PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Arizona Highway Commission Notes

MARCH 29, 1938 The Arizona State Highway Commission met in its offices in the Highway Building March 29th, 1938, at 10:00 A. M., and recessed to meet in open session in the State Engineer's office while construction bids were being opened and read. Those present were: Chairman Dowell, Vice-Chairman Angle, Commissioners Langmade, Scott, and Seale, also, the State Engineer, the Secretary, and Assistant Attorney General A. R. Lynch.

Upon recommendation of the State Engineer, who had received concurrence from the Bureau of Public Roads, it was moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the contract on the Safford-Bowie Junction Highway-FAS 115-C (1938) AFE 8126, be awarded to the low bidder, Pearson & Dickerson Contractors, Inc., in the amount of $53,898.83, subject to the rules and regulations of the Bureau of Public Roads.

Upon recommendation of the State Engineer, who had received concurrence from the Bureau of Public Roads, it was moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and unanimously carried, that the contract on the Tucson-Nogales, Highway FA86-A, 3rd Reo. (1938) AFE 8990, be awarded to the low bidder, Pearson & Dickerson Contractors, Inc., in the amount of $205,525.45, subject to the rules and regulations of the Bureau of Public Roads.

Upon the recommendation of the State Engineer, who had received concurrence from the Bureau of Public Roads, it was moved by Commissioner Angle, seconded by Commissioner Scott, and unanimously carried, that the contract on the Ajo-Tucson Highway-FAS 110-D (1938) AFE630, be awarded to the low bidder, Fisher Contracting Company, in the amount of $38,014.75, subject to the rules and regulations of the Bureau of Public Roads.

Upon the recommendation of the State Engineer, who had received concurrence from the Bureau of Public Roads, it was moved by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the contract on the Douglas-Safford Highway - FAS 114-E (1938) AFE 8124, be awarded to the low bidder, Martin Construction Company, in the amount of $42,823.87, subject to the rules and regulations of the Bureau of Public Roads. The State Engineer brought up for consideration of the Commission his recommendation contained in a letter addressed to the Commission and sent to each Commissioner under date of March 25, 1938, submitted after studies made by the Engineering and Statistical De partments with the Works Progress Administration looking to the necessary filing of additional projects as have been deemed desirable, and pursuant to the many requests which have been received by this Department for co-operation with the Works Progress Administration in working out a unified plan. The letter went into detail and the State Engineer concluded it by pointing out that the Department will have an absolutely free hand in selecting projects and also ordering of all Federal materials. He asked to be instructed to complete applications and submit them to the Works Progress Upon being asked by Commissioner Scott if W. P. A. equipment may or may not be used on these projects, according to the Department's wishes, State Engineer Reed said the Department will have absolute control of the situation, whereupon, a motion was made by Commissioner Seale, seconded by Commissioner Angle, and unanimously carried, that the State Engineer's recommendation be adopted.

Commissioner Scott informed State Engineer Reed of a fund he understood is available for the repair of washouts and damages caused by floods. Mr. Reed stated he had heard of this fund and would go into its use with Mr. McLane of the Bureau of Public Roads.

Governor R. C. Stanford transmitted a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture H. A. Wallace, referring to a letter addressed to the Governor on December 31, 1937, asking that submission of projects under the 1939 apportionment be deferred until Congress could give it consideration, stated that further delay is not necessary and accordingly suggested that road-building projects now be submitted in the order of their priority. State Engineer Reed informed the Commission the Department is submitting these projects.

The State Engineer called the attention of the Commission to the following statement made by Dr. H. E. Riggs, National President, American Society Civil Engineers, who attended a meeting of the Arizona Streets and Roads Conference as guest speaker of the evening: "I have traveled some 800 miles in Arizona, as well as most of the western, northwestern, and mid-western states, and I have found no better roads in all my travels than I have found in Arizona. While it is true that some roads may be wider, there were none any smoother, or that had such fine attention to line and grade. Arizona is far ahead of most states with her road system due to the vision of her engineers, and has a right to be justly proud of her fine highways."

Mr. Reed added that this is the third time Dr. Riggs has ever visited Arizona, and that he is one of the outstanding consultant Engineers in the country. Also, while traveling in his company from Kingman to Boulder Dam, and through the northern part of the state, Dr. Riggs said "I have never traveled 500 miles of roads that were in better alignment or had evidence of as good construction as on this 500 miles I have traveled with you today." The Commission was highly pleased with the remarks of Dr. Riggs, and felt he had paid a great tribute to the Arizona Highway Department.

Hal Grimshaw, of Phoenix, President of the Arizona State Safety Council, asked the addition of from eight to fifteen men to the Highway Patrol as inspectors, these men to accompany the present members of the Patrol, in order that accidents and fatalities occurring on the highway may be reduced. At this point, Commissioner Scott presented a letter written by Maintenance Foreman Eugene Eagles, of Chambers, Arizona, suggesting that in an effort to reduce traffic violations, accidents and deaths, each Maintenance Foreman, who is able to qualify, be commissioned as a peace officer.

State Engineer Reed, having in mind the large number of Patrolmen who were in Phoenix recently during the cotton pickers' demonstration, asked Assistant Attorney Lynch for an opinion on the status of the Arizona Highway Patrol with reference to the State Engineer and the Arizona State Highway Commission.

Senator H. H. Baker, with representatives from Yuma and Northern Yuma County, requested inclusion in the State Highway System the road from Yuma to Quartzsite to Bouse. A resolution relative to the inclusion of the Yuma-Quartzsite road in the State Highway System, adopted by the Yuma County Board of Supervisors, together with resolutions adopted by the Town of Somerton, the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, the Sunshine Post No. 1763, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post No. 19, of the American Legion, and the Common Council of the City of Yuma, urging the inclusion of the Yuma-Quartzsite-Bouse Highway, were presented for the Commission files. A motion was made by Commissioner Langmade, seconded by Commissioner Seale, and unanimously carried, that the road from Yuma to Bouse be designated as a State Route.

Mr. J. C. Wilson, representing the Buckeye Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Buckeye, advised the Commission he headed a delegation of citizens from Buckeye, Phoenix, Salome, and Parker, interested in the inclusion of the Hassayampa-Salome Highway in the State System. Mr. Wilson spoke of this road from the standpoint of economy, need, and safety, after which a motion was made by Commissioner Langmade, seconded by Commissioner Scott and unanimously carried, that the highway from Salome to Hassayampa be designated a State Route.

Before this motion was put to a vote a discussion arose on the proposal of the Arizona Municipal League to divide the fuel tax-1-3 to the State, 1-3 to Counties, and 1-3 to Corporated Towns. Assistant Attorney General Lynch briefly traced Federal Aid for highways from its origin in 1916 to the 1934 Hayden-Cartwright Bill, which provided that any reduction in Motor Vehicle Revenue applied to highway purposes as of June 18, 1934, would result in penalizing the Federal Aid apportionment to that state. At present, the Highway Department is acting under the law of 1934, and if the proposal of the Municipal League should go through, Arizona would lose a large portion of Federal Aid. State Engineer Reed said that five states had diverted funds which came under this Act, and the Bureau of Public Roads was ready to penalize them when each and every one replenished the funds diverted, or made provision to replenish the funds diverted. Mr. Wilson stated officially the Town Council of Buckeye had gone on record opposing diversion of highway funds as proposed by the Municipal League. Hal Grimshaw informed the Commission he would be speaking over KGAR, Tucson, on the 30th of March, and he would speak on the subject.

There being no further business to come before the Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 2:05 subject to call.

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