Pioneer Reader contd.
described as ”rudimentary truck roads,
not usually fit for passenger automobile
use and not necessarily subject to re
pair, upkeep, or seasonal maintenance,”
Generally, this class road does not
qualify for inclusion in the Federal
aid highway system.
Since the pioneer access road pro
gram was commenced, the. Department of
Highways has noted considerable progress.
During the 1960-61 construction season,
134 miles were built at a cost of
$695,00J, An additional $174,000 was
expended in upgrading this mileage in
1962, when the commissioners of the two
departments determined improvement was
necessary to bring the roads up to a
higher standard. Also, this year, there
were 31 miles of road completed at a cost
of $94,000 and 60 additional miles under
way for a cost of $4$4,000, The depart
ment currently has $79,000 allotted for
four projects consisting of 5£ more miles,
* Funds for this program are approp
riated each year by the legislature, T#
date a total of $1,580,000 has been appro
priated during the past three years•
When a citizen, or group of citizens,
requests that a road be built in a spe
cific area, a study is made to determine
the need for the road and whether it
meets the qualifications set forth in
the Laws of Alaska for inclusion in the
pioneer access road program. If it is
determined necessary and qualifies for
funds, a request for an allottment from
the Department of Natural Resources is
made,
As sofn as this authority for ex
penditure is issued the Department of
Highways begins a rough survey and calls
for bids from equipment owners to con
struct the new road* The law dees not
provide money for detail engineering
plans and specifications for these "lew.
standard" roads* When the equipment is
inspected and approved the workers -
mostly local people with their own equip
ment - begin construction and build as
much road as funds permit* A project
construction supervisor is responsible
tr the District Highway Engineer for the
work.
Pioneer roads have been built in
almost every part of the state primarily
in heavy farming or prospective farming
areas and regions of rich mineral deposit,
Included in this list are the completed
15-mile Funny River Road, which elimin
ated the unsuitable barge crossing of
the Kenai River and allowed year-around
access to active farm and ranch country,
others on the Kenai Penninsula, in the
Matanuska and Tanana valleys and like
agricultural areas.
Currently underway are such projects
as the Teller-Lost River road, the scene
^f a "stampede" of prospectors staking
claims last spring after a discovery of
beryllium in the area*—fieryXlAuT^ a rqre
and important element, is v/m... - at onus c
energy research, high tc&pera msm “ ceram
ies ani in' tjie production of. cop s .r~
beryllium alloys. The Eureka• itemea• vo
road, on which construction was a arted
this fall, will connect another ..Hire
mining area to the Elliot H: wtnv..v --her
by providing cheaper transportation an
increased production of imporrarr- ores0
Construction also has
Island Lake Road to connec she
north shore with the city cm , o
scene of the sinking comma'm- m
earlier in the article - arm r.
completed this year. Settle
longer need to depend on boa
summer and the strength oi o
winter to provide access
n 5 no
>Q I O
k «
' o.ned
1 bo
1 no
Lee Hubbard, state secondare roads
engineer, believes the pic::::or ms:
road program is providing a serv.u,e wits*
in the limitation of available funds to. ,
no other public agency is able 1; do,
the demand for a regular pros cam s l -'o
service road maintenance orb ‘ or r
is still great.
The friendship of one wise man is
better than the friendship cb a of
fools•
Throw moderation to the wines -arl
the greatest pleasures brim; i;s ; m il
pains,
0> '71
HANKSGIV
Greetin-s
Grk ut'MarUa
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