In Morrow County there are found all classes of conditions affecting
roads and highway improvement. In some parts of the County there are
good natural roads, while in other sections they are extremely poor. As
in most other Eastern Oregon Counties, Morrow County has to wrestle with
the problem of maintaining a large road mileage with a constant shortage
of road funds. Highways are of extreme importance, as there are large
agricultural communities that have no railway connections.
During the past two years the highway movement in Morrow County has
experienced a wonderful growth. County authorities have broken the bonds
of established custom, and have made a most creditable beginning in
highway improvement. Although they have been supported by special road
taxes, in most of the districts the available funds are far from
adequate.
The State Highway Commission early realized the importance of good roads
in this County, and took steps to extend the State aid through the Post
Road Fund. The plans failed when the U. S. Office of Public Roads found
it impossible to co-operate on the projects in question. This failure
was due to nonfulfillment of post road requirements. Additional State
aid was extended through the provisions of the $6,000,000.00 fund, but
the execution of these plans were delayed by war conditions. This fund
is still available, and the State Highway Commission will begin work as
soon as conditions will permit.
Morrow County has received favorable consideration from the Highway
Commission in the matter of surveys, it being the only county in Eastern
Oregon in which the total mileage of State roads has been surveyed.
Those surveys cover the Columbia River Highway in the north end of the
County, and the Oregon-Washington Highway via Heppner, Ione and
Lexington.
The Columbia River Highway was first surveyed under the direction of M.
O. Bennett, and later additional work was done by Oscar Cutler. This
survey was 13.85 miles in length. R. H. Baldock was locating engineer on
the Oregon-Washington Highway survey, which has a total length of 66.1
miles.