One of the key feats in engineering in the state of Florida is the Tamiami trail.The Tamiami trail is a long and massive stretch of 275 miles of concrete in what is the US Highway 41 and connects Tampa and Miami by a single road. This trail is so tremendous in size and length that it covers and, thus, is beneficial to the entire mid to south Florida area. To think that this was finished in the 1920’s but still is being used to this day is proof of its undying legacy. We are fortunate to have people who believed in the development of south Florida and the hardy men who worked in extreme conditions just to make this possible.
We all know the story of how Barron Collier stepped in to help the government fund for this massive project (which is also part of the reason why a county in Florida was named after him). But before there were the scenic views and the occasional wildlife crossing here and there the motorist may catch if they’re lucky enough, there were the hard working men who toil under the heat of the subtropical sun and exposed to real dangers like alligators and being submerged in the swamps where malaria can be contracted since this was the time when malaria was still not eradicated. After several years of hard work, their work was done and it was not in vain, to say the least for a construction that lasted for almost a hundred years so far.
There was also the use of explosives during the construction period which added to the hazard the workers faced, but still they pressed on despite the odds. On the administration side of the construction, the project had to face a couple of disagreements from some commissioners but the project went on as Collier planned it, nonetheless. The Tamiami trail would not have been possible if not for the sheer determination of the people who worked on it from top down.
All this effort to make a dream of connecting the entire lower half of the state together and now this highway runs from Tampa down across Naples, then across the state, between the Everglades National Park and the Big Cypress Preserve. This made land travel possible where only boats had access back in the start of the 20th century and the years before that, when Naples, Florida was first founded. And with that vehicles and huge trucks were able to go in and out of the Everglades and the Marco Islands which bolstered trade and the speedy transportation of goods. This, needless to say, was absolutely beneficial to businesses and certainly beneficial to an emerging economy that was southwestern Florida back in the day. The Tamiami trail was and still is instrumental in the development and progress of the entire southern Florida region.
The highway in US41 is a busy road today and is used daily by the people of the state of Florida. Should you wish to drive by this monumental and historic feat of engineering born of the sweat and blood of the people of Florida, then head on to our website to learn more about the region.
