The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-05-04
OPPOSE THE NEW TAMPA BRIDGE.

Calm consideration of the factual as
partment to spend several millions of state
and federal funds to build third bridge
across Tampa Bay arouses several ques-
tons. in. the minds ofothose, striving to do
away with the. Sw6ooeH- bridges sandL ndan-
egeFous curves on Overseas Highway.
Why Should the taxpayers of the State
be,asked to build a new, and obviously un-
necessary, bridge across Tampa Bay when
the Candy Bridge and the Davis Causeway
may be bought for about half the cost of
the proposed span?
Why has the State Road Department,
in announcing the estimated cost 'of the
proposed new Tampa Bay bridge is S4,0OO,-
900, concealed the fact it will require at
least another 100000 to build II miles
of approaches, some "a miles of 20-foot
concrete paving and to acquire a right of
way for these approaches?
Who owns the lard over which the
proposed approaches must be built and
how much is to be paid these property
owners for, the swamp land on both sides
of Tampa lBay?ri. s.s .--!a-
;. 4. Why. does one federal agency, the U.
S. Bureau of Roads, agree to j contribute
one-half dofo the cost of the proposed esti-
mated expenditure for the proposed new
bridge (money that might be allocated
with more reason to such projects as Over
seas Highway, when the investment of
another federal agency, the Reconstruc-
ton Finance Corporation, in the Davis
Causeway will be ruined by the proposed
construction?
In Tampa some opponents call the
proposed new bridge the Hale Memorial
Highway Bridge. The reference is to
Chairman Arthur B. Hale of the State
Road Department which is sponsoring the
project. The Citizen, and the majority of
the people of Monroe County, does not be-
heVe man with the sound sense and judg-
ment of Chairman Hale would countenance
a project merely TO create monument for
hifnself-at cost of around S7,OO0,OOO to
the taxpayers of the state. Yet there seems
to be no other. apparent reason for such
an expensive highway and bridge when
the present spans adequately serve the st.
Petersburg and Clearwater areas from
ffBhpaI =. 'Ftr>Tttf %EE4
s~~ The people of Monroe County have no
quarrel with the, people of Hillsborough
+ County for desiring free bridge across
Tampa Bay. 1t must be remembered the
bridge would be free only to the users, not
to the other taxpayers Of the state. If free
access to ST. Petersburg and Clearwater
are essential to the economic life of Tampa,
why not back project for purchase of the
Candy bridge and Davis Causeway instead
of insisting upon new highway and
bridge?
But Monroe County folks are inter-
ested in improving the ONLY highway and
bridge system it has to the mainland. The
wooden bridges are dangerous and costly
to maintain The old county road is as I'M
even as aliwashboard and almost equally
dangerous, :" The section ofthe highway
above and below the bridge adistrict ia
crooked and replete with death traps.
Finally. Overseas Highway is a productive
highway. It produces far more revenue TO
the state in the form of gasoline taxes sud
in the form of tolls then the Candy and
Davis bridges together.
Our citizens should unite in opposing
the proposed new Tampa Bay highway
project!
WIFE MUST SUPPORT HUSBAND