In the matter of highway improvement Union County has shown considerable progress. Substantial road building machinery is owned by the County in units sufficient to allow work to proceed simultaneously in various sections of the County. It is noticeable however that most of their work has been done (and justifiably so) on local and feeder roads rather than on trunk highways. Local funds and equipment are inadequate to make all the improvements needed when the mountainous sections of the main roads are considered. As in other counties the State Highway Commission easily recognized the necessity and importance of co-operation and accordingly in 1917 plans were laid and steps taken to extend State and Federal Aid. During 1917 and 1918 a total of 83.54 miles of survey was made on the two principal roads of the County. 45.26 miles on the Old Oregon Trail and 38.28 miles on the La Grande-Joseph Highway. Agreements were signed by the Secretary of Agriculture providing for co-operation with the State on equal basis, for the grading of a six mile section between Union and Telocaset and a 9.37 mile section between Elgin and Minam. The respective amounts expended on each of these projects to the date of this report, November 30, 1918, are: $16,642.29 and $3,838.44. State funds amounting to $5,000.00 have been expended for grading in cooperation with the County on the La Grande-Hot Lake Section. This road is 7.95 miles in length and involves the opening of a new road for the entire distance. The State Highway Commission has set aside funds for graveling this section preparatory to surfacing. The completion of these three projects will require approximately $66,737.06 from the State, $35,575.50 from the Federal Government, and $3,000 from the County. The following summary shows for each project amounts expended to date and funds set aside to be expended during 1919: EXPENDED IN 1917 AND 1918 ===================+==========+=========+==========+========== | State | County |Government| Total | Funds | Funds | Funds | -------------------+----------+---------+----------+---------- Union Telocaset |$16,642.29| ... | ... |$16,642.29 Elgin-Minam | 3,838.44| ... | ... | 3,838.44 La Grande-Hot Lake | 5,000.00| 3,000.00| ... | 8,000.00 -------------------+----------+---------+----------+---------- Total |$25,480.73|$3,000.00| ... |$28,480.73 -------------------+----------+---------+----------+---------- APPROPRIATED FOR EXPENDITURE IN 1919