On July 20, 1917, the State Highway Department contracted with the
Warren Construction Company for nine miles of paving between Astoria and
Svensen. This contract called for a 16-foot bituminous pavement on a
crushed rock base and with two-foot macadam shoulders. The contract also
included the grading of a section 1.2 miles in length about midway
between Astoria and Svensen, this section being known as the John Day
Cut-off.
Work was started on the grading of the cut-off on August 6, 1917, and on
the erection of the paving plant on August 15. On September 20, the
first batch of hot stuff was placed on the road at the Svensen end. The
work was just nicely started, however, when the rainy season which came
on unusually early, started in and the work had to be discontinued. At
this time the work on the grading of the cut-off was but fifty or sixty
per cent complete, and only one mile of paving had been laid.
The following season, the roadbed did not become sufficiently dry to
permit of resumption of work until about the 15th of June, but even at
that late date the contractors were not able to start work on account
of the shortage in materials and labor resulting from the participation
of the United States in the war, and it was not until July 23 the work
was resumed. Continued shortage of labor and material made progress very
slow particularly on the placing of rock base, and when the 1918 rainy
season came on a total of only 3.5 miles of paving had been completed.
The grading of the John Day Cut-off had been finished, however, and
considerable progress made on the removal of slides and regrading of
roadbed.
[Illustration: BITUMINOUS PAVING NEAR SVENSON IN CLATSOP COUNTY ON THE
COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY. PAVED IN 1917]
The paving was discontinued on October 2 but in order to provide a
passable roadbed at as early a date as possible, it was decided to
continue the placing of rock base during the winter months. This work is
now in progress, and it is expected that a rocked surface over the
remaining unpaved distance of 5.5 miles will be secured by about January
1, 1919.
The paving work will be continued again next season, and will
undoubtedly be completed early in the season.
It is estimated that the grading and paving of this section will cost
completed $236,000.00. The total expenditures to November 30, 1918,
amounted to $96,955.97 and there remained unpaid to the contractor for
work done to that date the sum of $15,225.64.
The engineering work was in charge of Mr. J. E. Nelson, during the 1917
season, and in charge of Mr. H. N. Hackett during the 1918 season.