078.35 has been expended to date. The work accomplished consists of
9.4 miles of grading, 51.6 miles of macadamizing, 6 miles of paving, 15
reinforced concrete bridges and one covered wood draw bridge.
On the upper Columbia River Highway between Hood River and Cascade
Locks, 14.2 miles have been graded, 18 miles gravelled, and a number of
reinforced concrete bridges built, among which is the Hood River bridge
at Hood River, costing $48,000.00. The total cost of the work completed
between Hood River and Cascade Locks will amount to $466,000.00.
The sections improved during this period, with their mileages and costs
are as follows:
====================================+=====+=============
Sections |Miles| Total Cost
------------------------------------+-----+-------------
Grading-- | |
Cascade Locks to Hood River | 14.2|$ 355,000.00
Goble to Clatskanie | 8.2| 78,500.00
Astoria to Svensen | 1.2| 15,000.00
| |
Bridges-- | |
Hood River Bridge | | 48,000.00
Beaver Valley Bridges | | 32,000.00
John Day River Bridge | | 25,000.00
Other Bridges | | 31,000.00
| |
Paving-- | |
Astoria to Svensen | 3.5| 65,000.00
Scappoose to Multnomah County Line| 2.5| 37,500.00
| |
Macadamizing-- | |
Astoria to Svensen | 5.5| 30,000.00
Svensen to Columbia County Line | 18.9| 215,000.00
Clatsop County Line to Goble | 27.2| 335,000.00
Cascade Locks to Hood River | 18.0| 65,000.00
+-----+-------------
Total Expenditures 1917 and 1918| |$1,332,000.00
------------------------------------+-----+-------------
During 1919, work will be undertaken on the Columbia River Highway to
the amount of $1,400,000.00, comprising 10 miles of pavement, 85 miles
of gravel macadam and 80 miles of grading. This work when completed will
provide a surfaced highway between Astoria and Pendleton.