The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-08-03
Plans May Be Submitted to
the Street and Water
Board Tomorrow.
TO COST LESS THAN $i.OoO,Oop
Four Streets Will Be Closed--
Solid Filling Except at
Street Crossings.

The Street and Water Commissioners
may al their meeting tomorrow morning
adopt the plans which the engineers Of
the Erie Railroad have prepared for the
elevation Of that eompany's tracks from
the tunnel to the ferry at the foot OF Pa
yonia avenue.
Since last Wednesday the Commissions
ems have been in Buffalo and Rochester
as the guests of the company looking at
the several systems which have been en-
ployed in dispensing with the death-deal-
ing grade crossings in those cities.
In Buffalo the streets have not been de- {
pressed by any of the companies. This
was avoided by constructing viadEcts, and
over these are run the tracks. In several
parts of the city where the terminals
meet it has been impossible to avoid
grade crossings and in two or three in
stances dangerous ones are maintained.
In Rochester the tracks are elevated in
an effective manner although many
streets had to be sacrificed to do it. In
the cases of these cities the railroad
companies did not have to bear the whole
expense of elevating their tracks. In
Buffalo for instance. the city assumed
50 per cent. of the burden and even then
the taxpayers did not object 50 long as
the crossings were abolished. In
Rochester a like course was pursued.
Here, however. the Erie Company met
with difficulties in the way Of being
given any financial assistance.
Mayor wanser wanted the tracks ele-
waited. but he would not consent to the
city sharing the cost of the work. Other
concessions were made. however. which
will remove many obstacles in the path
of the Improvement.
It has beer. said from time to time that
the Erie people propose building a trestle
similar to the Pennsylvania's from the
tunnel 70 the tralnshed. The impression
is an erroneous one. The company's
plan is to have a solid filling all through.
except at street crossings where trestles
will be built. It is probable that the four
strets nearest the tunnel. which now only
appear on the map. VIII BE- closed as thor
oughfares. Sufficient room will be lsft
for pedestrians to walk under the tracks,
and this will be accomplished by de
pressing the street, but there win be no
provision made for a carriage way
From the tunnel the tracks win be given
sufficient rise to clear Coles street,
Jersey avenue. Erie. Grove and Henderson
streets. by at least three feet
The reason the company will not build
trestle similar to the PennsyIvania's is
that its right of way is not thorough
fare such as was Railroad avenue. Nor
is it possible to make such a roadway in
that section of the city. The solid fill
ing will, of course. cut of communica-
tion between certain streets except
through the regular channels. The incon-
venience will, however, be no greater
than at present, and the danger Will
be done away with altogether Such an
arrangement has been made by the COM
pany's engineers that the trainshed and
ferryhouse win require only slight alter
alton.
The whole work viii cost less than
81. 1900. The company is ready to CONF
mence work just as soon as the necessary
power has been granted.
The plans ofsshe company may be sub
mitted to the Street and Water Board
tomorrow and kept at that Office foy IN
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