The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-03-25
SUMMING It UP
SUCC|NCTLY
Advantage that Will Accrue to Mar
ion County by Voting Bonds for
Good Roads on April Goth

Some of the voters in the southern
part of the county having raised the
question as to what the route of the
Dixie Highway would be south of
Belleview, in the event the proposed
bond issue carries, the state road de-
partment, which held a meeting in
Ocala Wednesday, was asked to set
tie the matter definitely. Accordingly
the members of the department adopt
ed a resolution to the effect that the
Dixie Highway will be constructed on
the east side of Lake Weir, its present
route.
The resolution adopted by the state
road department reads as follows:
Whereas, Marion county has called
bond election to build its north and
south trunk highway on the east side
of Lake Weir; now be it
Resolved, That if such bond issue
is carried, said road will be construct
ei by the state road department on
the east side of Lake Weir"
The Dixie Highway is one of the
two roads to be built under the pro-
posed bond issue for which the cleo
tion will be held on April 20. The
Dixie Highway enters Marion ciounty
at the Marion-Alachua line near Evin-
ston, and runs by way of Mcintosh,
Orange Lake, Reddick. Lowell, Mar
tin, 0cala. Belleview and around the
north and east sides of Lake Weir to
the Lake county line, just south of
Weirsdale. This road is known as
state road No. 2. The other road
which will be built under the proposed
bond issue is state road No. 5, from
the Marion-Levy county line near
Romeot to the Marion Citrus county
line at Dunnellon. The bond issue
Gals for $500, 900 for the Dixie High
way and 100000 for state road No. 5,
a total of $500, 900. If the election
carries the county will get from the
state $250,O0O for the Dixie Highway
and $4,000 for state road No. 5, or
a total state aid of $28O,0O0. This
will mean an expenditure on the
Dixie Highway of $75O,OO0 and on
state road No. 5 of 500, 900. And there
is available from the Dunnellon road
district $4,000 for road No. 5, MAX
ing a total of $1O5,OO0 for this road.
The two roads are to be built by the
state road department, and, after be-
ing built. will be maintained by the
state road department. The county
will thus be relieved of the up-keep
of these two highways, and the county
funds now spent on them will be
available for other roads in the
county.
If the election of April 20 fails to
carry, the county will lose the $780,
900 state aid. This will be spent in
some other county, and the taxpayers
of Marion county will. of course, have
to pay their share Of the taxes by
means of which the state funds are
raised.
The county is now spending some
thing like $25, 900 a year in keeping
up the Dixie Highway, and unless the
read is rebuilt in a more permanent
form as contemplated in the proposed
issue, this cost of up-keep will in
crease. In ten years this would mean
an expenditure of more than $3.50, 900
and in twenty years more than $780,
900 of county money in keeping up
the Dixie Highway. If the state road
takes over the Dixie High
way, as it will if the bond issue car
ries, it is easily seen what the saving
to the county will be.