Minnesota Highways, August 1954

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VOL. 3, NO. 10
1246 University Ave., St. Paul 4, Minn.
AUGUST, 1954.
The 1953 Minnesota legislature appointed a 28-member Study
commission to review the needs of the state highway system, county
and township roads and city street. The Commission was asked to
make a report of its findings as a guide to the legislature in future
highway law-making. The Commission engaged the Automotive Safety
foundation to make an engineering study. At a recent session, ASF
made a preliminary report of its findings. The full report will be issued
early this fall.
Two pictures taken at the recent session show Highway department staff members taking part in the discussion. In the top picture,
Highway Commissioner M. J. Hoffmann talks to the group. Seated
around the table are, left to right: Rep. Ray Voxland, Kenyon; Annabelle
Peterson, stenographer; Lloyd Wilkes, executive secretary; Sen. A. 0.
Sletvold, chairman, Detroit Lakes; Rep. John Hartle, vice chairman,
Owatonna; Yvonne Lescarbeau, stenographer; Sen. Norman Larson
(chairman of Senate Highway committee), Ada; Commissioner Hoffmann; Sen. C. C. Mitchel, Princeton; Sen. Homer Covert, Faribault; and
J.  P.  Huber,  Minnesota County  Engineers  association,  Fergus  Falls.
In the bottom picture, Highway Safety Director Earl Larimer addresses the Commission. Facing the camera at the table, left to right,
are: Rep. Charles Halsted, Brainerd; Hjalmer Peterson, former governor, Askov; Sen. Joseph Daun, St. Peter; James Morton, president of
the Minnesota Farm Bureau federation, Morris and Rep. Voxland,
Kenyon. Back of Mr. Larimer are G. W. Price, Minnesota Highway Federation; Paul Staff eld, State Highway Planning Survey; and Mr. Sam-
uelson, former Highway department public information division member.
Colwell Succeeds Methven
As Construction Chief
The Minnesota State Highway department has a new
chief construction engineer this month.
He is Clyde C. Colwell, the Department's assistant chief
construction engineer since March, .1946, who was appointed
by Commissioner Hoffmann July 16 to succeed Clyde L.
Methven.
Mr. Methven recently resigned to become chief engineer
for a combination of contractors who  are building an  $8,000,-
000 section of the new Ohio Turnpike near Toledo.
For Mr. Colwell, the appointment as the State's construction
chief climaxes a 33-year career in
the State Highway department
which began as a roadman and
inspector in 1921. He entered the
highway construction field, however, in 1916 as a chainman for
the Anoka county highway crew
and move up with the Anoka
county highway engineers' staff
after serving in the Mexican border war with the National Guard
and in World War I.
After 3 years with the State
Highway department construction
field forces, Mr. Colwell was promoted to project engineer on July
11, 1924; and on September 17,
1928, he was made office engineer
of the Department's construction
division.
In June, 1940, he was appointed district engineer at Rochester
(District 6) and served there until returning to military service as
a major in the 125th field artillery, Minnesota National Guard,
in February, 1941. He became
batallion commander of the 194th
Field Artillery, with the rank of
lieutenant colonel, and took his
batallion to Africa in August, 1943,
leading them through the African
and Italian campaigns and the invasions of France and Germany.
He left the military in November, 1945, as full colonel and returned to the State Highway department on March 1, 1946, as
assistant construction engineer.
Colonel   Colwell   was   recently
continued on page 8
CLYDE   C.   COLWELL
Be Active in Local
Safety, Says Commissioner
Commissioner M. J. Hoffmann
today directed a request to all
field engineering personnel to take
a more active part in the functions
of the local safety councils in the
communities in which they are
working or living.
This comes as another step in
the Department's efforts to step up
its participation in the campaign
against traffic accidents and follows recent action taken by Highway Safety Director Earl M. Larimer who has asked that all field
personnel of the Safety division attend local safety council meetings
when at all possible.
"Members of local safety councils," said Commissioner Hoff-
continued on page 8