Pendleton Roads, 1915-1919

After starting work under State Aid on the Falmouth-Cynthiana road by force account in 1915, Pendleton County decided to reconstruct a portion of the Falmouth-Campbell county road, accordingly advertised for bids, in June, 1916, for eighteen miles of plan water-bound macadam  [Wikipedia] but as they received no bids the purposed to construct same by State and county force account.  The county purchased a complete road outfit, to be used on nothing but State Aid, in order not to interfere with the general repair work. Soon after the order was made the work on this road started, and in 1916 there was completed about four and three-quarters miles.  There was a gap of about one-fourth of a mile left in 1916, and this was finished in the spring of 1917, making in all five miles, at a cost of approximately $8,700. 

In 1917, the court purposed to take up the reconstruction of the Falmouth-Cynthiana road, and in April of this year advertised for 6.44 miles of plain water-bound macadam, the work to begin at the end of the work completed in 1915, this point being about two miles from Falmouth.  No bids were received for this work; therefore construction by force account was started, and there was completed during this season about 1.7 miles.  This work was taken up again about 1.1 miles, making a total, for three seasons, on this road, of about 4.8 miles, at a total cost of about $13,000. 

In 1918 the court advertised for bids for three miles of plain water-bound macadam on the Falmouth-Williamstown road, the same being a portion of the Falmouth-Independence road.  There were no bids received on this work; therefore construction proceeded by force account; work started in the summer, and there was about one mile finished this season, and the work taken up again in the spring of 1919, during which season the entire three miles will be completed. 

Up until 1919 there had been constructed, in Pendleton County, under state Aid, approximately thirteen miles of plain water-bound macadam road, ranging from 9 – 15 feet in width, at a total cost of about $28,500.  This cost includes a considerable number of reinforced concrete slab bridges, box culverts and corrugated pipe culvert, every mile having been well taken care of insofar as drainage is concerned. 

Pendleton County is one of the few counties in the State that has built roads successfully by force account.  There has always been a competent man in charge of this work, and all the mileage constructed has cost considerable less than if same had been built by contract.  In addition to the construction work in 1918, the county reshaped, ditched and repaired a considerable number of miles under force account with State Aid, this being allowed that year owing to war conditions. 

The Department of Public Roads made periodic reports to the Governor and General Assembly of their progress.  That report was made up of reports from the counties.  This is the report submitted from Pendleton County, for the period 1915-1919.