Show ik N PAO X 4 I 1 e 40 41 1141 4 1 A A coveter RUMP zion canyon narrows one IA it 1000 beauty roads in scenic southwest 11 f utah by H V RICHARDS I 1 hj iiii rond road commission the scenic beauty and nd geologic in of the national barkif of south ern utah are tire so remarkable that they continue to command a large amount of pace space in the metropolitan news papers through throughout opt the united states and nd in the magazines devoted to t is travel und and the scenic re of the nation since good roads are printa primarily rily responsible for the success attained thus far jo so will the future development of this region depend upon an adequate road building pro gram that everyone connected with road building activities recognizes the fm importance of this statement is evi danced by the road projects recently completed comple ved or under way for the ac of the heavy tourist traffic that will inevitably result 1 as the fame utah uto attractions continues on to grow grew the state in operation cooperation co with the federal bureau of public roads and forest service has his improved to a high standard miles of road hi the re gion which includes zion national park cedar breaks and bryce can yon at a total cost to date of 2000 and chiefly from allotments of federal funds this Is exclusive of the notable work performed by tho the national paries parks service hi in the construction tt st of highways and an S trails within the e birons of zion national pari par the mileage and andl costa costs e c which ire ere not reported to this office extensive survey surveys have been completed on the proposed 25 alie zion i park mi camel connection when completed this road will effect a saving of milea over exuding routes in travelling tra velling from cedar B caks to zion park and thence to bice canyon As a scenic loop for tov irist travel during the summer mo norths hs from cedar cl Y over the ced cadir ir loty vall valley road to bryce canyon and returning via zion park to cedar city there will be a reduction of miles as compared with r rastes tes it will also provide an economic commercial connection for or kanab with the at cedar city ity and an all till vear boute the summit elevation on the proposed road being ft lh Is some feet lower than that the cedar long lang valley road the importance of this connection link las lone long been recognized but ite its great cost on account of the lugged tugged country traversed d had has delayed ite its construction pending the improvement of the existing broadi in thi this region and their inter state connections the boht expensive portion of this roadway will be the eight miles lying within inq ia park boundaries it will surmount unno the cast rim of zion canyon ith a maximum grade of 6 5 per cent the road will be recessed over a portion of its ig length within the sheer precipices of the canyon wall displaying from its winding a Ral gallerie rallerie lerie views of unexampled magnificence this eight miles of spectacular highway will it is estimated 0 o ti mated in excess of it will be financed by the national parks service and constructed by the bureau of public roads the remaining 17 rales all in kane county will be bull built by the state with the federal participating in its financing the estimated cost is the state Is ready to proceed with its portion of the construction and it is believed that the road will be completed throughout its entire length and opened tc te traffic within two years bitin washington and iron counties Is comprised most of the mileage designated for improvement under the federal aid law a IL the scenic region the projects pr elects completed to date by the state within thee these two conales cean ties with federal aid with mileage and cost are as follows iron county cedarlund cedar lund 33 miles buckhorn n flat 95 mile miles travel gravel cedar 12 miles gravel parowan carowan winn hollow 93 9 miles gravel cedar city city concrete I 1 I 1 miles plus portion to washington county lin 45 4 5 miles gravel estimated to cost 38 is under construction county andersons francl aeh ash creek 73 miles mth four concrete br idres aeh ash creek to iron county line with ft clear pan yn crete arch across ash creek crea ander sons 0 0 ranch toquerville 2 23 miles W travel r ael with mth ft concrete bridge rockville zion park 6 4 miles travel st george harris burg bench 8 9 az s gravel with it tunnel rockville dal ton wah wash 16 7 6 miles gravel cost is under construct constructs i r and kane coun or projects completed bv the bu bureau reau of if public roads financed uy vy the for est at service with local or state cooperation in part are circleville Cir cleville can yon 4 5 6 miles graded 64 bryco bryce canyon 5 miles gravel red canyon 7 6 niiles miles gravel garfielo Garfi elJ county line lin glendale miles rt surfaced bryce tropic 29 nille miles graded 50 the gedar cedar loir valley road via cedar bre breaks AKs and navajo lake 42 miles also a forest project surfaced faced gur in tart vart cost the spur to cedar breaks 4 41 1 miles long will be built on a relocation nt at an esiT estimated mated cost of the new road to be a marked improvement in gradi and alignment state project projects in the last to teo years without federal aid in the four counties have cost colt ill 1000 both federal aid all and forest projects when completed are taken over for maintenance by the state with funds derived from the gasoline Ga zoline tax it is axiomatic that the heavy ex pend iture of public funds as above outlined should be efficiently conserved evidence of the ampro ement in this direction la Is apparent from the fact that ilie whereas reas the average eapen deture for gravel road maintenance prior to the enactment of the gaeo goo line tax law vas va 88 per mile each year the ata at Is now thin include includes the additions of diew material to the travelled way war in rv placing the surface losses resulting result tn from the wear and tear of 0 traffic it also include includes much closer attention to the riding of the toad road than was formerly possible with the very limited funds available ine patrol system of maintenance kas as been adopted on all man main roote routes supplemented by floating gangs thai that aro am quipped equipped to make cuch such repair as require several men and special equipment the work of the patrolmen Is I 1 to keep the road surface ul u to ditches and cul culverts virts open shoulders ended graded reeds cut iut etc tp work performed by the alses in the i of breakages aej annu slides hauling and lacing renewals to gravel surfaces the ile upkeep of structures requires that thit repairs bb no I 1 made to auard railing and timber timur bridges that steel bridges be repaint ed bolt bolts lighten lighte neit channels cleared etc upon phd completion of Federal ft federally ld project no 11 lund to cedar al ity iron county provided for its continuous 10 Us repair and upkeep keep by A 6 of patrol patrols this be 0 ng r before the che das dab af the gasoline tax and furn i the state with its it first example of U it road maintained by the bati patrol ol a ta tern tem it proved ed so to effee effective that thayne 17 adoption opt on throughout tu imato I 1 bito Ws wig gene general 1 in 1924 the state corn mission undertook a shire of ibm tt of maintenance of state roads with tit funds made aval available lable by the gasoline tax in 1925 fiete fitter per percent atrit of bf such maintenance cota costa were borne by the tate state and in 1926 the state relle the counties of all this head on the state nad system it how costs approximately tofe annually to maintain the roads of utah and there these costs liv it rising with the steady increase in traffic the use of the roada for travel during the winter months is IN comming increasingly popular and snow now removal ca many oi of oay ow roads is an important and uta in the annual budget in our oar thinly ilir populated state 70 per cent tent of ha its area being still a part of the publik domain merely to keep kp our extensive mileage of splendid roads to standard and to pay the interest aad sinking fure furd charges on rood road bands outstanding stan dent will continue to be a heavy tax on our resources future inn im prove mertis must depend to 0 o a large stent upon financial assist ai siance knee from the general government aid in utah exclusive of forest road construction st ruction cLion will continue to tho the amount of each 3 ear to the close of d the fiscal year 1929 there I 1 is no suran that it will continue 33 ebli that period it is of paramount alt to the development of this state and its scenic reeines rey ines that federal aid ala ci c in highway conster action remain fact on the statute books until ou on total of 1694 1684 mites of road in the federal aid system has been improved to the required standard there is no other of the country where more is to or be jarried by highway improvement than in the tie public land states and ands as a consequence no other section in which the per capita expenditure for highways is i equalled equal led within a very veri few ear cars it if our present rate of progress pro cress can be contier mw ir every mile of 0 our principal high hig higday hay illys will be satisfactorily improve and and accommodate ing in as never beecye the local foul and interstate ter state traffic und nd the travel from adjoining and distant states eart no ban angels on to cedar breaks |