Minnesota Highways, March 1952

              mm
mmvim
VOL.  1, NO.  5
1246 University Ave., St. Paul 4, Minn.
MARCH, 1952
1952 Highway Map Off The Press
Warn of
Load Limits
Advance warning of impending
annual spring road restrictions and
reduced load limits on Minnesota's trunk highways was issued,
following   the   unseasonably   mild
ether which the state has been
OUI1I1
tons
l/lng-
he southeastern part of the
state particularly was urged to be
prepared for restrictions within
the very near future because of
early signs of bituminous road
breakup. The Department will
withhold restrictions here and elsewhere throughout the state as long
as it can be done without exposing roads to costly damage. However, when the bituminous and
gravel surfaces and their supporting soils start to soften as a result
of frost action and subsequent
thawing, highway authorities have
no alternative but to restrict axle-
loads to limits in keeping with
each particular highway's load capacities.
This year, as it has in the past,
the Department anticipates placing
spring restrictions, varying from 7
tflag down to 3 tons per axle as
mstances may require, on ap-
The above is a good example of
what happens when heavy hauling is
done with loads above the capacity of
the highway. It took over 24 hours to
remove this combination as the soupy
condition below the surface gave no
bracing   for  the   needed   jacks.
proximately    8,000   miles   of   the
state's 11,900 mile trunk system.
(Continued on Page 3)
Hot off the press, bigger and better than ever, that's the
new Official Highway Map of the State of Minnesota for 1952.
This latest edition is probably the most attractive of the
entire series.
Paul Bunyan graces the cover as does a color photo of
a typical tree-shaded road through Paul's northern forests.
Other Minnesota scenes and landmarks are depicted in full
color on the cover side emphasizing the theme—Marvelous
Minnesota.
The official highway map is produced and published by
the department for free distribution by direction of the state
legislature. The first official map was issued in 1921 and
each year another edition is made available showing the
road conditions as of January 1 of that year. New maps were
not issued during four years of World War II, due mostly to
the few changes made on roads during that slack construction
period.
This is a highway map, the only
reason for its publication is to
show Minnesota's trunk highway
system. However, in the interests
of clarity, usefulness and economy, many other items of information are shown. The map has become one of the top tourist promotion pieces used by the state.
U. S. routes are shown in red,
other state routes are black and
secondary    roads    are    shown    in
PAY BOOST DUE JULY FIRST
One step pay increases are due
to be added to highway department pay checks beginning the
first of July, 1952, was the announcement made by Robert D.
Stover, director of state civil service.
These increases are part of the
cost-of-living pay plan adopted for
state employees by the legislature,
as amended in 1951. This increase
is based on the Bureau of Labor
Statistics "All Item" cost of living index for December 15, 1951.
The announced index of 188.5
showed an increase of more than
6.5 points over the index of 1950.
Civil service employees receive
one step adjustments for each 6.5
point rise in the index over 100,
which is based on the 1935-1939
average of costs.
The pay boosts will be for the
full fiscal year ending June 30,
1953, at which time another adjustment will be made according to
the cost-of-living index for December 1952.
These increases will range from
$5 to $16 per month dependent
upon the salary range of the individual employee. Employees in
the lower brackets will receive
greater percentage increases than
those in the higher brackets.
Al Bordenave, assistant director
of finance, reports that the one step
increase will add about $300,000
to highway payrolls for the 1953
fiscal year.
Under the cost-of-living plan,
when the index for December 15,
1952, is reported to the director
of state civil service, it would be
possible for this pay increase to
be lost for the following year
should the index drop below 184.5.
The pay boosts will not be reflected in increased costs to the
tax-payers of Minnesota as money
will come from highway user
funds and not from tax revenues.
brown. Probably the person who
uses the map more than any other
is the through-driver who originates his trip outside of Minnesota. As he most often travels along
a U. S. route across the states,
these routes have been given the
heavy red line to be more easily
recognized by the long distance
driver.
Some variation in road surfacing
according to the map symbols may
be met with early in the year. This
happens because some construction work may not have been completed at the end of the year but
would be finished by the time the
map is distributed to the touring
public.
It would be impossible and impracticable in this Land of 10,000
Lakes to show even a small portion of its water area. These lakes
are important to Minnesota's thriving vacation industry, as are the
rivers and streams along whose
banks are located many resorts.
The map makers have tried to
show all permanent meandered
lakes, particularly if it is known
that resorts exist on the shores.
Principal rivers and their tributaries are shown where the placement is practical.
Colors  Are   Important
Checking the 1952 map against
the  1951  issue,  you will have a
much   more   pleasant  reaction  to
the  colors.   Water  areas  are  still
(Continued on Page 3)
m