Iowa's first coast-to-coast pavement

Although it hardly seems significant now, August 24 will be the 90th anniversary of an Iowa milestone --- completion of the first paved highway from coast to coast --- the shores of the Mississippi, that is, to the Missouri. We still know it as U.S. Highway No. 34. As of that date it became possible, too, to travel from New York City to Omaha --- on pavement.

Here's a report on the big event as published on the front page of The Chariton Leader of Tuesday, August 26:

 Paving on No. 34 Finished on Sunday, Aug. 24

First Hard Surfaced Cross-State Highway Connects Two Rivers

With the laying of the last slab of paving on federal highway No. 34 connecting with the city paving at the west city limits of Red Oak Sunday at 1 o'clock by the Harrison Engineering and Construction company of Kansas City, this highway running from Burlington through Chariton to Council Bluffs has the distinction of being the first all paved highway across Iowa. The distance is 287 miles from Burlington to Council Bluffs.

It also makes possible traffic on paved roads from Omaha to New York City. Friday, a short gap on No. 34 was finished at Thayer, Union county, and the gap finished at Red Oak completes this paved ribbon.

The state will lay one block more of paving on this route twenty-four feet wide in the city of Red Oak this week to complete the paving on this route. The detour around this short section is paved.

However, some finishing touches remain to be completed, including two approaches to viaducts in this part of the state over the Wabash tracks south of Council Bluffs and one over the same road north of Malvern in Mills county. An approach to the overhead crossing of the Burlington railroad at Lucas, in Lucas county, remains unpaved, but is surfaced with crushed rock.

With the completion of these two gaps just paved, approximately 10 days must elapse before the road will be opened.