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Automobilists
declare that San Mateo County is the leader in highway construction.
This is attested to by the astonishing fact that a fair Sunday or
holiday brings forth 15,000 motor cars on the main highways,
exclusive of the traffic on the coastwise roads, which have just
been opened to the public.
To accomplish the work of road building, now a reality,
millions of dollars and herculean energy were required. Streams were
traversed by bridges and mountains reduced to hills in order to make
the boulevards practical for all purposes of traffic.
Nature has been kind to San Mateo County, and the road builders have
done the rest in making this peninsula community most accessible.
The result of this is that San Mateo County is famous
for its scenic boulevards, which are unrivaled from a standpoint of
beauty and practicability.
The great results achieved in the construction of a
system of scenic boulevards in this peninsula county, have been
obtained through the untiring efforts of the Board of Supervisors,
composed of Joseph M. Francis, James T. Casey, William H. Brown,
John McBain and Dr. C. V. Thompson. No little mention should also be
given to the Advisory Roads Commission, which, when originally
appointed, had M. B. Johnson, the late George L. Perham, R. M.
Moores, H. C. Tuchsen and William A. Moore as members.
Behind this great activity, in taking advantage of
natural opportunity, stands the San Mateo County Development
Association, an organization which awakened the "sleeping beauty
community" of California.
With the formation of this Association wretched roads
have been turned into beauteous boulevards, while proposed buildings
took the form of reality after the Association began its scheme of
public improvements.
The big men of the peninsula are members of the San
Mateo County Development Association. The spirit of civic pride has
been fostered by this organization, which started the wheels in
action that resulted in San Mateo County floating a bond issue of
$1,250,000 for good roads. Many thought that the task undertaken was
hopeless. Hard work gave a vote of four to one in favor of the
proposition. Since this incident, the tide of progress, directed by
the hand of the San Mateo County Development Association, is
sweeping the county.
The seven municipalities of San Mateo County, Daly
City, South San Francisco, San Bruno, Burlingame, San Mateo,
Hillsborough, and Redwood City, are building miles of asphalt
streets, and, as a whole, have surpassed any other seven
municipalities in the state for good thoroughfares.
When San Mateo County citizens voted for good roads,
shrewd business judgment was shown. The convenience to the
residents, and increase in property values will repay the county'
many times over in the next twenty years. In addition to this, there
is an advantage which the county is beginning to reap, that very few
voters foresaw when they cast their votes for the bonds. The
highways are beginning to solve the transportation problems. Given a
paved road, the community's transportation problem is greatly
reduced given a paved road in addition to steam train and trolley
facilities, the transportation problem is reduced to nothing.
Automobile transportation lines arc now running in
every direction in San Mateo County : San Mateo is connected with
San Francisco, Daly City, San Bruno, Burlingame, Redwood City,
Halfmoon Bay, and Palo Alto by regular auto service.
Without the 200-mile system of boulevards, transportation would
still be San Mateo County's most perplexing problem.
That these good roads are fully appreciated is shown by the great
volume of travel developed over then as soon as they were opened to
the public. This is exceptionally well shown by Fl Camino Real, the
State Highway down the peninsula. Before this road was improved
there was very little. motor car -traffic. There would be
approximately 250 machines on busy holidays, but that would be very
much of an exception to the general rule. At the present time, more
machines pass over these improved roads in one day than would
traverse them during a period of several months before improvements
were made.
What has happened there will happen again, in proportion over every
good road that may be built. Showing the county continually to so
many people over these good roads is good advertising.
Located as a neighbor to San Francisco, where thousands
of people are looking for homes which they can quickly reach without
the trouble or danger of crossing the bay, San Mateo's many
beautiful locations along the line of these roads are certain to
make a very favorable impression. From now on, ever increasing
numbers of those seeking homes outside of the congested city will
"come and see and stay."
With the main trunks-of the road system extending down
the peninsula to the city; one along the ocean and the other on the
bayside to the county line, and with the laterals crossing from one
main line to the other-one of these from San Mateo or Belmont to
Halfmoon Bay and the other from San Gregorio to Redwood City or
Menlo Park-and the main branch roads connecting with these-a choice
of routes and scenery is given such as cannot be surpassed anywhere
in the state. San Mateo County has mountains and valleys, ocean and
bay, lakes and streams, wooded land and open country, altogether
forming a constantly changing panorama of perfect natural beauty.
Over these good roads a varying combination of trips can be selected
running from sixty to one hundred and fifty miles without the
necessity of going over any of the same routes twice.
San Mateo County's success in road building has
attracted more than state-wide attention; and all communities arc
looking to it for leadership in boulevard construction. San Mateo
County's policy is the continual construction of additional highways
to maintain its supremacy in perfect boulevards.
The trip by auto to San Francisco from almost every
part of the county can be : accomplished almost as quickly as by
train-and every auto owner claims, with greater convenience and
pleasure. Many business men are now using this means of conveyance
in preference to the trains, in their daily trips to the office.
Residents of the county arc now driving up to the city to spend the
evening at the theater and various other social functions.
The main highways of the county are for the most part
constructed of concrete, over which is laid a coating of asphaltum.
The specifications under which they are built, are identical with
those of the finest grade of street work.
The stretch of State Highway from San Bruno to San
Francisco, passing by way of South San Francisco, and the Visitacion
Valley along the bay shore to San Francisco, is the most recently
completed portion of the county's highway system.
Although designed primarily for automobile truck traffic, this
stretch of highway awards the autoist a scenic treat, unsurpassed by
any other road in the state, with its varying panorama of bay and
hill, and flower-clad meadows.
On a Sunday in August of last year an accurate count,
kept by traffic officers at Millbrae, during a period of twelve
hours, showed that 21 motor vehicles passed this given point every
minute.
Another great accomplishment of the highway system is
the increased valuation of the assessed property of the county,
which has shown an increase of $3,500,000 during the last two years.
This is a profit of about 280% on the original investment in the
county highway bond issue for $1,250,000.
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