The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-08-05
State Road Department and Our Board
OF County Commissioners
Hold Conference

Hold Conference
IL. H. Chazal, Secretary Marion Coun-
ty Board of Trade.)
Judge Phillips, of the State High
way department, and Major Browne,
State Engineer. held conference in
the court house in Ocala Tuesday
morning with, the board of county
commissioners for the purpose of
making arrangements for the con-
struction of the Dixie Highway, which
is state road No. 2, and state road
No. 5, through. this county. AS pointed
out by Judge Phillips, the highway
department is at present without
funds. 1t being impossible for the
highway department to make an ap-
preparation of money for the two roads
in this county at the present time the
county commissioners have asked the
department for convicts, the necessary
road building machinery, an engineer
and specifications for the roads. Judge
Philips is to call a meeting of the de-
partment as soon as possible to decide
definitely to what extent the requests
OF the county commissioners can be
met. The general plan proposed is
that the roads will be constructed
under the direction of the state high
way department, beginning at the Lake
county line where the road is at pres
ent exceedingly bad, the roads to be
graded, drained and the base con-
structed with the idea that the top
dressing be put on later when the
state has the money available This
plan of road construction, which calls
for the construction of sub-grade and
base and giving these time to settle
before putting on the top-dressing, is
meeting the approval of road engi-
neers and road associations through
out the county, according to Judge
Phillips.
Judge Phillips frankly told the COM
missioners that he was not in
position to make any promises with
out consulting the other members OF
the department. He stated that he
would call meeting of the depart
ment for as early date as possible,
probably to meet in Ocala, and that he
would urge that every aid possible be
given this county. The judge stated
that the highway department expected
very shortly to adopt definite policy
for the construction of the highways
of the state and that this policy would
be to concentrate ON the most impor-
tant roads and to complete them, in
stead of scattering the departments
efforts and resources. Judge Phil
lips said that in his opinion state road
No. would be one of the roads to be
covered by the, new policy and said
this was one of the most important
highways in the state.
During the conference stress was
laid on the fact that the entire length
of the Dixie Highway and state road
No. 5 through this county must be
built, that the recently voted bond is
sue was for this purpose and that the
bond money could not be spent to con-
struct one section of these roads only.
1t is believed that the bond money
viii be enough to build the roads with
the exception of the top-dressing and
that in year or more the state will
be in position to put the surface on.
Judge Phillips will urge the state de-
partment to complete the roads and
said he had no doubt but that this
would be provided for. He said that
the other members of the department
had expressed themselves as to the
Importance of the roads through this
county.