The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-12-09
Wilderness
Road Will
be Rushed
So Lee County Delegation is Assured
by State Road Department.

According to the Fort Myers Press,
positive assurance was given Charles
P. Staley, Walter o. Sheppard and
State Representative Francic w
Perry, Lee county's delegation to the
meeting of the State Board of Road
Commissioners at Barlow, Friday
that work is TO be expedited in every
possible way on State Road No. a.
the Fort Myers-Arcadia road-and
that the force of convicts now work
ing on the road is to be maintained
until the road is finished.
Only about twenty-one miles of the
road remains TO be completed, it was
shown at the meeting, and on this, ex-
tending practically from Carlstrom
Field to the Lee county line, the
grading is finished.
The State Board was asked if there
was any truth in the reports that the
convict force was to be taken off this
road and used elsewhere. it being
stated that if this was done it would
be impossible to obtain the federal
aid funds. The members of the board,
individually and collectively, gave ev-
ery assurance that such action was
not contemplated, but that on the
contrary, it was the intention to
maintain and possibly to augment
the convict force.
Commissioner Charles P. Staley
was informed that grading on the un-
completed portion of the road would
be finished with a week or ten days.
at the outside. He asked for an addi-
tional $4,000 with which to extend
the penetrating asphalt treatment of
the Fort Myers end of the road. the
State Board receiving the request ia
vorably.
In his argument to the State Board
Commissioner Staley showed that un-
der present conditions Lee county is
virtually isolated from central and
northern sections of the state, and
that this condition would continue un-
till road No. 2 is completed.
While the roadway, even at pres
ent is readily passable for automo-
biles in dry weather, Commissioner
Staley said, a days rain converts the
grade into a quagmire through which
cars can pass only with extreme diff
Guilty and with the constant danger of
accident.
Representative Perry addressed the |
State Board, stressing the importance
of the northern outlet to Lee and De-
Soto counties, and urging that every !
effort be made to complete the re-
naming twenty-one miles of perma-
nent hard surface road.
Commissioner Staley stated today
that the trip by automobile from Fort |
Myers to Barlow was made without
difficulty of any kind. the road be-
tween this city and Punta Gorda Of
fering no obstacle of any kind. He,
Representative Perry and Mr.. Shep-
pard, he said, did not have to get out
of their machine at any point on this
stretch of road, Notwithstanding the
fact that tourists, on reaching Punta
Gorda, are told that they can proceed
no farther in machines.
Commissioner Staley said that
the Lee county delegation was highly
satisfied with their reception by the
State Board, and that they obtained
everything they asked for, members
of the State Board giving every as
surance of hearty cooperation in the
bringing of Road No. 2 to a speedy !
as a permanent hard sur
faced highway. 4,
Forrest Lake, chairman of the
state highway commission, presided, {
and in the course of his remarks /
stated that it would hereafter be the I
policy to hold its [
meetings with the various boards of '
commissioners throughout the G
state, in the hope that an understand a
ng of conditions in all localities 7
'ould be more certainly ascertained. t
rhe commission was invited to hold L
is February meeting at Fort Myers Il
md accepted the invitation.