For a considerable distance between Rainier and Clatskanie the Columbia River Highway follows Beaver Creek, crossing the creek in many places. To replace a number of temporary wooden structures and to provide bridges at every crossing, the highway department in 1917 and 1918 constructed nine reinforced concrete bridges across this stream. The spans of these structures vary from thirty to 105 feet, there being one thirty-foot, one fifty-foot, two sixty-foot, four seventy-foot and one 105-foot spans in all.
The thirty-foot span structure was built by L. O. Herrold of Salem, on a cost plus ten per cent basis and cost $3,600.00.
The other eight structures were built by L. O. Herrold of Salem, on a unit price basis, the cost of the eight being $32,000.00.
A double 6x6 foot reinforced concrete box culvert was built on the Columbia River Highway to provide passage for Graham Creek near Marshland. This culvert was built with State forces. It contains fifty cubic yards of concrete and cost $804.49.
A survey was made between Scappoose and McBride a distance of eleven and two-tenths miles. This survey follows the S. P. & S. Ry. on the south side the entire distance and is shorter than the present traveled road by about one mile, and also does away with six grade crossings. While most of the roadbed will be entirely new work, it will not be of heavy construction, the country being comparatively flat. Between Scappoose and St. Helens the material is mostly earth. Between St. Helens and McBride the material is mostly rock.
[Illustration: ONE OF NINE REINFORCED CONCRETE BRIDGES IN THE BEAVER CREEK VALLEY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY BETWEEN RAINIER AND CLATSKANIE. ALL BUILT IN 1917 AND 1918]
Two bridges of thirty foot spans or more are needed, also several box culverts and pipe culverts.
The survey from Scappoose to St. Helens was made by P. W. Marx; from St. Helens to McBride by H. C. Compton.
The work of the Highway Department in Coos County consisted entirely in assistance given the County in the making of surveys and the engineering of construction work done under the County's bond issue of $362,000.00. For this purpose $16,967.68 of State funds were expended, and the total amount of County expenditures audited and vouchered through the Highway department was $170,781.83. These expenditures were made on work on the Coast Highway between Marshfield and the Curry County Line, and on the Coos Bay-Roseburg Highway between Coquille and Myrtle Point. The engineering work was in charge of R. B. Murdock.