Arthur N. Sollee Papers

Collection — Container: M84-1

Identifier: M84-1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

As Director of the Jacksonville Expressway Authority during the pivotal transportation years of 1956-1972, Mr. Sollee was a major influence in the development of the Jacksonville, Florida road system in Duval County, Florida in the mid-twentieth century. The collection consists primarily of correspondence, subject files and reports, and newspaper clippings relating to transportation projects in Duval County. It includes extensive documentation on the development of Jacksonville's road system, circa 1950-1970, consisting chiefly of numerous, albeit irregular, primary reports / studies; beach erosion / bulkhead data; and personal notes on Jacksonville transportation issues from the perspective of a prime participant. Historical source documents include project files relating to plans for Metropolitan Park and the Duval County Courthouse, and correspondence / newspaper clippings relating to the University of North Florida site selection. Few personal items are included.

Dates

Created: 1927-1984
Other: Date acquired: 00/00/1984

Creator

Sollee, Arthur N., 1900-1984 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research. For additional information and to make an appointment to view the collection, contact 904-620-1533 or e-mail lib-special@unf.edu

Biographical or Historical Information

Arthur Neyle Sollee, Sr. was born near Tifton, Georgia on May 23, 1900. Four years later, his family moved to Jacksonville, Florida where he attended South Jacksonville Elementary School. After distinguishing himself in both academia and athletics, he graduated from Duval High School and served in the United States Army. Upon his discharge in 1918, he enrolled in the engineering program at the University of Florida and received a Bacholor of Science in Civil Engineering degree in 1922, and Civil Engineer degree in 1926. His first professional position was as a field surveyor with the George B. Hills Company, where he remained from 1922 until 1928. His last assignment for the Hills Company was as Resident Engineer on the initial construction of Port Everglades for the Broward County Port Authority. Upon recognizing the potential challenges of this project, he accepted the position of Port Engineer in 1928, and saw the project to fruition in 1931. Returning to Jacksonville in 1931, he was appointed Assistant County Engineer for for Duval County and, in 1939, County Engineer. In 1945, he received an additional appointment as the County's first Zoning Director. Notable achievements during his seventeen-year tenure as County Engineer include the preparation of a Duval County topographic map, significant drainage improvements, gasoline tax revenue revision, and numerous right-of-way acquisitions for future highways. In 1956, he was appointed Executive Director for the Jacksonville Expressway Authority, later renamed the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (1971). As JEA executive director, Mr. Sollee laid out the basic plans for the city's expressway system and supervised the planning and construction of the Mathews and Hart bridges. (The J. T. Butler Boulevard Intracoastal Waterway bridge is named in his honor.) After retiring in 1972, he worked on completing his memoirs, The Engineer Speaks, which was published in 1982. Mr. Sollee died on November 9, 1984.

Note written by

Extent

17.75 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Arrangement Note

Alphabetical by topic; chronological within folder.

Source of Acquisition

Estate of Arthur N. Sollee, Sr., 1984

Method of Acquisition

The materials were acquired by UNF Library Special Collections and University Archives on 00/00/1984.

Related Materials

Electronic versions of some collection materials are available on the World Wide Web as part of the Florida Heritage Collection. Online selections include: Blueprint for improvement / Local Government Study Commission of Duval County. [Jacksonville, Fla. : The Commission], 1966. Discussion relative to the proposed construction of Interstate Highway Project and Arlington Bridge Project in Duval County, Florida / by Arthur N. Sollee, County Engineer. Accompanying letter dated November 17, 1947. The Express parkway and toll bridge system connecting inter-state highways at Jacksonville, Florida. Submitted by the Highway Committee of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. [Jacksonville, Fla.? : Chamber of Commerce, 1947?] The Facts on annexation : Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Forward Jacksonville Committee. [Jacksonville, Fla. : Forward Jacksonville Committee?, 1963?] Jacksonville - Duval County Transportation study - 1960 / prepared by Florida State Road Department in cooperation with Board of County Commissioners, Duval County and the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Public Roads. [Jacksonville, Fla.] : The Road Dept., [1962-1963]. Vol. 1 presents basic 1960 statistical data with projections of travel characteristics to 1980. Vol. 2 includes assignment of traffic volumes for 1980 and improvements to major street and highway systems. Laws and regulations: Duval County Zoning Regulations, effective March, 29, 1957. [Jacksonville, Fla?] : Board of County Commissioners of Duval County, Florida, 1957. 1973-1974 Annual Certification and Unified Work Program for the Jacksonville Urban Area. Prepared by Jacksonville Area Planning Board, June 1, 1973. Cover title: Jacksonville urban area transportation study. Official Dedication Program for Beach Boulevard and the B.B. McCormick Bridge: Saturday, December 17, 1949. Present and Future Transit Needs, Final Report. McLean, Va. : Voorhees & Associates, 1970. Financial Resources Available for Transportation. Report for Jacksonville Beaches Chamber of Commerce / prepared by George W. Simons, Jr. [Jacksonville, Fla. : George W. Simons], 1944. Road and Bridge Department and Jacksonville-St. Johns River (Toll) Bridge. Jacksonville, Fla. : Board of County Commissioners of Duval County, Florida, 1930. Road and Bridge Department and Jacksonville-St. Johns River (Toll) Bridge. Jacksonville, Fla. : Board of County Commissioners of Duval County, Florida, 1931. A Study of the downtown traffic and economic impact of the proposed Commodore Point bridge, Jacksonville, Florida : a report to the Jacksonville Expressway Authority / prepared by Mel Conner and Associates, Inc. Tallahassee, Fla. : Mel Conner and Associates, 1962. A Traffic survey report and Interstate highway plan of the Jacksonville Metropolitan Area / by the State Road Department of Florida, Division of Research and Records in cooperation with the Public Roads Administration, Federal Works Agency and the City of Jacksonville, 1945-1946. Zoning atlas with zoning regulations / City of Jacksonville, Florida. [Jacksonville, Fla. : City Council], 1955. Descriptions of individual items are available in the Arthur N. Sollee Papers Container List. Information about related materials is available at http://www.unf.edu/library/sc/solleecontainer.html