Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-11-23
TEXAS DAILY PRESS LEAGUE


The voting Of bonds BY Golisd county Saturday as
sures the closing Of the last gap in the "Hug-the-
Coast" highway from Corpus Christi TO Houston. The
only gap now remaining between the Lower Rio Grande
Valley and Houston Is through Kennedy county. The
paving Of this gap would connect Brownsville with
Houston New Orleans. tho cities Of the Atlantic coast
and provide . paved highway through 70 Montreal,
Canada, the longest paved highway in the world.
There are four eo~unties-cameron, Willaey, Nueces
and Kleberg-which are primarily intererted in the
Kennedy could not, il 50 inclined finance the highway
across that county. The entire county is owned By q
few large ranrhers who are not greatly interested in
highways OF tourist travel. and IL Is doubtful II the
highway viii ever be built if i is left to kennedy coun-
ty 70 build.
The proposition q organizing a fivc-county road
district to construct the highway is apparently the most
logical that has been advanced as a solution Of the prob
lem. Split between five counties, and with the state and
federal governments granting aid, the financing ~ the
highway should not Be difficult. However. as the high
way would carry an immense amount Of traffic, it must
az necessity be well constructed.
The Valley is losing millions Of dollars each year
a. q result Of the lack Of adequate highway connec-
tons with the outside world. Thousands Of tourists
who come to San Antonio and Houston are deferred
from making the trip 10 the Valley because the high
way conditions are not favorable. The present condi-
ton Of the Brooks county highway where detours make
travel almost impossible. j. probably costing the Val
lev AS much ~ the cost Or The highway. The Valley
hotels and every other business interest feels the e.
fleets Of this cutoff Of tourist traffic. and the loss
which accrues to the Valley from this source cannot
be estimated.
Nueces and Kleberg counties are directly interest
ed in closing the kennedy county gap. They are assured
% good highway connections 10 the north. but the
business interests Of those counties realize they will
be completely cut off from Valley tourist travel unless
tie gap is closed. They also realize that the Valley Is
South Texas greatest attraction for tourists and that
it IA TO thar interest to aid in closing the gap and
Providing the highway over which this traffic could
flow.
Willacy county il placed In a rather embarrassing
position rs a result Of existing conditions. State aid
for the willaey county road. which was proposed from
the Cameron county line to the kennedy county line
will not be available unless the Kestdy county project
is financed. In other words, the financing Of the Ken
edy county highway would virtually assure WiIlacy
county approximately 100000 state aid. and would also
assure over 100000 to Cameron county on its high
way through the northern part Of the county.
There should be no delay in organizing the five
lowcr Gulf counties to put over this project. Every
year the Kehedy county gap ~ permitted 10 act AZ an
obstacle 10 tourist traffic These five counties lose more
than il would cost to construct the forty miles Of
highway. Business policy demands that the road BE-
constructed n the earliest possible date and that each
If the interested counties should participate in financ-
ms il upon the basis Of their respective valuations.