1941-4-3, Dangerous Curves, "Pictured above are two views of the St. Joseph underpass on highway 99W about three miles northeast of McMinnville between this city and Portland. The underpass marks the bottom of a dangerous series of sharp turns forming a U and is part of a section of road that the state highway commission has been considering for reconstruction for more than six years.
These pictures were taken early last week for the March 27th issue of the Telephone Register, but the Lafayette avenue problem- which was pictured in that issue-seemed the more pressing need. Early Sunday morning, however, a very serious accident occurred on the first turn on the eastern end of this U section and four people were badly injured. While all blame in the crash cannot be laid to the road, the automobile could not have missed that particular corner if the highway had been straightened as commission plans have contemplated.
In March, 1935, the highway commission requested sale of approximately one acre east of the underpass for right-of-way for a new straight stretch of highway to meet the straight stretch along the old golf course. The section was purchased and surveyed with plans formulated to complete the reconstruction. In addition the commission acquired right-of-way from the federal government through resettlement farm lands west of the underpass to continue the road through the gap and angle straight across to meet the Yamhill river bridge just west of the Carlton wye. This piece was also surveyed and the trouble taken to move two homes on Evergreen cemetery property to make room for the new highway. Plans for this whole project were complete at that time, but for some reason or other it was dropped, evidently because the highway commission put it off to take care of what it considered more pressing needs.
It was only a dew years ago that a young bride was killed in an automobile smashup on the corner shown in the lower picture. With the terrifically heavy traffic, especially on weekends, that this road carries there are liable to be more accidents and fatalities on this series of corners unless it is straightened out. This will become more true as the road is widened and further improved between here and Portland- considerably speeding up traffic.
The accident Sunday morning does not give rise to a sudden demand that immediate action be taken on this section of the highway. It does, however, point out possibility of future accidents if the work is not undertaken. The highway commission has allowed pressure groups of other localities to force its mind off this stretch-for which it has already made plans. This section of the valley must bring its own pressure to bear so that some of its needs will be looked after."