The herald., 1896-05-05
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 1896
BETTER THAN THE BROAD
WAY TUNNEL

There seems to be a renewal of inter-
est in the Broadway tunnel project. oc-
casioned by the city council directing
the formation Of an assessment district
which shall bear the cost Of the pro-
posed Improvement. Undoubtedly there
exists a demand for improved means Of
communication between the north and
south portions of the city ives: of Main
street. 1t is easy to see that tne means
provided in the period ante-datinS the
boom, which lifted Los Angeles from
the sphere Of a town and placed 1t in
that of a city, are absolutely inadequate
for the present and future requirements
Of the community. Main and Spring
streets in the business part of the city
are now so greatly obstructed by the
tracks and cars of the street railways
operated on them as to seriously inter-
fore with other traffic, and the conges-
tions at the intersections of Spring and
Main streets with First are not only ex-
ceedingly troublesome, but absolutely
dangerous as well. 1t is quite apparent
that in this section of the city new out
let must be afforded to the north.
Many, in fact most of the property
owners, who will have the bills to pay,
are, however, strenuously objecting to
the construction of tunnel on North
Broadway as a mode of relief. The OBJ
jeotions urged are numerous. and to The
Herald seem foroeful and entitled to the
gravest consideration by the city coun-
ell.
In the first place the cost of the tunnel
project will be great. The city engineer
has figured the expense at $92, ,4SO.03. In
all probability this estimate would be
exceeded. 1t is rare, indeed, that the
actual cost Of an engineering enterprise
Of that character does not exceed the
estimated. And If the assessment dis
trict is formed as contemplated, the tax
levied will in many cases result in vir-
tual confiscation Of the property as
sessed.
Again, from the character and extent
OF the proposed work a considerable
time would elapse before its completion,
and the desired relief would be conse-
quently long deferred. When COM
pleted the tunnel would be an undesir-
able line of travel The roadway would
be narrow and dark and the grade
heavy. The route that would attain the
streets Of the crush of vehicles, and of
pedestrians, too, for that matter, must
De roomy, cheerful and easily travelled
one 1t is also to be remembered that the
maintenance and repair of the tunnel
would cost no inconsiderable sum.
A 1ar superior plan of attaining the
oeslreo end at comparatively slight ex-
pense will be found in the use of New
High street. That street runs from AL
pine on the north to Franklin on the
south 1t has an easy traffic grade and
Is unobstructed by car tracks There ;s
already considerable travel over il and
there would be much more but for the
narroWnesS OF the outlet afforded h1,
FRANKLIN street to Spring on the east
ana Broadway on the west 1t has been
suggested that Franklin street between
New High and Broadway be widened To
eighty feet. This would unouestionahIv
help matters very much and the cost
be inconsequential if the additional
width were taken on the south side of the
street where the Improvements are of
no substantial value. But an important
objection to this idea is that such a short
street would be easily choked by We
hicies turning at sharp angles from both
New High street and Broadway.
The Herald desires to suggest another
plan which is free from any of the obiec-
tions stated. By the condemnation of q
strip of land in a nearly direct prolonea-
tion of the course of New High street
through the block south of Franklin
street, the traffic over the former street
could be landed in Broadway Just NORTH
OF the property now occupied by the
Times building. The distance to be trav-
ersed by such an extension of New HIGH
street Is short-about 285 feet on the east
side and 200 feet on the west side The
improvements to be removed. in the
event of the plan being carried out are
not of an expensive character and the
cost OF thus extending the street would
be trivial compared with that of the tun-
mel There would be no difficult and ex-
pensive grading, but work that could be
90 expeditiously performed that the task
would be completed before the Broadway