The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-02-04
THE ALL-SEASHORE
HIGHWAY


about the movement for an ALL
Seashore Highway, traversing
the entire North Carolina coast
from the Virginia Line, by way
of Mays Head, Ocracoke, Beau
fort, and on. We note the enthus-
iasm that prevails in many quar-
tiers, and the hopefulness which
would lead some to believe it may
soon become a reality.
The project is great in it's in
ception and a worthy goal to
fight for, and should have all en-
enlargement from North CAROLYN
ians for the asset that it may be-
come to the Coastland region.
But it is not something that will
materialize overnight. 1t is
cause that must be pursued in
terminably. 1t will require a lot
of time and energy and money.
1t must not stop because of dis
couragements. Every worthy prof.
ect in North Carolina has taken
years to materialize. Political ad-
ministrations have changed many
time, and sentiment in high places
ran up and down from cold to
lukewarm through the years. An
example is the building of Croatan
Sound Bridge, which when finally
awarded to the people last year
by Governor Umstead rewarded
25 years of patient endeavor now
filled with high hopes and anon
with bitter encouragement.
There has never been a road
project that someone did't OPP
pose, and most likely there never
will be one. All roads can be good,
but some are better than others.
Some are more feasibly achieved;
some are really needed. 1t has al
ways been our policy to strive
first for those most urgently
needed, knowing that in time they
will fit in as finished pieces of a
great overall pattern.
1t took many years to bring
about a road between Mays Head
and Hatteras. We thought it
would take many years, and
knowing that to wait until the
entire project could be built at
once, would be foolish. You just
can't get everything at once. So
we took the view that first, if a
road could be built between Hat
teras and Avon, it would be of
greatest daily use to the most
people at the earliest possible
time. There was considerable op-
position to this plan. Some wanted
to begin at one spot or another,
Time has proven us right in the
first premise. All the highway has
been built, and is making possible
the rapid growth of a great new
industry for a people greatly
needing new income.
The All-Seashore Highway is
never going to become a COM
pleted single project in any one
year. Some of it will be many
years in the making. The fruition
may be speeded up if the enthus-
iasm of the hackers doesn't lag,
or die of discouragements, for the
discouragements will be many.
This highway will eventually come
to pass, if those who are sincerely
interested in it will use patience
and wisdom, and sensibly seek
those parts of it which may rea-
sonably be acquired as the years
roll on and as highway budgets
and appropriations rise and fall.
Right now there is every rea-
sonable possibility that sections of
the road most urgently needed
may be built if those who need
these pieces of road will stick to-
gether. BY URGENTLY NEED
ED, we mean needed every day in
the year. 1t is fine to build roads
for tourists, but still finer to
build them if they are ''bread and
meat roads," and can be built at
reasonable cost.
Right now what may be feas-
ible, and built at nominal expense
so as not to brighten away all the
highway officials is the 16 miles
needed to connect Ocracoke Viii
lage with Hatteras Inlet. This is
a bread and meat road, which
would enable those citizens who
go away to work, to travel to and
from their employment at least
cost and hardship. 1t would enable
those who have to do business
away from home, to do so with
least delay and overhead. 1t would
make possible a finer marketing
outlet for the fishing industry of
the village. And finally, it would
permit easy travel for tourists
out to bring cash income to those
who wish to serve them with food,
shelter and entertainment.
Tb;c .rN;aot Sc ana rrrao4 I'LL