ROADS OF DISTRICT THREE ARE HIGHLY IMPROVED.

By R. C. PERKINS, District Engineer

District No. 3 consists of 641 miles of road, 344 miles being State Routes and 297 miles being U. S. Routes. U. S. No. 80, Phoenix-Hasayampa, 44 miles; U. S. No. 89, Phoenix-Marinette, 21 miles; U. S. No. 80, Phoenix-Florence Junction, 45 miles; U. S. No. 180, Florence JunctionGlobe, 49 miles; U. S. No. 180, GlobeState Line via Safford, 139 miles; State No. 71, Clifton Junction-Clifton, 31 miles; State No. 71, Clifton-Apache County line, 93 miles; State No. 73, Cutter-Rice, 13 miles; State No. 73, Rice Junction south of McNary, 81 miles; State No. 81, Safford-Cochise County line, 30 miles; State No. 88, Apache Trail, 96 miles.

The total amount of maintenance on U. S. Routes and 7 per cent system during past year was $164,745. The total amount of maintenance on State Routes non 7 per cent system amounted to $126,605. The total amount of betterment work done was $102,900 and emergency work in the district was $45,000.

Listed under Betterment the following work was done: State No. 71, Coronado Trail between Clifton and Springerville. This road was built by the U. S. Forest Service in order to develop the section and to get to their Forest Ranger Posts. It was a narrow, very crooked road traversing one of the most beautiful mountain sections in the state. About 15 miles of this road was widened and straightened to make the road safer as to alignment and vision.State No. 71, Smelter Hill just outside the city limits of Clifton, on the CliftonSafford highway, was widened and a complete line change was made extending over one mile. This hill has always been a dangerous road and the improvement made it a good, safe road.

Apache Trail Improved

State No. 88, Apache Trail-Four miles of this road between Desert Wells and Canyon Lake was widened and many dangerous curves were either eliminated or day lighted for safety. This road between Canyon Lake and Apache Junction is a road that carries a heavy traffic on account of Canyon Lake being a playground for Phoenix. It is the idea to build and maintain this piece of road so it will be safe and will carry heavy traffic, and no doubt but this will be done this year.

State No. 88, Apache Trail-As the road passes Roosevelt dam many dangerous, narrow curves are encounteredand with betterment under way most of this hazard will be overcome.

U. S. No. 80-Coldwater west for 10 miles, shoulders have been built out to 40 foot width and all old borrow pits have been filled. This is a heavy traveled road, taking most of the travel between Phoenix and the coast.

U. S. No. 180, between Superior and Miami-About $45,000 was spent on this mountain road widening and day lighting dangerous curves. This is a heavy traveled road and a decided improvement made.

Tempe Bridge Completed

Listed under construction the following work was done: U. S. No. 80-Van Buren street from Sixteenth street, Phoenix, to junction of Washington Boulevard was widened out to 44 feet and several line changes were made. This work was done so the pres-ent 18 foot pavement could be widened to 36 feet this year.

Washington Boulevard-This road was taken over from the county from Sixteenth street (Phoenix city limits) to the junction of U. S. No. 80, being just a fraction over 6 miles in length. All bridges were rebuilt and one heavy line change on the east end where it joins Van Buren or U. S. No. 80, was built. A 3 inch oil cake 20 feet wide was laid over the entire project except one-half mile just east of the car tracks. This half mile was laid as a test pavement. It is a four-inch penetration, mulsified asphalt pavement and is a cheap pave-ment if it will stand up in this climate.

U. S. No. 80, Tempe Bridge and Ap-proach Fills-This structure is 1,577 feet in length with a 36 foot roadway with a 5 foot walk for pedestrians on each side. This is the largest and best bridge that the state has ever built. The ap-proach fills are 1,911 feet long and con-tains about 39,000 cu. yds. of material. The approach fills will have a 3 inch oil cake, 36 feet wide and extends from the present pavement on Mill avenue, Tempe, to the present pavement of U. S. No. 80 on the north end of the bridge.

On U. S. No. 180, one 20 foot span concrete bridge was built to take care of flood waters (about one mile from Flor-ence Junction).

U. S. 180 Completed

U. S. No. 180-This road extends from Florence Junction (U. S. No. 80) to the New Mexico State line, 6 miles east of Duncan. With the present construction as done and under way U. S. No. 180 will be either paved or oil surfaced the whole distance with the exception of 20 miles between Bylas and end of Safford pavement; which section has been rebuilt on new alignment and will be surfaced with good heavy surfacing and well maintained until an oil surfacing can be applied.

State No. 73-Two steel bridges were constructed between White River and McNary over Post Office Canyon and Min(Turn to Page Eleven)