BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS. 511 



and uncertainties have often resulted in unsatisfactory prices under 

 the contract system. Every effort is made to interest reUable con- 

 tract inj^ organizations in the work of the department. To this end 

 (>'^[iiil)ment is loaned contractoi-s; whenever possible materials are 

 furnished by the department, thereby reducing the capital invested 

 by the contractor; estimates on work are promptly paid and our 

 dealings all aim at an efficient dispatch of our busmess relations with 

 commercial organizations. That our eft'orts have met with a measure 

 of success is evidenced by the number of contractoi-s who continue 

 to seek work with the department. As a result of our live yeai-s' 

 work we now have a following of reliable contracting organizations 

 which can satisfactorily handle a large part of the construction, 

 leaving to our own organization the more remote and hazardous 



F rejects and also the Ughter repair, surfacing, and maintenance work. 

 t is considered advantageous to retain a number of experienced men 

 organized into construction units for special work and at the same 

 time encourage commercial organizations to handle the larger portion 

 of the construction program. 



The bureau has developed an organization of efficient workei-s 

 capable of directing the administrative and engineering work on a 

 much larger program of construction than present appropriations 

 would provide. As the road construction yet to be done in the 

 National Forests is of such magnitude as to require many years' 

 work, it is hoped that appropriations adequate for the purpose will 

 be forthcoming before it is necessary to disband this splendid organi- 

 zation for the lack of funds to continue its operations. 



Our organization has been changed somewhat in the matter of 

 field oflices. there now being district offices at Portland, San Fran- 

 cisco, Denver, Missoula, Ogden, and vUbuquerque. The last three 

 named offices were formerly suboffices. This change has proved 

 advantageous, particularly as it permits the closer supervision of 

 the work which is necessary with the increased activity in highway 

 construction. The road work of the seventh forest district continues 

 to be handled by the district engineer of this bureau in charge of 

 post road work in the locality where the work occurs. 



The year has witnessed the completion of a number of important 

 projects. A section, 11 mi'es in length, of the Canyonvillc-Galesville 

 lioad in Oregon was completed at a cost of S262,000. The Somes 

 Bar section of the Klamath River project in California, 7.4 miles in 

 length, was opened to traffic, giving better access to the Salmon River 

 and Klamath River projects. On sections of this road excavation 

 quantities exceeded 550 cubic yards per station for a graded width 

 of only 12 feet. Exceptional progress has been made on other sec- 

 tions of the Klamath River, and it is ho|)ed that at the end of the 

 construction season of 1021 the entire Klamath River project, 49 

 miles in length, estimated to cost $1,240,000, will be opened to traffic. 

 Four and seven-tenths miles of the Cooks-Collins project in Wash- 

 ington have in'eii comj)leted at a cost of $1.35,000. This road lies along 

 the north bank of tlie Columbia River and is a p^rt of the State high- 

 way .system. The Xorth Fork-Payette project in Idaho, another 

 important highway, was completed at a cost of SI 78,000 for 20 miles. 



Among tlie more important projects under construction may be 

 mentioned the Durango-Silverton and the Monarch Pass in Colorado, 

 and the Ephraim-Orangeville in ITtah, all of whicii cross mountain 



