Show Duchesne- Duchesne Castlegate ast e at e Road Is s Accepted By Government A telephone ne message nom J. J P. P Ellis ElUs assistant state road engineer received yesterday by H. H C. C C Means state road engineer stated that federal-aid federal project No 1 the I the Cas- Cas Duchesne degate-Duchesne has road road has been finally dually accepted by the government government government gov gov- says Sundays Sunday's Tribune Mr Ellis was talking from Price after ae le and B D. D W. W senior highway high high- way ray engineer for the district office of the United States bureau of ot pubic pub pub- Ic roads had been over this pro- pro They also went aver over project NO io o 10 A the Twist canyon section jf Jt f the Fort Vernal Duchesne-Vernal road Is nearly completed but some additional work will be requires required there The Duchesne road first federal-aid federal project undertaken in Utah has among the most vexatious in many ways In the early days of federal aid for post roads a I somewhat strict interpretation was was' placed on the definition of ot a post I road and as a result It was held Impossible impossible impossible im Im- possible under the federal-aid federal act actis as is It U then stood for the government government government gov gov- to participate in construction construction construction tion of many of the main highways of the state This was for the th rea- rea jon that the main traveled highways usually were paralleled by railroads railroads and md the mall was carried by rail rather than on the highways It was found that only comparatively comparatively small actions ot of some Bome of the most Important roads In the state yere Nere used In tho the transmission of the malls and these OI only y by the rural route c carriers However the United States tates mail mall into the Uintah basin was at that time going partly by way of Price and for part of ot the year at least by byway byway byway way of ot the Duchesne Castlegate-Duchesne road The eligibility of this road to federal aid therefore was never much if at all all In doubt Needed in War WarThe WarThe nr The road however had even greater claims on the tho consideration of state and federal governments at that time The nation was then at al war Every effort was being made to encourage agricultural tion The ability of the Uintah basin basin basin ba ba- ba- ba sin to produce food tor for the nation he allies aUles and the soldiers was well known but the possibility of getting the tho food to market was as limited limped by byshe bythe the she transportation facilities facUlties Hence the necessity of developing a line of communication was stressed and perhaps for this reason as much as any other the Duchesne Castlegate-Duchesne road was named as federal-aid federal project project project pro pro- No 1 I and every haste was urged urged urged ed In getting it under way The road was found to be miles long Preliminary engineerIng engineer- engineer Ing was done and finally the agreement agreement agreement agree agree- ment entered into although the routine for doing such work was at that time all new and difficulties difficulties- kept cropping up at every step in the procedure The project agreement has been amended somewhat from that originally originally originally nally signed but as It now stands the road way is estimated to cost or a mile In addition addition there were bridge structures structures structures tures to cost bringing Continued to Page Pago Four i Duchesne- Duchesne Castlegate Road Is Accepted By Government Continued from Page Pago One the total estimated cost up to 16 16 The remainder of the then state administration administration atlon fund was wa warms spent In efforts to get this roadway completed completed com corn but necessity for tor changing plans Ignorance of proper procedure ure Impatience at were considered considered considered con con- unnecessary regulations errors in engineering and inspection and failure to follow tollow orders caused all sorts of difficulties Variety of Labor Lubor Some SOUle of the work was done by 11 II contract Some was done by the thes s state ate direct Convict labor was used on part of ot the road and in the meantime meantime meantime mean mean- time costs kept creeping up until the road has actually cost probably or twice as much as' as was first estimated The difference in the cost has been born by the state almost alto alto- gether Most of the tho road was in Duchesne Duchesne Duchesne Du Du- chesne county and that county was unable to contribute any large amounts The state road commission commission commis commis- sion however had available the proceeds proceeds pro pro- eeds from the salo of road bonds and this fund was drawn on from time to time The road was practically cally completed ed and ed-and and has been in use since before the Democratic administration went out of office However It was known that additional onal expenditures would have to b be made it was in shape to be accepted by the federal bureau under the regulations ecu ecu- trolling t that at body in xu the mean meantime meantime meantime time maintenance has been necessary necessary necessary sary since the road is 15 neing constantly constantly constantly con con- subjected to heavy traffic particularly during the months The present administration ration had no state funds to draw on but the federal government had haa withheld part of its allotment co to 0 road and it was found that this amount would be sufficient to complete the road to the satisfaction of the federal feder feder- al engineers The present administration administration adminis adminis- n had a very carefully detailed detail detail- ed estimate made of ot the work vork that thai would have to be done on the tho road I and this year this was carrid out The road Is now therefore In tiptop shape and in such condition that the federal engineer has haa accepted It which means that as soon as the necessary vouchers can cnn be put through the state will be reimbursed ed to the extent of or Maintenance Problem This road by the way now opens up up another problem that of or nance The state which in this case means the counties or Carbon and Duchesne but price pally the latter is under obligation to maintain the road in passable condition The road crosses a high summit and ana ever every winter so BO far has been blocked to automobile traffic one une favorable winter it was kept O open en until spring was almost at hand and then a series series series se se- se- se ries of or heavy snows closed it and closed it tightly for tor several months The he only possible traffic in an such times is by sleighs The federal government through the postoffice department is interested interested inter ested in the maintenance ce of ot the road However the postoffice department department de do- regulations do not permit any money to be spent on the roads road tr traveled That is considered the problem of ot the community When one of at the heavy parcel Parcel posts trucks truck operated between Price Pric and the Uin tali tah basin gets stuck the officials official may nay spend money to get it out ot ol of the or 01 snowdrift sno and for example horses may be bo sent In for that purpose se but there is no authority authority au to send Bend the horses ahead atthe of at the truck and have drag a snow plow over the road to obviate the blockading of ot the trucK At times the tho parcel post operates operate over the route by trucks at each end Mail Mall Is transferred from the trucks to wagons and from the wagons to sleighs and then bac again Such operations are o or of course expensive and the department is bringing every press pres pre s sure dure e possible to bear bea on n t the i state and local authorities authorities' to have tho the road kept t open Now that the state and the counties coon coun ties through the tho state are with the duty of or maintaining tit lIlt road or will bo be just as soon as th federal government pays Its dna Una voucher on ou the cost of the road some ome official interpretation a al at t tel tc whether proper maintenance of the road involves keeping it open or a z abona bona fide attempt to keep It open tt tc truck traffic throughout all winter may be forthcoming It is quit quit- probable however that the quest question Ion of reasonable cost will enter Into iu lu luto to whatever ruling is made 0 o |