The Punta Gorda herald., 1922-12-15

Dade county will be able to boast
that its section of the trail is finish
ed. When that time comes, the
Dade-cOuntians will be demanding
more rapid progress from Lee coun-
ty. And the Lee Countians will be
forced to admit that the progress on
their end of the trail has not been
up to the Dade county standards.
South of Tampa, the trail is pass
able as far as Marco Junction, fifty
three miles below Fort Myers. The
word 'passable' should not be con-
fused with the word good" There
are many places along the way where
the trail cannot be called good" by
even the most optimistic booster.
However the mOtorist can get
through if he has a good machine
and plenty of nerve. Hence it can
be said that the trail is passa bic.
But east of Marco Junction it is not
passable.
Before mentioning that section of
the trail east of Marco Junction, it
might be well to give a brief descrip-
ton of the trail up to that point.
Except for a few miles at the
southern end of HllsbOrough county,
the trail is excellent as far south as
Sarasota. In Manatee county, and
! part of Sarasota county, it is con
Istructed of asphalt and is as smooth
as a billiard table. But beyond the
, end of the asphalt it becomes worse
and worse. A little south of Venice,
twenty miles below Sarasota, there
is a bad stretch about four miles
long. From there. through Engle-
wood, the road is fairly good to to
the Miakka river bridge, sixteen
miles further on.
Beyond the bridge, the trail is
really a trail-and not much else
In places, it is mighty poor trail.
Deep sand, millions of bumps. 1t is
only about Is miles from the bridge
to Punta Gorda but the motorist who
makes it in less than three hours is
surely speed demOnd, and also dev-
/ ilishly reckless Even after the vii
/ lage of Charlotte Harbor is reached
the road is no better Charlotte Har-
Dor may be, and probably is. an at
tractive village, but so far as its
roads are concerned it goes to the
foot of the class.
a mile or so beyond the town of
Charlotte HarbOr the motorist cross
eS a concrete bridge over Charlotte
Harbor, the body of water from
which the town derives its name
The bridge is a splendid piece of
work, but the approaches to it are in
a miserable condition. At least they
were last summer. Possible by this
time the people of Punta Gorda have
got busy and demanded that they be
improved
From Punta GOrda to Fort Myers.
distance of about fifty miles. the
trail Is not much to brag about. At
least twenty-five miles are in very
bad condition. bitches have been
dug along the side Of the road and
the dirt thrown in the middle The
result-terrible, Most of this had
road is in Charlotte county. In Lee
county the trail is surfaced with
shell and kept in good condition.
Work is now being started on a
new road from Punta Gorda to Fort
Myers. Charlotte and Lee counties
are cooperating to make it possible.
The road will go almost directly
south from Punta Gorda and will
end at the Caloosahatchee a little
north of Fort Myers. Motorists will
cross the river over a toll bridge.
Work on the bridge will be started
within the next month. The nee
essary bond issues for the road have
been passed and the contracts let.
1t is hoped that within another year
a good road will be provided.
South of Fort Myers the trail goes
through Estero, Bonita Springs and
Naples. Down TO Naples it is in fair