Because of its length and high summit a lower route was considered and a survey was made adjacent to the railroad, using a portion of the old abandoned railroad grade, but involving extremely heavy construction at certain points where the line skirts the high bluffs. The summit on this route was only 160 feet and its length 5.8 miles. However, the railroad company was contemplating a revision in the alignment of their tracks on this section, as well as the construction of a second track, which would still further lessen the space available for a highway. Also taking into consideration the difficult nature of the work and the uncertain cost due to track protection in blasting operations and the limited conditions under which the work must lie done to avoid interference with the railroad traffic, this route was revised in favor of a route further away from the tracks up on the side-hill. The summit reached is 522 feet and the length of this line is 6.3 miles, which includes a development of 5 per cent grade at each end and provides for a 24 foot roadbed. This adopted route is very scenic and affords a splendid view of the Washington shore, as well as a view up and down the river. The construction is very heavy, being located on steep side-hill slopes and at one point involves a tunnel 200 feet long. This project is divided by the County line, making 4.0 miles in Hood River County and 2.2 miles in Wasco County. This project will be placed upon the 1919 program. JACKSON COUNTY [Illustration: HEAVY GRADING ON RUTHTON HILL IN HOOD RIVER COUNTY. CONSTRUCTED IN 1917 AND 1918] The Highway Department expended in Jackson County during 1917 and 1918 the sum of $86,619.88. The work accomplished with this amount consists of six and five-tenths miles of 16-foot crushed rock macadam in the Siskiyou Mountains, an undergrade crossing with the Southern Pacific Railway just north of Ashland, and 4,200 lineal feet of grading and paving north of Ashland. A survey has also been started on the Ashland-Klamath Falls Road about fifteen miles of which was completed before weather conditions made it necessary to discontinue field work until spring. Ashland Hill Grading and Undercrossing On account of a contemplated undergrade crossing with the Southern Pacific Railway, a stretch of 4,200 feet on the Pacific Highway just north of Ashland was left unpaved between Ashland and Medford when the balance of the distance between those points was paved in 1914. In 1917 arrangement was made between the County and Railway Company for the construction of this undercrossing and the State Highway Commission set aside funds to cover the cost of the 4,200 feet of grading in connection therewith.