The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-03-16

win be open this year or not for two three years
more.
It should be open to travel this fall if it can
possibly be done-and according to those who have
kept familiar with the work for years, it can be
done.
The State Road Department and the counties
are putting the existing stretches of the Trail in
good shape in Dade County at one end, and in
Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee at the other end. For
that matter, these portions are already passable.
The real problem is the untouched gap remaining
in the Everglades.
This was considered at the meeting of the
State Highway Commission in Tampa this week,
but no definite announcement can be made until
the next meeting in April because the Commission
and its engineer have to settle difficulty about the
right of way.
The Trail runs west from Miami in Dade
County to the Monroe County line and continues
west in Monroe County 10 miles, being three miles
south and parallel to the Monroe Collier County
line. The work in Monroe is being pushed by the
Chevalier Corporation which has already spent some
100000 and is under bond to Dade County to com
p.ete the road few miles farther west and north
to the Monroe Collier line for the purpose of con-
Meeting with the portion of the Trail being built
from the Tampa end.
Now this Tampa end, the northern or western
section of the Trail, has been extended well into
Collier County by Barron Golfers workers. There
is gap of only about 10 miles between the Chew
elier and the Collier crew. The sound of the
blasting of rock can be heard across the silent
Everglades from camp to the other. The Col
lier dredges are four or five miles north of the
MonroeCollier line, north and little west of the
present end of the trail in Monroe.
The unfortunate situation is this: Instead of
building to the south to connect direct with the
Monroe end of the Trail, Mr.. Golfers crew is
under instructions to continue east some Ia miles
to Dade County the Dade-Collier- Monroe
corner. Already the road has been built a mile or
two east, beyond the originally intended point of
turning southwark Whenever the Collier County
builders reach the Dade line, there will be gap
has yet been made, to connect with the existing
Trail from Miami That is, there arc still at least
II miles to go, much of the way through the.
densest cypress swamp, which it is would take
at least two years.
But by following the original plans, there is
only about 10 miles to go to make the connection
and open the entire Tamiami Trail to travel.
The Collier end would have only approximately
FIVE miles to co. with about the same distance to be
covered by the crew now working in Monroe
County
This work in Monroe County will be completed
regardless of which way the Collier road goes, be-
cause the Cheveiier Corporation is under contract
with Dade County. Monroe County has also offered
100000 toward completion of the road--incident-
ally the first time Monroe County has taken part in
any road building program, outside of the Florida
Keys. Practically al the population Of Monroe
lives at Key West, bat they realize that the Ia
miami Trail is going TO aid wonderfully to the
population and value of the mainland of Monroe
Some state funds are needed to complete the
missing link. The Highway Department recognizes
the value of the Trail and there viii doubtless be
no question about the funds, the only problem
being determination of the route for that link.
There seems little doubt that the shortest and
quickest way is the way wanted by the public of
all these counties of all Florida. and by the motor
lists of the entire United States. Citizens constantly
in touch with the work declare that be opened
this fall. instead of waiting two or three years
more.
Two parallel but not connected roads through
the Glades viii be valueless. If the Monroe sec
ton remains a dead end road there are is miles
of highway and over half million dollars wasted.
Even more wasteful viii be the lost years in which
opening of the Trail is delayed. The solution rests
with the State Commission
Aside from the evident need of the earliest
possible closing of the gap there is no objection
TO Mr. Golfers intention of running his conztruc-
ton IL miles east in Dade County. He is carrying
stupendous development of the millions of acres
which he owas in Collier County. aud this is one
of several roads he IL buidsne- IN order y, naaLa