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WA STATE DOT LIBRARY

66 0009 9062 2 Everything you always wanted to know about the Highway Department

Explained by The State Highway Department

* BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO ASK DOT LIBRARY

PO BOX 47425 OLYiViPlAVVA 98504-7425 360-705-7750 FOREWORD

Although the title of our book is somewhat whimsical, the reader wil l find

that the text is entirely serious in nature. We have l imited our report to "facts

and figures" concerning the Highway Department and Washington State*s highway system,

and have made no attempts to advance opinion or philosophy. We intend this book

to be a reference guide for anyone - students, legislators, news media people and

Highway Department employees - who need information on Washington's primary

transportation system.

Compi l ing the information for this book has been - and wi l l continue to be -

a formidable task, requiring many hours and much di l igent research. The book you

are now holding does not contain "everything" about the highway system; rather, ^it contains the information we have compiled so far and have included in it. More - much more - wi l l be forthcoming in the future. We wi l l send additional information

to those who receive the book as it becomes avai lable, and we ask that those who want to stay up to date to supply the Publ ic Information Office with their names

and addresses. We hope our book serves your needs and we wi l l welcome any suggestions, comments and criticisms you may care to give us regarding its contents.

Ij/6 > d Wi 1 1 iam B. Gasman Publ ic Information Director MEMBERS

OF THE

WASHINGTON STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION

George 8. Simpson (1951-54) Vancouver Harry E. Morgan (1954-61) Longview & Ocean Park John E. Maley (1951-51) Omak Oscar E. Stone (1951-61) Spokane

George D. Zahn (1961-71) (*1965-66, 1967-71) Methow R. A. Molsio (1951-61) (*1954-55) Tacoma L. 8. Wal lace (1951-54) Bel I i ngham R. E. Hensel (1954-57) Bremerton

Ernest J. Ketcham (1957-63) (*1958-61) Seattle Fred G. Redmon (1951-54) (*1951-54) Yakima E. C. Huntley (1954-57) (*1955-57) Colfax Ernest A. Cowel I (1957-65) (*1957-58, 1961-65) Eureka

James M. Blair, Sr. (1961-61) Puyal lup Robert L. MlkaI son (1961-71) Central ia Irving Clark, Jr. (1963-65) Seattle Harold Walsh (1965- ) Everett

Elmer C. Huntley (1965-67) (*1966-67) Thornton Baker Ferguson (1967- ) (*1971-72) Wal la Wal la John N. Rupp (1967-73) (*1972- ) Seattle Lorna Ream (1971-73) Spokane

A. H. Parker (1971- ) Bremerton Virginia K. Gunby (1973- ) Seattle Howard Sorensen (1973- ) El lensburg

*Cha i rman DIRECTORS OF THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT 1905-1973

1905-1909 - J. M. Snow (Commissioner) 1909-191 1 - Henry L. BowI by (Commissioner) 191 1 - Wi l l iam R. White (Commissioner) 191 1 - Wi l l iam J. Roberts I9I2-I9I6 - Wi l l iam R. Roy 1916-1925 - James Al len 1925-1927 - J. W. Hoover 1927-1933 - Samual J. Humes(Highway Engineer) 1933-1940 - Lacey V. Murrow (Director of Highways) 1940-1941 - James A. Davis 1941-1945 - Burwel I Bantz 1945- - Clarence Hickey 1945 - James A. Hickey 1945 - James A. Davis 1945-1949 - Clarence Shain 1949- - 0. R. Dinsmore 1949-1963 - Wi l l iam A. Bugge 1963-1969 - Charles G. Prahl 1969 - George H. Andrews

1893 - Legislature approves plans to construct Cascade Wagon Road (now North Cascades Highway) 1905 - Highv/ay Department formal ly organized. State had 1082 mi les of road. .25 mi les in "improved" condition. 909 Highway Department achieves partial control over construction contracts, heretofore granted entirely to counties. Decision made to pave roads for automobi les, demise of horse-drawn transportation predicted. 191 1 - Permanent Highway Act: sti l l more contract control granted to state. 1912 - State's first concrete road bui lt in Lewis County. 1916 - Federal Aid Road Act: first federal assistance with state highway construction costs. 1918 - Highway districts establ ished in Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver, Wa a Wal la, and Olympia. Large-scale construction program started. 1920 - State citizens owned 186,827 autos and trucks. 1921 - District system enlarged from five administrative areas to seven. First gas tax: 1^ on the gal lon. Temple of Justice boi ler room first Highway Materials Laboratory. Motor Vehicle Act revised, s a e control over al l highway maintenance. v«nth 1925 - Six-district system started; same as at present with exception o se Seattle district establ ished in 1957. +h«n 5€ 1927 - Speed l imit raised from 30 to 40 m.p.h. Gas tax boosted from ' (One cent went for "farm to market" roads). Highway Department ac le regulatory control over tol l bridges. 1927 - The non-technical highway committee was abol ished and the permanent post of Director of Highways was establ ished. 1933 - To combat chronic Depression-era unemployment, a $IO-mi l l ion emergency rel ief bond issue was placed on the department, and a large share of highway funds was diverted to the counties via the Secondary Highway Act to be used for road construction. 1934 - Aerial photography, a radio communications system and a network of truck-weighing stations wore introduced to highway operations. 1936 - A planning survey was made to determine future highway needs. 1937 - Legislature approved a revised Highway Code, covering al l aspects of highway administration. A Commission of Highway Transportation was formed to study the department's fiscal operations and related subjects. 1941 - Highway Advisory Commission formed to assist the department director with administrative matters. Gasol ine tax legislation was broadened to diesel fuels. Highway Department started a comprehensive safety program for highway crews. Highway bui lding practical ly ceased, due to World War I I, and only work needed to keep roads passable was approved. State aid laws were revised to place more control of con struction projects in the hands of counties and cities. 1944 - Federal Aid Highway Act provided for a national system of interstate highways. Almost 600 mi les of state roadway was so designated. 1947 - Joint Fact-finding Committee on Highways, Streets and Bridges formed to study al l phases of highway construction and administration. 1951 - Five-member Highway Commission created to give the department continuity and a non-pol itical outlook. The department assumed control of the Puget Sound ferry system, heretofore privately owned. 1953 - Highway districts were given authority to advertise for and to open bids on contracts up to $15,000. Authority to award contracts remained with the department director. 1955 - Department received authority of "blanket condemnation" wherein It could acquire several separately-owned tracts of land by fi l ing one case against the owners. 1956 - Marked increase in federal al locations for highway construction came with Federal Aid Highway Act. Over 630 contracts total l ing $143 mi l l ion were awarded in next two years. 1958 - Department personnel numbered more than 3,200. 1959 - State's Interstate program took a sl ight setback when federal funding was reduced. Winter flood damage to highways brought federal rel ief funding. . 1960 - Information on highway needs for next quarter-century and valuable dar on county and city roads were suppl ied through Highway Commission Neeas Study. Highway construction continued at reduced pace. _ +• nal 1965 - Management survey brings sweeping changes to department's organization structure. Seven major divisions created to streaml ine operations. 1967 - Legislature passes bi l ls increasing gasol ine tax to aid urban highway construction and authorizing a state-wide survey of transportation neeas. A HISTORY OF THE WASHINGTON STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT

The present system of state highways in Washington State was founded in

the early territorial days, but it was not unti l statehood was gained in 1889

that comprehensive and sustained action was taken to develop a modern trans

portation system.

In 1893, four years after statehood, legislative action was started on the Cascade Wagon Road which roughly fol lows the North Cross State Highway,

which was completed in September 1972. Before 1905, $131,881.23 had been appropriated for road construction, with few results. The Highway Department was formed in that year to expedite progress, J. M. Snow was appointed the first highway commissioner. At this time, there were 1,081.6 mi les of state road, of which 124.5 mi les

were In an "improved" condition. The department achieved partial control over construction contracts, heretofore granted to the counties, with the appointment of Henry L. Bow I by as highway commissioner in 1909. During Bowlby's administration, the decision was made to design and pave future roads for the automobi le, rather than horse-drawn vehicles. The 191 1 Permanent Highway Act, which transferred sti l l more county control of roads to the state, provided for the construction of hard surface roads commercial trade purposes. Bow I by was replaced in rapid succession by first Wil l iam R. White and then Wi l l iam J. Roberts. The state's first concrete road was constructed in 1912 in Lewis County and Wi l l iam R. Roy became highway commissioner the next year. James Al len became highway Commissioner in 1916 and the Federal Aid

Road Act was passed, helping states with their road construction costs for the first time.

World War I brought curtai lment of practical ly al l road construction In the state, duo to the need for channel ization of materials and manpower into the national mi l itary effort.

Fol lowing the war, much more authority and responsibi l ity was delegated to department district engineers in Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver, Wal la Wal la and Olympia. A large-scale construction program was begun, with over $1 1 mi l l ion spent by 1920. Citizens of Washington State owned 186,827 motor vehicles in 1920. Al l state departments were reorganized for a short time in 1921, with the highway department placed under the department of publ ic works and con trol led by a highway committee for one biennium. A seven-district system was instituted and a gas tax of one cent on the gal lon was begun. A materials laboratory was sot up in the Temple of Justice's boi ler room in Olympia. A major reorganization of state highway funding also occurred and many revisions were made in the Motor Vehicle Act, resulting in complete state control of highway mafnlenance on the state highway system. In 1925, long-time department head James Al len was succeeded by J. W. Hoover. A six-district system, set up the next year, fol lowed the present arrangement, with the exception of a lack of a seventh Seattle district. In 1927, oi l was first used to prevent dust on highways, the highway department achieved regulatory control of tol l bridges and the speed l imit was raised from 30 to 40 m.p.h. Samual J. Humes replaced J. W. Hoover as highway engineer. The gasol ine tax was increased to three, and later to five cents, with one cent channeled into the creation of special "Farm to Market" roads.

Friction between the highway engineer and the non-technical highway committee brought about the abol ition of the committee and the creation of a Director of Highways. This post was assumed in 1933 by Lacey V. Murrow.

The Depression saddled the department with a $10 mi l l ion emergency rel ief bond Issue, very l ittle of which went for highv/ay purposes. In addition a large share was diverted to the counties, via the Secondary Highway Law, for roadway construction over which the department had l ittle control. As the main purpose of this legislation was to rel ieve chronic unemployment, contracts specified as much hand labor as possible. In 1934, the department began using aerial photography, increased radio communications and a system of truck weighing stations. A planning survey was made two years later to determine the future highway needs of the state. A revised Highway Code, covering al l aspects of highway administration, was approved by the legislature in 1937. In the same year, a Commission on Highway Transportation was formed to study the department's fiscal operations and related subjects. Lacey V. Murrow resigned his post as department head in 1940, as did many other department personnel, to enter mi l itary service. James A. Davis assumed the post, and was succeeded in 1941 by Burwel l Bantz. A Highway Advisory Commission was formed in that year to assist the department head with admin I strative matters. The gasol ine tax law was widened to include diesel and other fuels at this time and the department started a comprehensive safety program. World War I I had a dramatic effect on highway construction, and only bui lding deemed necessary to the war effort was approved. Only maintenance work necessary to keeping roads in safe condition was authorized.

State aid laws were revised, placing more control of construction projects in the hands of the cities and counties.

The 1944 Federal Aid Highway Act provided for a national system of inter state highways. The state then had 599 mi les of roadway so designated. Clarence Mickey succeeded Bantz as department director In 1945. He died In office a short time later, and was replaced by James A. Davis. A Joint Fact-Finding Committee on Highways, Streets and Bridges was formed In 1947 to study al l phases of highway construction and administration. In 1949, 0. R. Dinsmoro was appointed department director, replacing Clarence Shain, who had served since 1945. Dinsmore became assistant director in 1949 y/ith the appointment of W. A. Bugge to the directorship. A five-man Highway Commission was created in 1951 and charged with duties heretofore performed by the director. The Commission was intended to give the department continuity and a non-pol itical outlook. Buggo was retained as director. In the same year, the department assumed control of the Puget Sound ferry system, the world's largest such operation. The districts were given the authority in 1953 to advertise for, and to open bids on, contracts up to $15,000. The power to award contracts remained with the department director. The department received the power of "blanket condemnation" in 1955, wherein it could acquire several separately-owned tracts of land by fi l ing one case against the owners. Enactment of the 1956 Federal Aid Highway Act, which increased federal

al locations to states, resulted in a marked increase in Washington's highway

construction program. In two years, 632 contracts were awarded, total l ing

$ 143 mi I I ion.

In 1958, department personnel numbered 3,206,

Authorization of funds for state highway construction, via the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1959, were sl ightly decreased. Thus Washington state's

Interstate program took a sl ight, but not significant, setback. November and December of that year brought heavy flooding to several areas in western V^ashington and the central mountain area. Federal Emergency Rel ief funds, total l ing $545,375, were authorized to restore many state high

ways in these areas. The I960 Commission Needs Study suppl ied valuable data on county and municipal thoroughfares and predicted state highway needs through 1975. Between 1958 and I960, 525 construction projects were started. Total cost was $95 mi l l ion. This is less than the previous biennium, and can be attributed to cutbacks in federal aid and a number of construction strikes. Charles G. Prahl succeeded Wi l l iam A. Bugge as director of Highways in

1963. Five hundred and thirty-six construction projects costing $162,956,541 were initiated during the biennium 1962-1964. Sweeping changes were made in the department's organization fol lowing the completion of studios made by an independent management consultant The 1965 Management Survey resulted in the creation of seven major divisio They include: construction, maintenance, management services, administrat' , tol l faci l itios, highway development and the division of pianning, research and materials. The publ ic Information office was placed directly under the department

director. The 1967 legislature passed two significant bil ls affecting highways. The first was an increase in the gasol ine tax to provide rel ief for urban

traffic congestion. The second was a statewide traffic study of al l highways, roads and streets for the purposes of reclassifylng these thoroughfares, determining what transportation problems would arise In the next quarter-century and how these needs could be financed. Between 1966 and 1968, 407 projects were started at a cost of $215,440,191. This decrease was due to a smal ler number of Seattle freeway contracts. George H. Andrews succeeded Charles G. Prahl as Director of Highways in 1969. Since then, new buHdings have been constructed for the headquarters administrative staff and materials testing personnel. In 1970, there were over 7,000 mi les of state highways and over 5,000 department employees. During the next two years, 1971 and 1972, much progress was made towards the completion of the Interstate highv/ay system. between YakIma and El lensburg was completed, and plans were underway to extend It to the Oregon border. Planning was also wel l underway on Interstate 182, a l ink between Inter state 82 and the Tr|-Clty area. In 1971, the Highway Department moved its operations Into a modern new bui lding on the Olympia Capitol campus, and a new materials research laboratory was bui lt

in Tumwater.

The North Cascades Highway (State Highway 20) was opened to traffic In 1972. The state's ferry system was enlarged and streaml ined with the addition of two new jumbo ferries, the SPOKANE and the WALLA WALLA. Rest Areas

Washington now has 21 Interstate rest areas and 38 Non-1nterstate rest areas. Eight

Interstate rest areas are now under construction, no Non-1 nterstate rest areas are pre sently under construction. Future Highway Department plans Include construction of 12

Interstate rest areas and 83 Non-1 nterstate rest areas.

*********

The four basic classes of rest areas Include: Major I nterstate fad! It les: Ful ly- developed sites which provide permanent rest room bui ldings, picnic faci l ities such as tables and shelters, drinking water, refuse containers, landscaping, sufficient parking for automobi les, trai lers and trucks and standard entrance and exit ramps, signing and i I Iumi nation. Minor Interstate Faci l ities: Intermediate sites so designated to permit acquisition of the site under a long-range plan for ultimate development when It becomes warranted by traffic demand or by overloading of existing faci l ities. Major Non-1 nterstate faci l ities: Ful ly-developed sites providing permanent rest room bui ldings, picnic tables and shelters, garbage containers, drinking water, parking for automobi les, trai lers and trucks, landscaping, safe entrances and exits, signing and i I Iumi nation. Minor Non-1 nterstate faci l ities: Existing sites which have only a l imited capabi l' y for expansion or development to meet concepts of a major rest area site. It may be p for these to operate serviceably In their present form or with only a minimal typ development such as instal lation of chemical toilets, a few picnic tables ment or parking faci l ities.

************* Estimated visitor totals, selected Interstate rest areas, 1971.

Indian John Hi l l, east of Cle Elum, 1-90 950,000 Ryegrass, east of El lensburg, 1-90 550,000 Toutle River, near Castle Rock, 1-5 1,200,000 Gee Creek, north of Vancouver, 1-5 1,000,000

Cost of selected rest areas: Sea-Tac rest areas, 1-5, 1973 $956,000 Smokey Point rest areas, 1-5, north of Marysvi l le $532,000 Si lver Lake rest areas, south of Everett, 1-5 $382,000 Sprague Lake rest areas, near Spokane, 1-90 $335,000 El ma rest area. State Highway 8 $250,000

Cost of maintenance: $25^nnn - 30.000 yearly per rest area

************

V i ewpo i nts Interstate: four viewpoints now in operation, two more planned Non-1nterstate: 29 now operational, 28 more proposed. WASHINGTON STATE FERRY SYSTEM

Washington's unique Puget Sound ferry system began official ly in 1951, when several ferries were purchased from their private owners by the state Tol l Bridge

Authority, a move that brought consol idation, central ization and coordination to the

"fleet". Washington State's governor acts as chairman of the Tol l Bridge Authority and appoints two of the four members. The remaining two are appointed by the Highway

Commission, as Is the authority's executive secretary. The Tol l Bridge Authority sets the amount of ticket prices and handles schedul ing, while the Highway Commission is delegated with overal l supervision of the Ferry

System's administration and operation.

STATE FERRY SYSTEM facilities BOOK VALUE 21 ferries - 18 Terminals $42,000,000

AREA OF OPERATION ORIGINAL SOURCE Pugot Sound and adjacent waters from 7 from San Francisco Bay Tacoma, Washington to Sidney, B.C. 2 from State of Maryland I bui lt on Puget Sound prior to state SIZE OF OPERATION purchase Seven routes 5 bui lt in Seattle by Tol l Bridge 180,000 ferry landings per year Author i ty 750,000 mi les operated per year 4 bui lt in San Diego for the Washington State Ferry System TRAFFIC VOLUME I bui lt in Portland by the Tol l Bridge 10 ml 1 1 ion passengers per year Authority 4 mi l l ion vehicles per year I from San Diego

EMPLOYEES 850 WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES

MV CHETZEMOKA, Clal lam chieftan . . . 1927 MV NlSQUALLY, Indian tribe at MV ELWHA, Elk mouth of Nisqual ly River . . . 1927 MV EVERGREEN STATE, state MV OLYMPIC, Washington's great nickname western peninsula 1938 MV HIYU, "plenty" . . . 1967 MV QUINAULT, "river with a lake MV HYAK, "fast" or "speedy" . . . 1967 In the middle" 1927 MV 1LLAHEE, "land, place or MV RHODODENDRON, the state location flower 1947 MV KALEETAN, "arrow" MV SPOKANE, MV KEHLOKEN, "swan or other Indian tribe 1972 aquatic bird" . . . 1926 MV TILLICUM, "friend" 1959 MV KLAHAnIE, "outside" or MV VASHON, a British admiral . . 1930 "great out-of-doors" . . . . MV WALLA WALLA, eastern MV KLAHOWYA, "greetings". . . . Washington Indian tribe . . • 1972 MV KLICKITAT, south central MV YAKIMA, "to become peopled" . 1967 Washington Indian tribe . . . MV KULSHAN, "Great White Watcher II or Mt. Baker

LOCATIONS OF 18 TERMINALS

*Polnt Defiance, Tacoma *Kingston, North KItsap County Tahiequah, South End Vashon Island *Muki lteo, Snohomlsh County Fauntleroy, West Seattle Columbia Beach Vashon, North End Vashon Island *Anacortes, Skagit County Southworth, KItsap County - eight ml les from Port Orchard Lopez, San Juan County *Bremorton Shaw, San Juan County

WInslow, Balnbrldge Island Orcas, San Juan County Seattle Ferry Terminal, Pier 52 *Frlday Harbor, San Juan County *Edmonds, Snohomlsh County *Sldney, British Columbia, Canada *Deslgnates leased to Tol l Bridge Authority