The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-04-18
PAYING STREETS AND ROADS
AN UNSOLVED PROBLEM


itself on all thoughtful men acquaint-
ed with the subject of road building,
that so far as modern roads and |
streets are concerned, 1t IS in its in |
fancy. We have roads IN this county |
that would have stood for years under
wagon traffic, but have been cut to
pieces in a few months by the rush
Of automobiles. Also, auto traffic of
six or seven years ago was light COM
pared with that Of today, which is
steadily increasing as the truck adds
its weight and speed to that of the
car.
Last year, the city of Ocala voted
a bond issue of $4,000 to be expend-
ed in street paving. The total amount
would be $15O,OO0, because the law
IS that when the city spends dollar
on the center of the street, the prop
erty owners on the sides must spend
81. This means additional expense to
the city, for always some property
owners can't or won't pay-the city
must pay for them and try to collect
the bill, which is sometimes a tedious
and expensive proceeding.
1t seems to the Star that a good
many taxpayers have changed their
minds about this matter. The bonds
have not yet been sold, and the gen.
eral opinion seems to be that they
should not be, TO apply the money for
this purpose. The people have been
studying the matter over, and many
are afraid that the proposed paving,
from three-fourths of an inch up to
two inches will not stand the strain
to be put uDon it. If it will not, a
system of thin pavement will be moth
ing but a lot of money thrown away.
Stories have come here about roads
laid down in other counties four to
six years ago, and expected to last
forever, that are now rapidly going
to pieces Roads, like the deacOn's
one-horse shay, when they begin to
go to pieces generally go all at once.
We have seen in the last few days
speciments of three-inch paving that
has broken thru.
The Star advocated the bond issue,
Ibut it is ready to admit that it might
have made mistake. At any rate,
|, if a majority of the people have
changed their minds about the mat
hr Cd
We should not lay any roads OF
streets that will not bear any vehicle
in use. There will be little sense in
jputting three-quarter inch paving on
a street because we hope that nc
two-ton truck will ever roll over it
That would be as lacking in good
management as to build a standard
gauge trunk line railroad with mar
row-gauge branch lines. Every road
and every street should be built to
Island the maximum traffic, and it is
better to build mile or two a year
and have it permanent than to builc
twenty or thirty miles in year anC
\ have it break up in few months OF
a year or two.
Following is the plan for applying
the new paving when the bonds are
sold. Let the people study it ovel
and decide if they want to risk it
Especially the three-quarter inch, anC
let the council know what they think
| DIon Of Gfraat payiu0
The council with the approval Of
the mayor unanimously decided tt
adopt the following plan of street
paving to be done subject to the re
suit of the bond election:
A heavy type of permanent paving
lQh to 2 inches wearing surface
will be laid on the following streets:
North Magnolia street from the
city limits to the brick paving; Nortl
Main street from Washington stree
to May street; Oklawaha avenue
from Osceola street to Silver Spring!
J road; the Dixie Highway route from
Fort King avenue to the city limits
on the south.
A lighter type of permanent paw
ing "a inch to one inch wearing sur
face) will be laid on the following
streets:
West Broadway or Exposition
street from the old city limits to tn,
brick paving on Broadway; Academ!
street from West Broadway street t.
Howard Academy; Pine street from
West Broadway street to Thir'
street; Third street from Pine stree
to Herbert street; South Magnoli;
street from Fort King avenue L
Eighth street; Eighth street from
Lime street to Lake Weir avenue
Orange street from Eighth street I
, the hospital; Lime street from Thir,
!. street to Tenth street; Dunnellon roa
from Lime street TO the old cit,
limits; Washington street from Mag
nolia street TO Watula street; Watul
street from Ocklawaha avenue I
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