Roads, Bridges, and Tunnels Sites

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built street parking in Bisbee. The City of Bisbee was built on an uneven topography made of canyon walls and floors. The WPA leveled and regraded the streets to build “benches” that accommodate parking. This work mitigated the city’s parking problem.

Public Works Administration project x1377 was approved for a grant of $33,750 on 9/17/1938. The total cost of improvements was approximately $75,000 and were reported to be "one of the most complete street paving system of any town its size in the state" (Street Paving, 1939, p. 3). The Trinidad Asphalt Corporation was the contractor. Construction began Dec. 8, 1938 and was completed Aug. 19, 1939.

A sizable street paving project in Anchorage, Alaska was undertaken during the Great Depression with the assistance of federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) funds. The P.W.A. supplied a grant of $45,000 toward the project, whose total cost was $101,737. Work occurred between Dec. 1938 and Aug. 1939.

A WPA press release from Dec. 1937 states: "An Auburn street paving project begins this week, giving 175 men jobs for nine months with a W.P.A. allotment of $93.509."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) paved numerous streets in Bisbee, Arizona, from 1935 to 1938. According to the Official Bulletin of the Works Progress in Arizona Volume I, No. 5, May 1936, “A project of Works Progress Administration sponsored by the City of Bisbee and providing for the paving of nearly all unsurfaced city streets is estimated at 65% completed by project officials. Widening and other improvement work has been completed. Work has been completed on O.K. Street, Howell Avenue, Shearer, Dubacher Canyon, Temby Avenue, Quality Hill, High Road, Higgins Hill, Quarry Canyon, Mayor Street, Swimming Pool Road, Opera Drive, Roberts...

The New Deal funded a large Street paving project in Butte, Montana in 1938 (possibly extending into 1939). More than 35 miles of streets, "representing virtually every important thoroughfare in Butte and its immediate vicinity," were  paved, representing the "largest street improvement undertaking in the history of Butte." (Big Timber Pioneer). The federal government provided approximately $2,500,000 for the project, a very large sum at the time. The money almost surely came through the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) to the state highway department.  The Public Works Administration (PWA) may have contributed, as well.  Some 3,700 WPA workers were employed on the project,...

The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted road improvement and paving work in Chadbourn, North Carolina.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted street paving work in Cleveland, Texas in 1935/6.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) worked to pave streets in Denver in 1934. Interestingly, as reported by The New York Times: "Many of the streets are paved with smelter slag. This slag was assayed recently and showed values running up to $1,100 a ton in gold and silver. City officials are investigating to determine whether such assays indicated general or isolated values. If the former it is possible the next CWA project here will be the prospecting of Denver streets."

The federal Civil Works Administration (CWA) paved streets in Grove City, Pennsylvania.

Multiple street paving projects in Jamestown, North Dakota were undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $21,429 grant for one project, whose total cost was $47,875. Work occurred between December 1937 and June 1938. Work for a second, smaller project was completed in 1939. (PWA Docket No. ND W1064, X1259)

Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) workers conducted street paving work in Kewanee, Illinois.

A street paving project in Langdon, North Dakota was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $21,273 grant for the project, whose total cost was $54,688. Work occurred between November 1936 and July 1937. (PWA Docket No. ND W1002)

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) conducted street paving work in Liberty, Texas in 1935/6.

"Mose’s injuries ... made most physical work impossible. But WPA found a position for him, carrying water to the WPA crews paving the dirt streets of Luzerne."

A street paving project was undertaken in Monaca as part of a New Deal project, sponsored by the Public Works Administration (PWA). The PWA provided a $37,948 grant for the project, whose total cost was $71,910. PWA Docket No. PA 1175

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) paved streets on the south side of Palestine, Texas in the fall of 1940. Some of the streets paved were Angelina Street, Michaeux Avenue and Highland Avenue. The WPA used an iron ore base with an asphalt top.

A street paving project in Rugby, North Dakota was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $19,125 grant for the project, whose total cost was $39,288. Work occurred between September 1936 and August 1937. (PWA Docket No. ND W1104)

The federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Public Works Administration (PWA) provided funding support for Scranton street paving projects. The Scranton Times-Tribune: "City Clerk William P. Huester announced on July 8, 1935, that he was prepared to distribute petitions to property owners who wished to participate in Scranton's proposed plan to pave streets. With the Great Depression gripping the country, the plan was part of the Federal Works Progress Administration. Through that agency, the federal government would pay 45 percent of the cost to pave city streets. The other 55 percent? That would be paid by property owners. The homeowner would not, Scranton Mayor...

A substantial street paving project in Sheridan, Wyoming was undertaken as a federal Public Works Administration (P.W.A.) project during the Great Depression. PWA Docket No. WY 1001

South Amboy, New Jersey leveraged funds and labor provided by the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) to undertake the paving of nearly all the city's roads in 1936. Prior to this development, most of the community's roads were still unpaved.

Stillwater, Oklahoma undertook multiple substantial street paving projects during the Great Depression with the assistance of two federal Public Work Administration (PWA) grants. Construction occurred between 1937 and 1939. PWA Docket No. OK 1130, 1388.

Numerous large-scale street improvement and paving projects were undertaken in Tucson, Arizona during the Great Depression with the assistance of federal Public Work Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied outright grants of more than $800,000 (not adjusted for inflation) for the work. PWA Docket Nos. AZ 1034, 1036, 1038, 1039, 1041, 1043, 1044, 1046, 1047, 1048, 1052, 1053, 1054, 1055

By 1923 only about five miles of Tyler's 130 miles of street were paved and most residential streets remained unpaved. A bond for street paving passed in 1925 by Tyler provided funding for continued street paving, some of it in south central residential areas. When Federal money became available in the 1930s, the City applied for grants to continue the paving efforts. Paving using both brick and asphalt was conducted by the Civil Works Administration (CWA), the Progress Works Administration (PWA) and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the mid-to-late 1930s (City of Tyler Engineering Records). By 1942 about 20 miles...

A street paving project in Wahpeton, North Dakota was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $28,800 grant for the project, whose total cost was $63,387. Work occurred between November 1938 and Sepetmber 1939. (PWA Docket No. ND X1210)

A Depression-era street pavement project in Waveland, Mississippi was undertaken with a grant by the Public Works Administration (PWA). Opening bids were advertised for the $49,000 street paving project in Waveland following the approval of the PWA project 4408. The allotment was approved 2/1/1934 for a loan of $35,500 and grant for $14,375. The contract for 23,800 square yards of paving was awarded to Higgison for a bid of $45,823.75. Construction began 6/12/1934 and was completed 8/9/1934 for paving of Waveland avenue from Front street to Railroad avenue, Railroad avenue from Waveland to Coleman avenue, and Coleman avenue from Bourgeois street...

"Thanks to WPA labor, many city streets were repaved after the iron streetcar tracks were torn up."

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) relayed the red vitrified brick street pavement at an unknown date on Crescent Place and Woodbine Avenue in Wilmette, Illinois. An embedded marker reads "Relayed by WPA."

Multiple street paving and improvement projects in Chattanooga, Tennessee were undertaken with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. In one paving project, the PWA supplied a $25,261 grant toward the $58,846 eventual total cost of the project. Work occurred between March and June 1936. The PWA supplied a $98,994 grant for similar work undertaken soon after. (PWA Docket No. TN 1159, 1160)

Numerous and widespread street paving and improvement projects in Memphis, Tennessee were undertaken with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds during the Great Depression. (PWA Docket Nos. TN W1111, W1112, W1113, W1114, W1115, W1224, W1225, W1228, W1239)

The WPA furnished labor for the paving of streets and construction of sidewalks in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Greenville's Record-Argus reported that some such work occurred during 1940.

Amory initiated a street paving program in 1938, using $100,000 in municipal bonds, a Public Works Administration (PWA) grant of $81,818, and a Works Progress Administration (WPA) contribution of $20,000. PWA project x1284 was approved 9/7/1938. Construction began November 23, and was completed 11/15/1939.

A substantial street improvement and paving project was undertaken in Flagstaff, Arizona during the Great Depression with the assistance of federal Public Work Administration (PWA) funds.  It covered 86 blocks in the central area, now the historic district of the city, and included curbs and gutters.  The start date for the project is uncertain but the major work was done in 1938-39. "A major improvement that would have been long delayed without federal assistance was installing curbs and gutters and paving streets. The project began with a $30,600 PWA grant matching a city 10-year, 3 percent bond issue of $22,000 for curbs and...

During the hard winter months of 1933-1934, the Civil Works Administration (CWA) was a work relief program that employed Portlanders on a variety of needed projects. Street repair work was one such project category. These men are shown on January 26, 1934 repairing a street damaged by the collapse of a retaining wall at the intersection of NW Maywood Drive and NW Melinda Avenue in Portland's West Hills. The CWA served as a federal relief program from November 8, 1933 through March 31, 1934.  When the CWA began, Oregon anticipated being able to put 21,000 men back to work on small...

The Civil Works Administration conducted a street repair project and a sidewalk construction project in Warrior, Alabama. CWA Project No. 37-C-161: completed; "misc. street repairs". Work began Nov. 20, 1933. CWA Project No. 37-C-1857: 40% completed as of Mar. 31, 1934; "highway walkway". Work began Jan. 20, 1934.

The Civil Works Administration (CWA) conducted street widening work in Minocqua, Wisconwin in 1933.

Juneau’s streets, sidewalks and sewers were improved with the aid of New Deal federal funds during the Great Depression. A newspaper report in 1938 said that the Public Works Administration (PWA)  had allotted $170,000 for these purposes, but the 1940 Annual Report of the Governor of Alaska to the Secretary of the Interior puts the PWA contribution at approximately $75,000. The latter 1940 report also indicated that the Works Progress Administration (WPA) also contributed $5,790 to pay relief laborers to work on street improvements and $4,891 in relief labor toward the construction of the sewer system in 1939 and 1940. The locations of these improvements...

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) carried out general improvements around the city of Arcata, California, during the late 1930s and early 1940s.  Three separate projects were approved in 1937 and 1939 for street work, new water lines and new sewers. The only location specified in the WPA project cards is a sewer line at 11th and B Streets, which probably runs alongside Gannon Slough.  Locations of the others WPA works are unknown to us and further confirmation of these improvements is needed. Evidence for these New Deal works comes from WPA project cards in the National Archives.  These projects were proposed more...

"WPA funds helped pay for removal of 158,000 lineal feet of streetcar track that ran down the middle of many of Springfield’s streets, at a cost of $167,000. The work included resurfacing of the area where the tram tracks had been."

A street development project in Bottineau, North Dakota was undertaken during the Great Depression with the aid of federal Public Works Administration (PWA) funds. The PWA supplied a $38,250 grant for the project, whose total cost was $82,222. Work occurred between December 1938 and Sepetmber 1939. (PWA Docket No. ND X1210)