TRAFFIC RELIEF

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1932, Page 21

TRAFFIC RELIEF

FOUR HUGE BRIDGES

tINKS WITH, NEW YORK '

The City of New Yoik, in 'conjunction with the neighbouring State and municipalities of Now Jersey, has in tlie past four yoais ei.pcnd.ed 93,000,000 dollars to .euablo motor traffic to cross ■the waters that separate Manhattan from the west, and south.

The Holland Tunacl was a prior link, and three of the new bridges are an extonsion of its usefulness. Traffic through its twin tubes has greatly exceeded the preliminary estimates, but the tunnel has never yet failed to accommodate the traffic demand expeditiously. ~ Since its opening four years ago over 43,000,000 cars have passed through. In 1930 the number was 12,000,000, and 1931 will exceed 13,000,000. There has been a steady increase of about 7 per cent, each year In June, 1928, two bridges were Bimultaneously opened, Goethals' bridge, connecting with Elizabeth Point, and Onterbridge Crossing, at the lower end of Slater Island. The iirst has an overall length, plaza to plaza, of 8600 feet> and cost about 7,000,000 dollars.

It provides four lanes of vehicular traffic/and a.Hvalk for pedestrians. The other cost about 10,000,000 dollars. Its length, p]az& to': plaza, j s 10,200 feet. It also provides four lanes of traffic and a walk foii pedestrians.

Then) in .October, 1931, came the George Washington bridge. This -is up in the Bronx area, and incidentally provides .{ibyrpass by which traffic can avoid:the congested part of Manhattan altogether,, and so the Holland Tunnel. This great bridge is 120 feet wide, room forheight traffic lines. Its cost was approximately 60,000,00,0 dollars.

.Then only a few weeks ago there was opened'-the Bayonrje-Bridge, across Kill van!lKull, so leading to Goethals Bridge or down to Outerbridge Crossing. This structure is 74 feet wide— four lanes of traffic .'and a pedestrian walk. Its cost was 1^6,000,(300 dollars. These great bridges have so relieved the huge traffic demand,6n.;the vehicular ferries that many motorists prefer the ferries to the bridges. "^Crossing by the ferries used to be a deplorably tedious affair; now. they provide "an easy and pleasant way across the waters surrounding New York. -S:''-;.""": \ :