Guide to the Washington State University College of Engineering Highway Research Section Records 1947-1967
Archives 60

Summary Information

Repository
Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
Creator
Washington State University. Highway Research Section.
Title
Washington State University College of Engineering Highway Research Section Records
ID
Archives 60
Date [inclusive]
1947-1967
Extent
7 Linear feet of shelf space, 5 Boxes
Language
Collection materials are in English.
Abstract
The collection contains correspondence and reports of the Washington State University College of Engineering Highway Research Section. Topics include gas factors and tax allocation surveys, bridge and street surveys, and photographs.

Preferred Citation

[Item description]

Washington State University College of Engineering Highway Research Section Records, 1947-1967 (Archives 60)

Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

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Biography/History

The Research Division of the College of Engineering was originally the Division of Industrial Research, established at Washington State University in 1946. The D.I.R. conducted studies and research leading toward the economical use of material resources of the Northwest and the broad, well-balanced development of the state. The Highway Research Section was the unit which conducted research on the construction and maintenance of highways, roads, and bridges. The papers in this collection consist primarily of the research and reports written by members of the Highway Research Section on road construction and maintenance. Professor G. A. Riedesel prepared the Gas Tax Allocation Survey for the Washington State Joint Committee on Highways and the Highway Commission. This work was done under contract by the College of Engineering and the project was headed by Riedesel. The material contained in Series II was also compiled by Riedesel as part of a survey prepared for the Legislative Fact-Finding Committee on Highways, Streets, and Bridges. The survey was completed in the early 1960s.

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Scope and Content

The collection contains correspondence and reports of the Washington State University College of Engineering Highway Research Section. Topics include gas factors and tax allocation surveys, bridge and street surveys, and photographs.

The first series, Gas Tax Allocation Survey, dates from 1952 through 1968 and is divided into two subseries.

The first subseries, County-by-county survey, 1953-1965, consists of materials such as, correspondence, road and bridge inventories, cost estimates, gas factor adjustment forms, and maps relating to county participation in the gas tax surveys.

The second subseries, Gas Tax Studies, 1952-1967, consists of the published results (County Gas Tax Allocation) for the years 1954, 1956, 1961, 1965, and 1967, as well as, the Gas Tax Studies for 1965 through 1968, and the research data for the 1965 Gas Tax Survey (1953-1964).

The second series, Highway, Street, and Bridge Survey, 1947-1961, was compiled by Professor Riedesel as a survey for the Legislative Fact-Finding Committee on Highways, Streets, and Bridges and is divided into three subseries.

The first subseries, Cities, 1957-1960, contains materials such as correspondence and bridge and street data, relating to 83 Washington cities. These materials are arranged alphabetically by city. This is only part of the original survey that was completed; only "E" through "M" in the alphabetical list of cities has survived.

The second subseries, County Survey, 1949-1961, consists of correspondence and highway and bridge data related to Washington counties. This material includes general country information--statistical data, constructions costs, maintenance costs--for the years 1956-1959, and data on individual counties.

The third subseries, County Maps and Construction Cost Estimates, 1947-1960, consists of oversized material. This material, county maps and construction cost estimates, covers the period from 1947 through 1960, but bulks largest in the mid to late 1950s.

The third series, Photographs, 1935-1964, is divided into two subseries.

The first subseries, Highways and Roads, 1950-1964, consists of photographs of various aspects of highway and road maintenance and construction, such as road damage, highway loads, soils charts, topography and land forms, and aerial surveys of specific regions, culverts and drainage, and intersections.

The second subseries, Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, 1935-1950, consists of photographs of various aspects of the irrigation project during the period from the mid-1930s through 1950.

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Arrangement

The records of the College of Engineering, Highway Research Section are arranged in three series.

Series 1, Gas Tax Allocation Survey, 1952-1968, is divided into two subseries: County-by-county survey, is arranged alphabetically by county; Gas Tax Studies, is arranged chronologically.

Series 2, Highway, Street, and Bridge Survey, 1947-1961, is divided into three subseries: Cities, 1957-1960, are arranged alphabetically by city; County Survey, 1949-1961, is arranged alphabetically by county; and County Maps and Construction Cost Estimates, 1947- 1960, arranged alphabetically by county.

Series 3, Photographs, 1935 -1964, is divided into two subseries: Highways and Roads, 1950-1964; and Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, 1935-1950, both arranged by subjects.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections  © 2022

https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/

Terrell Library

P.O. Box 645610

Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA

509-335-6691

mascref@wsu.edu

Restrictions on Access

This collection is open and available for research use.

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply.

Acquisition Information

The records of the College of Engineering Highway Research Section were transferred to the Washington State University Libraries by John C. Cook on two occasions: September 1977 (UA 77-27) and February 1978 (UA 78-03).

Processing Information

In March 1979, the photographs from the collection were processed by David Smestad; Patricia Graham Pidcock processed the papers in March and April 1979.

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Related Materials

Related Material

Washington State University College of Engineering Research Division Reports, 1936-1987 (Archives 266)

A number of other Engineering Publications are held in MASC's Washington State University Publications, 1891-2018, (WSU 001-999) collection, including most of their Bulletins, Circulars, and Technical Reports (WSU 158-159).

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Names and Subjects

Corporate Name(s)

Subject(s) :
  • Washington State University. Highway Research Section -- Records and correspondence.
  • Columbia Basin Project (U.S.) -- Photographs.
Creator(s) :
  • Washington (State). Highway Planning Survey.

Geographic Name(s)

  • Grand Coulee Dam (Wash.) -- Photographs.

Personal Name(s)

Creator(s) :
  • Riedesel, G. A. (Gerhard A.), 1904-1996. -- Road administration aids for Washington counties.

Subject(s)

  • Highway research -- Washington (State)
  • Bridges -- Research -- Washington (State)
  • Transportation
  • Photographs
  • Washington (State)
  • Colleges and Universities

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Detailed Description of Collection

Series 1. Gas Tax Allocation Survey, 1952-1968  

box folder

County-by-county survey  1953-1965  765 items

1 1-39

Gas Tax Survey  

box folder

Allocation Study  1954-1967 

1 40-44

Research Data for 1965 Study  1954-1964  15 items

1 45

Studies  1954-1967  48 items

1 46

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Series 2. Highway, Street, and Bridge Survey, 1947-1961  

Cities, 1957-1960  

box folder

East Redmond  1958-1960  5 items

2 47

East Stanwood  1958-1960  4 items

2 48

East Wenatchee  1958-1960  4 items

2 49

Eatonville  1958-1960  4 items

2 50

Edmonds  1958-1960  17 items

2 51

Elberton  1960  3 items

2 52

Electric City  1958-1960  6 items

2 53

Ellensburg  1958-1960  25 items

2 54

Elma  1959-1960  5 items

2 55

Elmer City  1958-1960  5 items

2 56

Endicott  1959-1960  8 items

2 57

Entiat  1958-1960  4 items

2 58

Enumclaw  1958-1960  6 items

2 59

Ephrata  1958-1960  8 items

2 60

Everett  1958-1960  30 items

2 61

Everson  1958-1960  6 items

2 62

Fairfield  1959-1960  12 items

2 63

Farmington  1959-1960  10 items

2 64

Ferndale  1958-1960  10 items

2 65

Fife  1958-1960  5 items

2 66

Firecrest  1958-1960  8 items

2 67

Forks  1958-1960  7 items

2 68

Friday Harbor  1958-1960  2 items

2 69

Garfield  1958-1960  5 items

2 70

Gig Harbor  1958-1960  5 items

2 71

Gold Bar  1958-1960  6 items

2 72

Goldendale  1957-1960  12 items

2 73

Grand Coulee  1958-1960  2 items

2 74

Grandview  1958-1960  15 items

2 75

Granger  1958-1960  15 items

2 76

Granite Falls  1959  1 item

2 77

Hamilton  1958-1960  5 items

2 78

Harrah  1959-1960  10 items

2 79

Harrington  1957-1960  5 items

2 80

Hartline  1959-1960  4 items

2 81

Hatton  1958-1960  13 items

2 82

Hoquim  1958-1960  15 items

2 83

Houghton  1960  3 items

2 84

Hunts Point  1958-1960  5 items

2 85

Index  1958-1973  3 items

2 86

Ilwaco  1958-1960  3 items

2 87

Ione  1958-1960  4 items

2 88

Issaquah  1958-1960  8 items

2 89

Kahlotus  1958-1960  6 items

2 90

Kalama  1958-1960  3 items

2 91

Kelso  1958-1960  7 items

2 92

Kent  1958-1960  15 items

2 93

Kennewick  1958-1960  20 items

2 94

Kettle Falls  1957-1960  4 items

2 95

Kirkland  1958-1960  12 items

2 96

Kittitas  1960  7 items

2 97

Krupp  1958-1960  5 items

2 98

LaCenter  1960  3 items

2 99

LaConner  1958-1960  3 items

2 100

LaCrosse  1959-1960  3 items

2 101

Lamont  1959-1960  8 items

2 102

Langley  1959-1960  7 items

2 103

Latah  1960  1 item

2 104

Leavenworth  1958-1960  8 items

2 105

Lind  1958-1960  6 items

2 106

Long Beach  1958-1960  5 items

2 107

Longview  1958-1960  10 items

2 108

Lyman  1959  3 items

2 109

Lynden  1958-1960  10 items

2 110

Lynnwood  1959-1960  8 items

2 111

Mabton  1960  4 items

2 112

Malden  1960  3 items

2 113

Mansfield  1959-1960  3 items

2 114

Marcus  1958-1960  4 items

2 115

Marysville  1958-1960  7 items

2 116

Mattawa  1959-1960  8 items

2 117

McCleary  1959-1960  2 items

2 118

Medical Lake  1959-1960  10 items

2 119

Medina  1958-1960  4 items

2 120

Mesa  1958-1960  8 items

3 121

Metaline  1957-1960  7 items

3 122

Metaline Falls  1957-1960  8 items

3 123

Millwod  1958-1960  4 items

3 124

Milton  1958-1960  6 items

3 125

Monroe  1959-1960  5 items

3 126

Montesano  1958-1960  3 items

3 127

Morton  1958-1960  4 items

3 128

Moses Lake  1958-1960  12 items

3 129

County survey, 1949-1961  

General County Information  

box folder

Comparisons  1957-1959  2 items

3 130

Construction Costs  1958-1959  335 items

3 131-136

Maintenance Costs  1956-1959  43 items

3 137

Individual County Information  

box folder

Adams-Yakima  1949-1961  475 items

3 138-176

County maps and construction cost estimates, 1947-1960 (Oversized Folders) 

box folder

Adams, Asotin, Benton  1947-1960  8 items

3 177

Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz  1954-1960  13 items

3 178

Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield  1954-1960  8 items

3 179

Grant, Grays Harbor  1959-1960  8 items

3 180

Island, Jefferson, King  1949-1960  9 items

3 181

Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat  1954-1960  9 items

3 182

Lewis, Lincoln, Mason  1953-1960  9 items

3 183

Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille  1953-1960  12 items

3 184

Pierce, San Juan, Skagit  1949-1960  12 items

3 185

Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens  1955-1960  14 items

3 186

Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman  1954-1960  15 items

3 187

Yakima  1960  2 items

3 188

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Series 3. Photographs, 1935-1964  

Highways and Roads, 1950-1965  

box folder

County roads and bridges,  ca. 1964  105 items

4 189

Junctions and intersections  ca 1964  20 items

4 190

Culverts and drainage  1953-1954  35 items

4 191

Road cuts and soil profiles  1953  30 items

4 192

Soil profile charts and maps  1953  6 items

4 193

Landforms and topography  1953  11 items

4 194

Aerial photographs, ca  1950s  14 items

4 195

Traffic loads  1950-1960  10 items

4 196

Road Damage  1960  30 items

4 197

Equipment, pavement, grading and curves, snow on roadways  1950-1960  105 items

4 198

Columbia Basin Irrigration Project, 1935-1950  

box folder

Long Lake Dam  1947-1950  6 items

5 199

Columbia River Wasteway  1950  5 items

5 200

Land development farms  1949-1950  5 items

5 201

West Canal  1949-1950  14 items

5 202

East Canal  1950  15 items

5 203

Pasco  1950  5 items

5 204

Grand Coulee Dam and vicinity  1940-1950  8 items

5 205

Hell's Gate on Columbia River  1936  3 items

5 206

Equipment  1947-1950  5 items

5 207

Concrete inspection  1940  5 items

5 208

Magnified sand and gravel samples  1948  16 items

5 209

Core samples  1938 and 1950  4 items

5 210

Landforms, excavation, cut faces, and soil profiles  1935-1947  33 items

5 211

Unidentified  1935-1948  6 items

5 212

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