Another provision that must he made to meet the constantly increasing weight of traffic is a bridge of adequate and known capacity. Many of the bridges which I have noted in this State have been designed with a view of cheapness of first cost rather than safety and durability. A light bridge of unknown capacity is a constant menace to the traveling public. It is possible for a bridge to be so much weakened by carrying a load greater than its original capacity that it will, Mites? ,ofail under a load of considerably less than its original capacity. Plans for all highway bridges should be prepared by a competent pridge engineer, and I wish to emphasize right here that every engineer is not a bridge engineer, any more than every physician is an eye specialist. It is certainly false economy at this time to design any except the most temporary wooden bridges for a load of less than twelve tons.
FLORIDA’S PART OF THE OLD SPAiJISH TRAIL.
The Florida State Legislature, now in session, has passed an Act t authorizing the State Road Department to lay out a system of trunk line highways to be known as State Roads, also a system of laterals to be known as State Aid Roads. Y/hile the money appropriated for the construction of these systems is ihimited to the amount necessary to meet the Federal aid, creating a joint fund of approximately ^300,000 per year, yet the passage of this Act marks smcnrs a new era in the highway development of this State. It means the beginning of a connected highway system, laid out with a view to the development of the State as a v/hole, which will reach every county and connect it with the main trunk line.
The Legislature has also passed an Act providing for a single State license fee ojj automobiles, which will create a maintenance fund for the upkeep of the several roads comprising these systems.
5.