Lookout House, On the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

Page Six

common carrier tax $24,000.00, or a total of $1,835,579.59 from annual state sources. Special appropriations and other outside revenues, applicable this fiscal year, $1,043,730.23; Governor's proclamation $121,597.19; balance of Prison Labor Fund $85,778.98, and federal aid, including special federal appropriations $2,567,581.62, or a total of outside sources and special appropriations of $3,818-687.93. Of this total amount $3,297-348.38 was budgeted for construction, and the remainder for maintenance, equipment renewal and general operation expense.

Due to the special appropriations and the large amount of Federal Aid that had accumulated by virtue of the previous inactivity of the Department and the large amounts of the 100 per cent Federal Aid Projects involved, this is the largest construction program that the department has ever had in one year, and will be the largest year's program possible for many years, unless additional financial provisions are made for the state highways.

The provisions of the new Highway Code required a complete reorganization of the Highway Department. As it is the largest department of government in the state, ranking well up with the largest corporations within the state, of necessity the revision must be made with the least hindrance to the work of the Department, it has been and is a large task. This work is going forward as rapidly as it is consistent with conservation and operation of the Department.

Much of the construction work involved in this year's budget is in connection with Federal Aid. This work involves much detailed engineering work, both field and office, before such a project may receive the approval of the Bureau of Public Roads, and it requires an average time of about nine months from the initiation of the project to the beginning of the construction. It can readily be seen that this Commission could not hope to have its construction program very far advanced at this time-only four months from the completion of its budget. At this time, however, we have under contract and under construction $898,600 in highway work, and expect to call for additional contracts of about $1,500,000 within the next ninety days, with all of the work under way by July 1. In addition to the engineering work being rushed for this year's construction, engineering work is being carried on for ten projects in preparation of the next fiscal year's program.

REORGANIZATION OF DEPARTMENT

The maintenance of the state system is of prime importance and a new system of performing this work has been approved by the Commission. It is estimated that this will be placed in operation by February 1. This is expected to increase materially the standards of maintenance and its efficiency, and also to result in a saving of not less than $180,000 per annum upon a comparative basis.

The equipment has been placed under an equipment engineer, and is being completely revised as to the method of handling. This will result in a saving of about $200,000 per annum by the increased efficiency and operation of the equipment.

The accounting system is being completely revised to comply with the Highway Code and also to increase efficiency in the Department. The machine system of accounting and cost accounting is being installed. This will result in a decreased cost in the accounting department, and the greater detail, accuracy and promptness of statements will result in greater efficiency and saving throughout the Department. This not only gives you some idea of the progress that we are making, but will also give you some idea of the magnitude of our job. Once this is done, however, it will not have to be done over unless the laws are changed.

MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT

The Highway Code also placed under the Commission all of the functions of the motor vehicle titles and licenses, operators' and chauffeurs' licenses, and the collections of the gasoline tax, all of which had previously been under the Secretary of State; the collection of the common carrier tax, previously collected by the Corporation Commission, and in addition to the duties previously performed by these two state agencies, it also passed a very comprehensive law for the regulation of the use of the highways, which is now a function of the Motor Vehicle Department under the Highway Commission.

JANUARY, 1928

The new law for motor vehicles is much more in detail than the previous laws and requires much more detail work than previously done by the other state agencies. It is the aim of the Commission to place this branch of the Department upon a most efficient basis. Already in the gas tax collections the exemptions have been reduced 75 per cent of those claimed and deducted prior to its having been placed under this Department.

LEGAL

One of the unavoidable delays that has confronted us in our progress is the apparent necessity of legal interpretations of many phases of the new act and to the extent of decisions by the State Supreme Court. This has not only caused serious and lengthy delays, but has also caused much embarrassment This is particularly true of the emergency projects which were included in the proclamations issued by the Governor in July of the past year, and which were afterwards included in the highway budget by the Commission.

But in spite of it all we feel that we have and are making very good progress, and hope and feel that by or before the end of this fiscal year, June 30, 1928, you will also feel that we are accomplishing what you intended we should accomplish.

POLICY OF THE COMMISSION

It is the policy of this Commission to render to the people of this state a business-like, economical and efficient state highway administration; to carry out all of the provisions and intentions of the Highway Code impartially, to the end that you may receive the needed highway construction, efficient maintenance and the control of the traffic to the full extent of the financial provisions and ability of the Commission and the Department, thereby rendering the state highway system the asset that is demanded for the welfare of this, our great State of Arizona.

Report of Maintenance, Conditions and Methods of the Arizona Highway System

The Arizona State Highway Commission is now maintaining 1863.49 miles of State Highways, of which 1389.07 miles is upon the seven per cent or Federal Aid System. 98% of this mileage consists of the main interstate routes and intrastate trunk routes, and they are now carrying approximately 80 per cent of the vehicle miles of the rural traffic of the State.

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION

The construction of this system of highways varies from the lowest standard of construction or merely shaped over with a road machine with no special provision for drainage, to high standards of grading with adequate drainage provisions and paving; Narrow mountain trails of sharp curvature and heavy grades to wide mountain highways of easy curvature and gradient. Other than the paved sections the surfacing varies from the natural material encountered in grading, to the best grades of granite, and almost any known natural road surfacing material is to be found upon some section of the highways. The best surfacing material is used for the section of highway that may be found in the locality and is termed by the Department as "Selected Local Material." This is sometimes exceptional material, and grading down to only fair.

TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATIC

The topography and climate is as varied as is possible for any state to have. In the southern part the fertile valleys of the best soil for farming, but poor for road material. and the sandy and caliche mesas with the occasional barren but scenic rugged ranges rising as barriers to highways, and having the minimum average precipitation, high temperature in the summer season and mild temperature in the winter season. In the northern part of the State the topography is of high pine covered mountains often snow clad in the winter season, and high rolling wind-swept plateaus and very low winter temperatures. The ruggedness of this part of the State, together with its unusual formation and cool summer climate, is destined to make this one of the nation's most popular playgrounds. This, however, renders highway construction costly and its maintenance a problem.

By W. W. LANE, Chief Engineer

HIGHWAY MATERIALS

Materials for road surfacing, concrete aggregate and aggregate for other types of paving are peculiarly spotted. In the southwestern part of the State gravel surfacing must be hauled long distances and often the best available is of an inferior grade, while concrete or paving aggregates are of excellent grade and usually accessible.

In the central and southeastern sections, the surfacing materials are from fair to very good and usually unexpensively obtained, and concrete and other aggregates more difficult. In the northern section, while generally a rocky formation, all classes of suitable material and aggregates are very scarce and invariably require long hauls and often rail hauls for surface materials and long rail hauls for all aggregates.

The average surfacing material available throughout the State is only fair; its resistance to traffic wear very limited; the average replacement haul is long and expensive, and the available classes of material necessitate variable types of maintenance.

TRAFFIC

The population of Arizona is still small, but is increasing quite rapidly. The State is large in area and with limited railroad facilities. The long distances between towns, and in many instances the long distances from rail roads, increases the average annual mileage per car in this State over other States, and renders the highways more of a necessity and convenience.

A review of the development of many of the communities along the highways during the last few years, as well as a study of the contributing reasons, indicates that it is largely because of and made possible by the highways. The general highway improvement movement throughout the nation and the increasing use of the automobile has, as have been previously said, "put the nation on wheels," and Arizona, with its great developing resources, playgrounds development, and highways through the State, has the nation gradually rolling this way. Where only a few years ago only an occasional car slowly rolled by, hundreds are passing today at high rates of speed. Although the present amount of traffic is straining the present road surface over many miles to endure with constant maintenance, the traffic census records of the Highway Department show that the traffic of the State Highway system is increasing at the rate of 30 per cent per annum. This traffic is not only increasing in volume, but in weight, speed, and in demands for highways safely and comfortably passable at all times. This latter demand is just, as today the highways are carrying many more passengers than the railroads, and this traveling public must maintain schedules upon the highways as upon the railroads.

PRESENT EQUIPMENT AND METHODS

The equipment, and particularly the motive equipment, now in use by the Department for maintenance work was mostly received as surplus war material prior to 1920 and as the war was over in 1918, this equipment was purchased prior to its close. Much of this equipment was used before its receipt by the State and has been in constant use since. It was not designed for this class of work and it is remarkable the service it has rendered at any cost. This was further grossly accentuated by the utter lack of cooperation between the users and the ones responsible for the proper repairs and up-keep of the equipment, and the apparent disregard of the latter in the condition the equipment was sent out to work or the amount of charges placed against the projects as equipment cost.

How many automobiles are seen upon the highways today of 1918 models, that have rendered constant service, doing duty beyond its design? In the absence of proper equipment much waste of power has resulted at increased cost to the State. This is due to the fact that the State has grossly procrastinated in its financial provisions for the State Highways, taking all returns from them, and giving little for their construction and maintenance. This financial condition is now being relieved somewhat, but inadequate as yet.

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

In the absence of adequate and adaptable equipment, methods of maintenance have been resorted to that were not economical nor as effective as they should have been even a few years ago, and particularly inefficient under the present roadbed and traffic conditions.

HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE FAIR

In spite of the foregoing, a recent in spection trip of the State Highways re vealed that the highways are maintained in a fair condition. The really bad piece of Highway is the exception. And it is apparent to the observer that this has and is being accomplished only by con stant effort and large expenditures. The highways of this State are much more favorably commented upon by the long distant or interstate traveler than by our home people, probably for the rea son that the long distant traveler com pares a route or the system as a whole with other states and does not judge the State's system by a single bad or only fair section.

STANDARDS OF MAINTENANCE

It is not practical to make a single standard for maintenance nor equip ment for all of the sections of high ways, due to the many classes of sur facing materials, types of construction and traffic. Nor for the same reasons is it practical to expect the same mile age to be maintained with the same equipment and force upon one section as upon a dissimilar section. Nor is it practical to assume that any sectioniz ing of maintenance may be permanent, as increases in traffic, construction, and reconstruction to higher types will ma terially affect the amount and character of maintenance work necessary. There fore, standards may be only general, and constantly watched and modified from time to time, upon the individual section, to insure the best and most ef ficient maintenance.

Future Construction or Reconstruction

It is necessary in this to mention fu ture construction or reconstruction, and its relation to maintenance. A survey of the highways clearly shows that there are approximately 300 miles of

ARIZONA HIGHWAYS

highways now bordering on the limits of endurance of the surfacing material. These are all sections upon main routes and carrying heavy and constant traffic flows, and natural local surfacing ma terials may be secured at great expense with little endurance value.

Also, the dust problem is one requiring serious and early consideration, as the dust is not only leaching the surfacing material from the highways at a rapid rate that has and is costing heavily to put on the surface, but is an extreme menace to traffic and will be increasingly contributory to accidents up on the highways, in addition to the great discomfort and fear of the traveling public.

All of this mileage must be reconstructed with paving, or semi-paving in lighter traveled sections, at an early date, and attempts to hold the fines or binding material in the surfacing of many more miles of our highways, which are now going out in dust, and at the same time make travel more safe. Maintenance upon this class of highways is very costly and in any event inadequate to the traffictherefore unsatisfactory.

On future expenditure programs these facts should be given every possible consideration, and sections for paving should be considered solely upon the volume of traffic and the ability of the section to comfortably and safely carry the traffic at nominal maintenance cost as compared with other sections of the system, and at least where paving is financially impossible, that surface treatment be resorted to insofar as practical to save the surface to some extent and relieve the dust hazard. Unquestionably many of the highway accidents are attributed such conditions, and it will be only short of criminal to not attempt to relieve these conditions as rapidly as the finances will permit.

Any work along this plan will naturally affect the sectionizing of maintenance crews in some instances completely change the character of their work.

SUMMATION

The summation of this maintenance study may be briefly set out, although I have merely mentioned them as to detail, and some have been passed over. To go into details of the many conditions involving the maintenance would be voluminous to say the least and extremely tiresome to the reader. Summation as follows: That approximately 300 miles of the State Highways now need higher type of surface construction, many miles of which should be of heavy paving construction. Also, that many more miles need some surface treatment to preserve to some degree the surface material in place and eliminate the dust hazard, all of which untii completed will cause high cost and unsatisfactory maintenance. The mileage so mentioned will increase with the traffic increase, and as the traffic increases the condition of these sections must decrease in spite of any maintenance of the present sur face.

the State Highways now need higher type of surface construction, many miles of which should be of heavy paving construction. Also, that many more miles need some surface treatment to preserve to some degree the surface material in place and eliminate the dust hazard, all of which untii completed will cause high cost and unsatisfactory maintenance. The mileage so mentioned will increase with the traffic increase, and as the traffic increases the condition of these sections must decrease in spite of any maintenance of the present sur face.

2-That the maintenance is and has been remarkably good considering the traffic, class of surfacing materials, and the condition and age of the equipment required to have been in use by the De partment.

3-That equipment has cost entirely too much to operate in the past, and with the high cost it has not been sat isfactorily kept up, and that the recent ly created equipment department should eliminate much of the difficulty with the equipment.

4-That the equipment now on hand is inadequate and largely antiquated.

5-That the supervision is too general and not sufficient in detail.

6-That there are too many maintenance divisions and sections, each individual unit involving too much idle equipment, and too often the lack of intelligent operation direction on the part of the crew.

7-That the Department has not taken advantage of the experience, and the skill and executive ability developed in some of the maintenance employees.

RECOMMENDATION

I wish to make recommendations for the betterment of efficiency, economie and results in the maintenance as follows: That every effort be made to pave the heaviest traffic routes and surface treat the other necessary sections as early and as rapidly as financially possible, and that adequate rights-of-way be provided and protected.

3-That the surfacing material on the road be worked more by scarifying, re shaping and other methods, and that resurfacing be treated more as a recon struction part of maintenance rather than regular maintenance, and that only