Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-09-22
HIGHWAY
EXPECTED TO
ASSIST STARR
Proposed State Road
Direct to HebbroAT
vile VIII Speed Up
Farm Development

n AEE2NAR&R 49, @#"~
rated by the construction Of a
paved highway from the HidalEo
county line through Rio Grande
City and Roma 70 the zapata coun-
Nv line. is expected TO he augment
cd BY the construction OF the re-
Gently designated state highway
from Rio Grande City directly
through Hebbronville to connect
with the San Antonio state highway
at Jourdanton.
No definite announcement has
been made bv the state highway
commission relative TO construction
work on this highway, which Will
provide "A san Antonio short cut
for the entire Lower Rio Grande
valley and the Monterrey section
of Mexico. Engineering crew. have
been at work several weeks locating
the route, and Starr county resi-
dents are confident that final ar
rangements for construction will be
announced shortly after the first of
the year.
Completion of this highway would
materially reduce the distance be-
tween all Lower Rio Grande VAL
lev points and San Antonio, pro-
vlding a direct route due north
from Rio Grande City. Connections
with Monterrey will be made a.
Roma. from which point construc-
ton OF a highway routed through
Ceralvo already l. underway
Highway Across County
Completion OF the paved highway
from the Hidalgo county line on the
east to Roma, and extension OF the
pavement l2 miles west OF that
point to the Zapata county line.
where II connects with an exceller-
graded highway to Laredo. has re-
suited In rapid development Of the
farm lands and a tremendous in
crease in tourist traffic. This dc-
velopment and traffic viii be aug
mtnted by construction OF the RID
Grande City-Hebbronville- Jourdan-
ton-San Antonio highway, which
will traverse the central part of the
county and open for development
large areas or rich lands.
The Starr county highway. which
was completed last year from thr
Hidalgo county line to Roma. was
financed by "A Sl50.O0O bond issue, \
the state extending aid upon a So
80 basis. Completion az the high
way from Roma 10 the Zapata
county line. a distance of 10 miles.
was financed by the state. IN w
understood that the recently desig-
mated north highway will be H.
nanced jointly by the state and
counties, upon n basis of the state
paying two-thirds and the counties
One-third.
While no definite announcement
has been made by the state high
way commission IL Is understood
that the Zapata section of the Dor
der highway To a connection with
the Webb county pavement % La
redo. will he surfaced as soon as
the state has funds available for
this purpose. Construction VI
bridges across the arroyos in Ia
pata county has been practically
completed. and the new route will
reduce the distance between Roma
and Laredo approximately five
miles. As gravel is found nm
abundance throughout Zapata
county. surfacing of this section.
which will provide an all-paved
, highway from Brownsville 20 La
redo, will not be expensive.
, Surfacing West Of Roma
S~urfacing OF the liz miles from
Roma to the Zapata county line IS
now underway. This will be the
same type as the rest or the Starr
county highway 49, rolled gravel.
heavily oiled. All bridges along the
highway in Starr county are of the
l most modern concrete type. the
structures west OF Roma having
been completed early III the spring.
: In addition TO the paving projects.
Starr county II rapidly extending
its system OF graded roads which
now reach many sections Of the
5 county which a few years ago we're
inaccessible. This program has re-
suited III rapid development or ag-
> r%icultIEal resources. the acreage de-
voted TO cotton and feed crops. es-
: pecially in the northern and north
eastern parts Of the county. having
been doubled in the past two years
the direct result OF improved road
facilities.
Tourist Traffic Heavy
The paved connection with the
road system of the lower Valley
and improvement OF the dirt road
across Zapata county connecting
with Laredo has resulted III a rapid
increase In the volume of tourist
traffic For many years Rio Grande
City and Roma. while they had the
Y distinction OF ranking among the
+ Oldest settlements on the lower Rio
Grande, we're merely isolated river
I points. reached by rough roads over
\ which the traffic was almost negli-
\ gible.
4 Completion of the paved highway
has brought TO these quaint cities W
= the lower Rio Grande an almost
Y endless stream or tourists. Traffic
between the lower Valley, Laredo
" and upper state points N increas-
/ ing daily. and the large number ot
X tourists. who find much or interest
! In the old river cities. is proving q
\ very profitable source OF revenue.
Z Construction or an international
@ bridge at Roma has proved an inn
portant factor In promoting devel-
opment Of tourist traffic on this
N section OF the border. and erection
: Of q bridge at Rio Grande City. for
b which permits have been secured
S from both the American and Mex