The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-23
RIVERSIDE DRIVE WAKES UP.
Long Sleep Broker by OpeninE OF Road
way Across New yiaduct-

Life and motion have been restored 10
Riverside Drive by the opening OF tho
carriage way across the new vtaduct at
Einety-sixth street.
Tor months and months this show park
way OF New York was closed to driving and
all but closed to pedestrians, while the slow
work Of raising the roadway over the heavy
traffic of Ninety-siXth street was in progress.
Only one other th~oroughfare, Seventy
ninth street, crosses the drive throughout
Its entire length from Seventy-seoond
street to Claremont. Both give access
TO the piers on which are received practi-
cally all the bricks, sand and other mate
rails used in the vast building operations
Of the upper West Side.
The constant professions OF trucks
crossing the drive in these streets was a
serious hndrance 90 drivers and equeH-
TRANS. So nobody kicked when the drive
was closed from Ninety-second street to
Sinety-eighth street. to allow the building
But carriage traffic dropped of TO such
an extent that the mounted policemen and
their horses began TO grow fat Tor lack OF
exercise. When grass began 70 appear in
the roadway that was fenced OIL those citi-
gems who had been eagerly awaiting tho
completion OF the improvement raised
their voices In protest at the delay and
the unhappy yiaduct contractor's lie
was made miserable by the complaints
lodged against him.
In vain he said that he was the victim
Of circumstance and that he was doing
all In his power to hasten the WORK. he
was hauled UP before the Park Commits
sioner and reGuked for not living up 10 tho
terms OF his contract. He was threatened
with dire penalties II he didn't hurry up
the opening Of the drive.
But the drive remained closed and the
work went on with tho easy motion OF a
life job. There were more protests and
more denunciations Of the contractor.
Perseverance on tho part Of the kickers
finally won the day and a short while ago
they had the satisfaction Of seeing the bar
riers across the drive torn down.
The news spread fast and the effect on
the neighborhood was electrical. As u
by magic, the drive was filed again with
long lines Of handsome equipages on their
way from CENTRAL Park 10 Claremont. The
mounted policemen woke up and their
horses prauced and capered about with
all their old-time vivacity. Riverside Drive
was itself again.
The viaduct. however, is by no means
completed. There il still much TO do on
the handsome, heavy stone supports reared
on either side OF the roadway or Ninety
sixth street and the graceful retaining
walls aud approaches. BY the time IL u
finished the most vigorous of the kickers
will be ready TO forgive the contractor, for
e viii be- one of the most notable as vel as
one OF the most necessary improvements
made IN the park system OF Manhattan in
recent years.
The credit for the undertaking belongs
entirely 10 The Strong administration, IN
does the cre'it for tue handsome viaIjCt
from the en-! 81 the drive across Maintain
Valley TO l3ith street, IN spite OF the effort
OF the last Tammany Highways Commits
sioner 10 steal the glory by rfe,ting Thereon.
q bronze taUlct OF great cost inscribed With
his " name.