MnlDOT Celebrates 50th Anniversary Interstate Highway System

192 Pages·2007·27.4 MB·English

MnlDOT Celebrates
the
50th Anniversary
ofthe
Interstate Highway System
A compilation of articles regarding the planning and
building ofthe Interstate Highway System in Minnesota
MINNESOTA HIGHWAYS
MnlDOT Celebrates
the
th
50 Anniversary
ofthe
Interstate Highway System
A compilation ofarticles regarding the planning and
building ofthe Interstate Highway Systemin Minnesota
selected from the following MnlDOT publications:
MINNESOTA HIGHWAYS
DOT SCENE
MnlDOT EXPRESS
July 1952 - December 1992
CompiledbyPamelaGonzalez
MnJDOT Library
MinnesotaDepartmentofTransportation
395 John IrelandBoulevard
SaintPaul, MN 55155
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/library/
August 2006
n
=========.;~..~=========
VOL. 1, NO.9 1246 University Ave., St. Paul 4, Minn. JULY, 1952
Minnesota's Share of New U. S. Road Aid $13,744,000
Minnesota will receive approximately $13,744,000 in
TRAFFIC FATALlTIEf &Y COUNTIES federal aid road-building funds dming each of the next two
. ~II!ST WAL~195'2,COMPAREDWITHSAMEPERIOD1951 fiscal years as a result of Congressional legislation recently
signed by the President. This is an increase of ahnost two
million dollars over the $11,900,000 which the state was
allotted this year.
A substantial item of the in-
crease, however, is represented by cou.nties,.for use in building up
a new allocation of $654000 for theIr mam-travelled county roads.
expediting development'of crucial !he federal ai~ secondary syst~m
highways on the Interstate System. mcludesapproxImately 4,400 mIles
In Minnesota, these comprise some of. state trunk routes and 10,000
700. miles of strategic highways, mIles o.f.county roads and as yet
I
including all of T.H. 16 from no declSlon has,been made as to
LaCrescent to Manley, T.H. 69 whatproport~onofnextye.ar·s FAS
from Emmons to Albert Lea and allotment wIll be reqUIred fOI'
~6H( T.H.65from AlbertLea to Minne- secondary trunk route. improve
apolis with T.H. 13 from its junc- ments and what amount. may be _.
LESS IN1952 ~ tion with T.H. 65 to Minneapolis turned over to the countIes.
MO~E IN1952 _ designated as an alternate route. All of .t!lese federal funds,
Other Minnesota highways in- wh.ethe: tltt/lud by the .state or
NOCHANGE ~-:J
cluded in the Interstate System are relmqUished to the countws. must
~IGU~EfINCOUNTIES SHOW T.H. 12 from the Hudson bridge be matched with state or county
DfATHfTIlROL/eHJUNE00,1962
to St. Paul, T.H. 8 from Minne- funds before they can be used for
apolistoJct. T.H.61,T.H. 61from ~onstruction of urgently needed
St. Paul to Duluth, T.Hs. 218, 152 Impr?vemen~s. . ..J
and 52 from Minneapolis to Moor- MInnesotas mcreased share of
head and T.H. 53 from Duluth to 1954 and 1955 fiscal year allot
International Falls. ments was due to stepping up of
Other annual allotments all to the total of highway fund autha,ri-
be available as of July 1: 1953, zations by C~ngress in recogni~on
are $6,405,000 for rural primary of th~ mountmg urgency of hi~h­
trunk highways, $4,517,000 for way.Improvements to meetsoarmg
secondary rural highways, and tr~fflC demands. The n~w Federal
$2,168,000 for improvements of Aid Act ~f 1952 authonzes $575,
arterial routes in urban areas 000,000 m what are knovvn as
Traffic Deaths Less In 1952, For the past several years,'the regular federal aid funds fOJ:" each
Department of Highways hasbeen of the fiscal years as comp.ared ~o
turning over virtually all of the $500,000,000 a year pro~ded.m
While stillpresenting a tragic picture, trafficfatalities in monies allotted to the state for the 1950Act. By companson With
Minnesota were less for the first six months of the year over secondary highways to the several the 1950 Act, the new bill pro-
vides$247,500,000forFederalAid
the same period in 1951. The reduction in deaths for the ------------ Primaryroadsasagainst$225,000,
same periodshows about 25 per cent lower for 1952. During In these counties, there were more 000 previously; $165,000,000 for
the mst half of 1951, 254 lives were lost in traffic accidents, fatalities this year. While most of FASroadsascomparedwith $150,-
the individual counties' increases 000000 and $137500000 for
while this year, for the same period, J'ust 188 have been ' . "
were very slight, tWD--'Blue Earth urban improvements as a.gainst
killed in traffic. and Dakota-have had 14 more $125,000,000. In addition i1: pro-
The above map shows a comparison by coUnties of the record for deaths than they had in the first vides $25;000,000 for Feder91 Aid
this year. All of the counties in white have contributed to the better six months of last year. An ironi- work on the Interstate System.
record of 1952byhavingfewer fatalities than during the similarperiod cal side of this is that both coun- In addition to the "regul~r"al
of 1951. The high number of counties, more than half in the state, ties received hc.lors for their locations whic1l must be J.ocally
that have fewer traffic deaths.is an important factor in the overall achievements in preventing traffic matched, the newbill carries $50,-
reductionindeaths. There are 46 counties thathave reported a reduc- deaths during 1951. 000,000 for access roads to critical
However, traffic accidents with d f . d' $10000
tion £or this year. .Included in this group are the three having the or e ense m Ilstnes; a . ' ,-
multiple deaths, for example in 000 f d $22500000
Iargest population in the state-Hennepin, Ramsey and St. Louis. emergency un ; , ,
I th Blue Earthcounty where7 persons for national forest highways; $10,-
. n ese three counties alone, there were 27 fewer deaths during died in3 accidents, made the total 000,000 for national pa.:J:kway
the similar period. very high. . roads; $10,000,000 for :fndian
~he dark picture, though, is shown by 20 counties who reached On the map, those counties roads and $2,500,000 for :J?ublic
~.:iH-year mark with poorer records than they had a year ago. (Continued on page 2) lands roads.
4 MINNESOTA HIGHWAYS
'atro'.Team Wins first "ace Air Force Gets Driver Training
One hundred' consecutive acci-I---------:----
dent-free days of road operation,'
a new record, is the happy result
I
of combining the talents of..the
Drivers License examiners withI
that of the 514th Air Defense
Group installation near Fort Snell
ing.
Examinations of all drivers at
the 514th motor pool were given,
by state examiners, indicating that
20% were not sufficiently well
trained to cope with local driving
conditions.
Further analysis revealed that
the same group of drivers who
failed to pass the tests were re
sponsible for a high percent of
the accidents previously charged
against the organization.
Photo by MTB. E<£ri 804111' The idea for utilizing the de- Proper hand signals were deman
partment's .examiners came as a traled by Leonard Holaling, examiner
Two first-place awards is the Together they won individual result ofmounting trafficaccidents supervisor, 10 T/5gt. Joseph Stork,.
record for this pistol team at the silver panel awards in the Marks- throughout the Air Defense Com- in charge of the drivers school, \ oS.
annual competition of the Minne- man classification with a team mandofwhichthe 514this apart. the Drivers Ucense Division cooperated
sota Peace and Police Officers con- score of 1068 out of a possible The problem was presented to with the air force unit in examining all
vention, St. Cloud, last month. 1200.This wasa higherscorehthan LeondarC. .H0taling,S.t Paul drivers employed at the motor pooI.
Ably coached,managed, and shep- any made in thhe Shharps ooter Park, supervisorof the Drivers Li-,," ~--
classification. Hig sooter was cense Examiners who with four
herdedbySgt. ChetO'Toole,Man- Strohl with 269. assistants examined 289 drivers. Governor, from page 1
kato, (L) the team was composed The other top award went to The air base then initiateda 40 Stressing the need for conscien-
of (L to R) Earl Saign, Brainerd; Earl Saign. Shooting at silhouette hour course in safe driving which tious efforts to avoid waste ofany
Ken Strohl, Fairmont; Norman targets on the F. B. I. course, he all personnel who drive USAF ve- kind Governor Anderson said:
Storvick, Caledonia; and Neil Dee- garnered a score of 98.8 out of hicles must attend and then pass "Too often there is a tendency
mer, Thief River Falls. a possible 100. the Minnesota Drivers test before on the part of people in public
=::.:....==..:..:.:...------...:.......:;-----------1
being issued drivers permits. positions to forget that they have
MAGRAW WINNER IN GMCONTEST
The project was further proof averyspecialtrust.Theyarehand-
of the necessity of training and ling someoneelse'smoney. I know
Experiences gained during his
and standards, and aid in smooth- examining persons before issuing thattherearethingswhich I would
work in the Department of High
ing and simplifying inter-govern- them permits to drive vehicles in do in my own business that I
ways evidently were of value to
mental relations. traffic. The high safety record re- would hesitate to do as Governor.
Dan Magraw. He won top honors
Magraw had been a familiar fleeted in the rapid decrease in In my business I am spending my
inthestate division ofthe General
figure around the highway per- accidents came after prospective own money. As a public official, I
Motors better highways, contest,
sonnel office until he joined the drivers proved their ability to am handling someone else's busi
netting a $1,500 prize.
Department of Conservation. handle vehicles before they were ness andmoney.Theconsequences
His ideas for organizing a na
tionalhighwayadministrationwere p-er-m-it-te-d-to-=ope=rat=e t=hem:.:;--,Iaffect many people ... We have
in response to the question asked Lost And found Dept. r a most serious obligation to place
the proper values on these de
by the General Motors Corpora
and to see that we can deliv..
tion-"How to Plan and Pay For Vic Benson, DME at Duluth, d
full dollar's worth ofgovernmental
the Safe and Adequate Highways has lost two books and asks our
We Need," help in finding them. The books service for each of them we
spend."
More thon 44,000 entries were are U. S. Manual on Surveys,
receivedin the national essay con black cover, size about 5~" by 9" The Governor concluded his
test which was won by Robert and Surveys and Boundaries, red talk to departmentheads with the
Moses, New York, city parks com cover, size 6" by 9". observation, equally applicable to
missioner. Quoting Vic: "I sent two books all department employees, that:
Magraw presented a 15 page with one of our men who went to "It is good that occasionally we
booklet incorporating an organiza the Central Shop to pickup anew make a self-appraisal-take inven
tion of an American highway co truck. He said they were left at tory of our faults and our good
ordinating council which would the shop to be sent to the Central points-and then tryto be the best
It'sapoorfish thatdoesn't
smheipet tbheetwneeeend ftohreprmopaenryreglarotiuopns Oenfgfiicneeefrosr twhheousneeeodfeda· cthoeumplefoorf gwohefothresraifte'styfiashtinalgl tsiemaseosn.,.or. wtheatcaonu.rSgoomalewinhethreisIwhoarvlde ihseanrodt
concerned with the nation's high study in connection with registra to be better than our fellow men
ways. tion examinations for engineers. just picnicing . . . be sure but to be better than ourselves."
you get there, and be sure
This council would develop They havenotreceivedthebooks." you get home again . . . by
plans for a long range national The books were plaeea in a drivingwithcaution,bypark
integrated highway systemextend large MHD envelope addressed to ing with care . . . start out 'Thatsergeant! I'veneverheard
ing beyond the national defense Stanley A. Axtell, Construction earlyenoughtoarriveintime a man talk sofastinmy life."
system, strive to coordinate activi Plans. They are valuable to Ben without speeding . .. dont "Why shoUldn't he? His father
ties of various highway agencies, son, one is out of print, the other be a poor fish on the high
conduct continuing research on was given to him as a birthday way. was a tobacco auctioneer and his..
construction methods, materials present. L..- -'I motherwas awoman."
.lul ,C{ S~
Historic Treaty Here
Opened Large Territory
Will be at Austin
First Free-way for Minnesota
Construction of the initial sec- Heving the pre~'ent heavy volume nounced by the federal govern
tion of Minnesota's first stretch of of U. S. 16traffic through Austin's ment to contribute to the financ
"free-way" is anticipated for next congested areas, it will eliminate ing of construction of a national
yenr. It is a five-mile section of intersection traffic problems over network of interstate highways.
highway to be built along the its entire length. With this announcement, putting
north outskirts of Austin, as a part The south extension will be a emphasis on the development of
of the Rew interstate highway net- two-lane highway. This link will the interstate system of highways,
work. permit traffic transfers between including U. S. 16, further studies
U.S. 16and T.H. 218without go- weremadebytheMinnesotaHigh
(A generally accepted def- ing into the city's congested busi- way department which indicated
.ition ofthe term free-way is ness area. the feasibility of integrating into
... highway with no grade in- The nine interchanges on the the system the five-mile portion of
tersections and no left turns.) free-way, according to Schultz, T. H. 252 lying north of U. S. 16. When you encounter this High
Plans for the new route at Aus- will be at the following points: Congress has not yet determined way department marker on T. H.
the plan of federal financing for 169 1~ miles northofSt.Peter, re
tin were outlined by Walter At its east and west con-
the network. member that you are at one of
Schultz, assistant engineer of nections with U. S. 16, at its
Schultz reported that under ex Minnesota's most historiclocations.
plans and surveys. junction with T. H. 218, at a
isting statutes, 60 per cent of the Here,onJuly 23, 1851, wassigned
Austin's free-way, to be desig- roadtotheHormalmeatpack-
nated T. H. 252, will be an alter- rth cost of T. H. 252 is scheduled to oneof thetwo treatiesofthatyear
nate route for thatsection of U. S. ing plant no of the city, at be paid by the federal government which opened vast areas of Min
16 which bisects Austin from east East and Tenth Sts., at Free- .and the remaining 40 per cent nesota to an immediate wave of
towest,Schultzsaid.Highway252 abnodrn Rgodl.,f ancodurastetheentariarnpcoerst from state highway funds. Pending permanent settlement and speeded
will join U. S. 16east and west of east of Austin. legislationincongressmay provide statehood.
the city. From the east junction, it for financing on a basis consider In treaties made here and at
will have a two-mile extension Initial construction on the five ably more advantageous to the Mendota a few weeks later, the
southwestward to T. H. 218, a mile link is expected to be at the state. Sioux Indians relinquished most of
north and south route through railroad crossings, where the high Re<.'tlnt approval by the High their lands west of the Mississippi,
Austin. way will underpass the railroad way department and the City of both in Minnesota and lo"Wa, and
Total cost of the seven miles is tracks. Austin of,a revised general layout agreed to live in peace vvith the
estinlatedatabout $2million, with Construction of T. H. 252 as a planfor T. H. 252clearedthe way white men.
the construction to extend over "hightype"highway link had been for preparation of detailed plans Traverse des Sioux "'A~ a pIin.::._. ..
several years. scheduled before plans were an- and thestartofconstruction. cipal point at which Indians and
The free-way, to be a four-lane whites, also, crossed the Minnesota
divided highway, ultimately will river in travelingbetweensouthern
,. nine traffic interchanges, two and northern Minnesota and the
•.....road grade separations, and Th. heavily mark.d sectian af the proleded T. H. 252 at Au.tin shows whe.. Red River valley. .
Minn.sota will have it. flnt fre..way. Traffic interchanges, railroad grade ••pei....
three stream bridges. Besides re- tlon., andstreambridge.aremarleed in brack.... ..:------ -.,-__
3
DESIGN STANDARDS DESCRIBED FOR NEW NETWORK
FoUowing is'an abstract ofsalient provi.sion8inthe new De way shall bea two-lanehighway so deSigned and 10cate9-on the right
sign Standm'ds f01'the National System ofInterstate and Defense ofwaythatanadditionaltwo-lanepavementcanbeaddedinthefuture
Highways (Interstate netw01'k), as adopted by the U. S. B1tTeau to form a dividedhighway.
of Public Roads, Department of Commerce. The presentation is Medians
by direct quotes except f01' two condensations, in parentheses.
Medians in rural areas in flat and rolling topography shall be at
The 41,000 miles included in the pro;ected Interstate net
least36 feet wide. Medians in urban and mountainous areas shall be
,w01'kisapproximately one per cent ofthe nation's total mileage
at least 16 feet wide. Narrower medians may be provided in urban
of public highways and roads of all types, but carries approxi
areas of high right-of-way cost, on long and costly bridges, and in
mately 12 per cent of the traffic.
rugged mountainons terrain, but no median shall be less than four
The netw01'k's 986 miles located in Minnesota is somewhat
feet wide.
less than one per cent of the state's total highway mileage. But
it is expected that when it is constructed, it wtU carry greater Shoulders
than10.percentofMinnesotatraffic. Shoulders usable by all classes of vehicles in all weather shall be
provided on the right of traffic. The usable width of'shoulder shall
GENERAL not be less than 10feet.
The highways of this system must be designed in keeping with
Slopes
their importance as the backbone of the Nation's highway systems.
Side slopes should be 4:1 or Hatter where feasible and not steeper
To this end they must be designed with control of access to insure
than 2:1except in rockexcavation or other special conditions.
their safety, permanence and utility and with flexibility to provide
for possible future expansion. Two-lane highways should be designed Right-of-Way
so that passing of slower moving vehicles can be accomplished with Fixedminimum widths ofright-of-way are not given because wide
ease and safety at practically all times. Divided'highways should be widths are desirable, conditions may make narrow widths necessary.
,t~·ignedas two separate one-way roads to take advantage of terrain andright-of-way neednotbeofconstantwidth.
otherconditionsforsafeandrelaxeddriving,economyandpleasing (Thestatementofstandardsincludes a table ofrecommendedmin
appearance. imum widths ranging from 150 feet for two lanes without frontage
roads to 300feet for multiple, divided roads with frontage roads.)
Traffic Basis
Interstate highwaysshallbedesignedtoserve safely and efficiently BridgesandOtherStructures .
the volumes ofpassengervehicles, buses,andtrucks, includingtractor Thefollowing standardsapply to Interstate highway bridges, over
trailer and semitrailer combinations and correspondingmilitary equip passes, and underpasses. Standards for crossroad overpasses and un
ment, estimated to be that which will exist in 1975, including at derpasses aretobethosefor the crossroad.
tracted, generated, and development traffic on the basis that the en- Bridges and overpasses, preferably of deck construction, should be
tire systemis completed. . located to fit the over-all alignment and profile of the highway.
The peak-hour traffic used as a basis for design shall be as high The clear height of structures shall be not less than 14 feet over
as the thirtieth highest hourly volume of the year 1975, hereafter re the entire roadway width, including the usable width of shoulders.
ferred to as the design hourly volume, "DHV(1975)." Unless other Allowance should be made for any contemplated resurfacing.
wisespecilied, DHVis the total two-direction volume of mixed traffic. The width of all bridges, including grade separation structures, of
a lengthof 150feet orlessbetweenabutments orendsupporting piers
Control of Access
shall equal the full roadway width on the approaches, including the
On allsections of the Interstate System, access shall be controlled
usable widthofshoulders.
by acquiring access rights outright prior to construction or by the
construction of frontage roads, or both. Control of access is required
for all sections of the Interstate System.
Railroad Crossings
Railroad grade crossings shall be eliminated for all through traffic
lanes.
Intersections
Jl at-grade intersections of public highways and private drive
ways shall beeliminated, or the connectingroad terminated, rerouted,
or intercepted by frontage roads, except as otherwise provided under
ControlofAccess (forsparselysettledrural areas).
Design Speed
The design speed of all highways on the system shall be at least
70, 60, and 50milesper hourfor Hat, rolling, and mountainous topog
raphy, respectively, and depending upon the nature of terrain and
development. The design speed in urban areas should be at least 50
miles per hour.
Gradients
Fordesign speeds of70, 60, and 50 miles per hour, gradients gen
erally shall he not steeper than three, four, and five per cent. respec
PROGRESS REPORT By early November, construction of the new Highway
tively. Gradients two per cent steeper may he provided in rugged department headquarters building, near the state capitol,
terrain. had reached this stage. As pictured, the building faces to the left (east) on John
Ireland boulevard.
Width and Numbe1' of Lanes
In the foreground, are foundation walls enclo.ing the subbasement and flanked
Traffic lanes shall not be less than 12 feet wide. by pien which will support the structure'. greater total area. In the background
Where the DVH (1975) exceeds 700 or exceeds a lower two-lane i. the ramp leading to the basement garage wing. Including the basement and
subbasement, the central building will have eight level., while the wing contai"..
design capacity applicable for the conditions on a particular section,
ing the garage and other facilities will have two stories above ground..In the
the highway shallbe a divided highway. Forlower volumes, the high- for background i. the St. Paul cathedral. .
NOVEMBER, 1956 5
VpL. 6, NO.3 1246 University Ave., St. Paul 4, Minn. JANUARY, 1957
Safety Head, Assistant Laws Sought on Safety,
Patrol· Chief Named New Interstate Routes
HarryA.SiebenofHastings, Steps to increase highway
Minnesotastate liquor control safety and to take full ad
commissionerforthepasttwo vantage of the recently en
years,isthenewstate director larged program offederal aid
of .highway safety. His ap- for highways are major pro
lJnent was announced posals ofthe MinnesotaHigh
January 4 by Commissioner way department's recommen
HoHmann. dations to the1957State Leg
islature, which opened itsses
The commissioner at the
sion January 8.
same time announced the
Other leading requests are for
promotion of Captain Leo M.
higher salaries for "all grades and
Smith of Rochester, to assist classes" of department employees
ant chief of the Minnesota on a basis competitive with pri
Highwaypatrol. vate industry and·local govern.
ments, andtoincreasethesizeand
The appointmentofSieben,who LeoM.Smith HorryA.SI....n trainingfacilities ofthestateHigh.
was to assumehis new duties later -------------------------1way patrol.
this month, fills the vacancywhich F. W. Thorstenson Is Chosen Enabling legislation is recom.
has existedsincethe resignation of mended to supplement provisions
EarlM.LarimerOctober 15, 1956. As New Hydraulics Engineer of Constitutional Amendment No.
Sieben rated highest in the civil 2, and to implementthe expanded
service examination conducted for TheHighway department has a newhydraulics engineer, interstate highway program, par·
the appointment. Frederick W. Thorstenson of St. Paul, former assistant re ticularly as to theestablishmentof
PriortohisappointmentbyGov gional (hydraulic) engineer of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife new interstate routes and neces
sary connections to existing trunk
ernor Freeman as liquor control serviceand aformer employee of the department. .
highways and for the control of
chief, Sieben held a number of Thorstenson, who assumed his new position December accesson the interstatesystemand
b".o;ness and governmental posi-
17, succeeds Marvin E. Hermanson who in September was on other important highways.
in the Twin Cities area, in
Ch..~lIlgthatofstatedirectorofthe named assistant engineer of surveys and design. After two years' use ofa system
of "absolute" speed limits for des
federal Office ofPriceStabilization After his graduation from the
ignated sections of the rural trunk
from 1951 to 1953. Universitv of Minnesota as a civil
engineer' in 1937, Thorstenson highways, as authorized by the
Inhisliquorcontrolpost,Sieben 1955 Legislature, Commissioner
worked for the Highway depart
has gained a wide acquaintance ment for 18 months as a drafts Hoffmannhasrecommended to the
ship with local peace officers and man. He heldvariouspositions un 1957Legislaturethatitreviewand
countysheriffsthroughoutthestate, til 1946 when he became assist amendthestatutesrelatingtospeed
a factor which will be of value in ant regional engineer for the Fish regulation to "remove the existing
his state-wide promotion of high confusion." Posting of different
and Wildlife service.
way safety through education and sections ofthe highwaysfor "abso
In that capacity, he was in
trafficlawenforcement. lute" and prima facie speed limits
charge of technical engineering
services for fish stations, refuges "is highly confusing to most driv
CaptainSmith,a14-yearveteran and federal aid programs in 11 ers and of little benefit in improv
in the Highway patrol, has been states. This and previous employ ing driver performance," he said.
stationed at Rochester since Sep
ment has given him extensive ex MinimumlimitSought
tember, 1954, when he was pro
moted from sergeant to captain. perience and responsibility in hy.Ij He also asked authority to zone
Previous to his appointment as a draulic engineering. ThorstensonisI for minimum speed limits on the
patrol officerin 1942, he was with a registered professional engineer basis that minimum speed regu
in Minnesota and president this lations have proved beneficial on
I
(Continuedonpage5) (Continuedon page4) FredThorstenlon (Continued onpage6)
Chiel Congratulates Cummings Patrol School Is Miss Jones, Please /"
Set for Recruits Take aLefter:
School bells-in this case traffic As an incidental remark in a
whistles-willring out February 18 q.iscussion of tax administration
for 50 candidates when the High dosts, CharlesP.Stone,formerMin
way patrol opens it's 1957 recruit nesota state deputy tax commis
school at Camp Ripley. The 50 sioner, mentioned that industrial
students will be the top of a list surveys indicate that it costs 75
of applicants which totaled about cents to write one business letter.
1,200before written, oral, physical Wll-sted time is wasted money.
and background examinations When next you have occasion to
screenedoutineligibles. write a business letter, consider
Candidates will be given an in whether you would accomplish the
tensive436-hourscheduleofclasses sameresultwithaquickphonecall
rangingfromtrafficlawand photo or pencilled memo. If a formal
graphy to radio operation and letter is necessary, then make it to
criminal law. The daily schedule the point and dictate it so clearly
begins with 6 a. m. reveille and that neither you nor your steno
calisthenics and continues with grapherwillhavetowastevaluable
classes and training.session until time inrevisingandcorrectingit.
9 p. m., withlights outat 10p. m. Some smart administrators with
Experienced patrol officers who real smart secretaries give their
Retired after 26 yean' N"i.. in the Highway patrol, Cal Cummings, left, of will be instructors include Captain secretaries only the key facts for a
DetroitLak... wascongratulated by Chi.fPaul Martz, right, at therecont retirement
partygivenbythepatrol.With them areMn.Cummingsand InspectorOttoDougher. Neil Deemer, plans and training letter, saving dictating time f()r.
officer, and Sgts. Ralph S. Potvin, themselves, at least, possibI.( '1
Lawrence Nelson and Thomas Gil the secretaries, also. .
pin. Additional instructors will
comefrom otherenforcementagen
Laws Sought on Safety, New Interstate Routes
cies and from other Highway divi Jack: Howlonghaveyouworked
(Continuedfrompag.1) sizes and weights be amended to sions. on this job? .
some higher type roads, particu conform "more closely to the Graduation day is set for April Jim: Ever.since the boss threat
larly of the type contemplated for recommendations of the American 25. ened to fire me.
the interstate system. Association ofState Highway Offi-I------------------ _
cials." The association recom
One legislative proposal would
mends an over-alllengthlimitation
makeit unlawful to enter or leave
of 50 feet, as compared to.theI
an accesscontrolledhighway at lo
present 45-foot limit in Minnesota.
cations other than officially desig
nated and constructed approaches. In recommending competitive
Another proposal asks considera salaries for all grades and classes
tion of the adoption of a law by in the Highway department, Com·
whicha personacceptingadriver's missioner Hoffmann stated: "Our
license thereby gives consent to a skilled engineers, designers, drafts
chemical test, in case of an acci men, technicians, maintenance em
dent, ofhiscompetencytodrive. ployeesandclerksareseriouslyun
Requirement is asked for renew derpaidinrelationtoindustryand
al of drivers' licenses every two local governments."
years, instead of every four years, The departmentalso asks exten
as at present, primarily to make sion for another two years of its
this activity self-supporting. present authority to employ con·
"A material increase in the per suIting (private) engineers on
sonnel strength" of the Highway highway and bridge design.
patrol is recommended to "more
effectively deal with the increas
ingly serious problem of traffic, in HERE'S WHO
the interest of accident prevention
and aid to highway users, and also
The man inthe Who?photo
for the protection of the highways
onpage 4is
themselves."
Authorization for establishment G. G. GLADMAN
of a patrol training centernear the
Twin Cities metropolitan area is plans, surveysanddesign engineer,
suggested on tIle basis that present as he looked in about 1922 when 0tJaOFMI~tJE,~":!S e~T·K~Ot>lN
available facilities are inadequate he was chief of surveys. IICOM1o«!fJ!iWASNININGEROf,)THE
for needed training of new patrol M~I6SIPPIRIUEIZ,IleTOFHASTING!;.
1k1!>TOWNWAr,P"A~tJa)&'f<JOHN
members an:] for in-service train tJlt.Jl~AWl)DOW\IlEI.l.'flOeETHE
ing. DisconcertingApproach 1JE1O'I01ZICOFTiolEWE5l'.IfDIDN'l"
~l2ViVE.
Recommendation is made that Love Your Enemies. It. will
the law with respect to vehicle drive them nuts. @K._
6 MINNESOTA HIGHWAYS
0~V\ ltCS7
VOL. 6, NO.4 1246 University Ave., St. Paul 4, Minn. FEBRUARY, 1957
6 -Month Program Covers 530 Miles
Improvement of more than .530 miles of Minnesota trunk1-----------
highways at an estimated total cost of $37,817,000 is called
Refugee Enters for in a record shattering revised construction program Five Employees
adopted by the Highway department for the'last half of the
Design Section Receive Awards
fiscal year ending June 30.
Added to the $28,278,000 of work contracted during the
. ,'e Vida, 40-year old Hun first half of the fiscal year, July 1 to December31, 1956, the The state employees Sugges
15, .! refugee newly employed in fiscal year's program will total the sizeable sum ofmore than tion Award program paid off for
the Highway department, is hav five Highway department em
$66 million, the biggest 12 months' contract total in the
ing some difficulty with the Eng ployees in the past month for a
department's history.
lish language. But, as a patriot in total of $105. Four prize winners
the Hungarian people's fight for The $37,817,000 total for the are auto'mechanics, the fifth, an
freedom, he has encountered no current six months represents 86 partment for construction pur automechanicforeman. Fortwoof
difficulty in adjusting to American projects. As listed by Commis poses." the men, the award was supple
democracy. sioner Hoffmann, they include: He noted that although some of mental to a previous one for the
Vida is working as a draftsman 74 miles of concrete pave the projects announced last spring samesuggestion.
in the geometrical design section ment. as part of the program have been Development of a quick de
of the Plans division, of which 156 miles of plant-mixed deferred, they will be undertaken tachable snowplow hookup for
Harvey Dartt is supervisor. A bituminous surfacing. as soonas possible. mounting the plows on trucks has
German speaking member of the 112 miles of grading, base Ithas beenfound nece,ssa~,.be- brought a $30 Suggestion pro
section, Paul Valters, translates andbituminous. cau~e of.the departments limited gram award to LawrencePurring
words Vida does not know and 74 miles of base and bitu engmeermgstaff, to proceed now ton, automechanicinMaintenance
drafting is drafting the world minous surfacing. withthoseprojectsforwhic1Ipl~ district 16, Windom. In granting
around. Actually, Vida already 102 miles of grading and are ready or can be co~pl~tedill the recognition, the state Merit
knows quite a bitofEnglish. base. th~very ~earfuture. ThISwillp.er- Award board said snowplows
47 structurestobe built. mit contm~nce of c~struction throughout the district are now
Landing in New York January
In tum, the structures include work at a high levelwhile depart- equipped with thedeviceandthat
11 under Lutheran sponsorship, 22 traffic separations, 19 stream ment and consulting engineers
(Continued on poge 10) crossings and six railroad over hasten preparation of plans for "a (Continued on pogo 2)
heads and underpasses. balanced program giving full con-
sideration to all classes of trunk
The largest single river bridge
highways," Commissioner Hoff
to be built is a ~w one over the
mann said.
Mississippi at Newport, on T.H.
100. It will replace the present An important added feature, he
crossiIig at nearby Inver Grove, said, is the inclusion of several
which is being used on a lease projects on the newly designated
basis. . Interstate highwaynetwork.
SomeWorkfrom 1956 This will provide a material
In addition to the $37,817,000 start on Minnesota's share of the
in contemplated new contruction 40,000-mile network. It also will
projects, Commissioner Hoffmann make good use of state highway
stated that there is being carried funds, since the state is required
over for completion this year a to provide only $10 for eac1I $90
total of $29,090,000 in contracts offederal aid thestatewillreceive
awarded in 1956. for construction of the network
Regarding the revision of the highways.
program for the 1956-57 fiscal How extensive is to be the con
year, the Commissioner said it struction for the state's network
was found necessary at the close routes is shown in five projects
ofthe 1956constructionseason"to listed tobe contractedbeforeJune
revise our programfor the balance 30 on T. H. 252, all in Mower
of the year to better utilize the county.
1m..Vida various funds available to the de- (Continuedon page 10) lawrence Purrington
,<-
Read: Network Routes Will Have Big Impact ••••·Page 5