New-York tribune., 1902-02-20
LINDENTHAL'S NEW PLAN.
IMPROVEMENT OF BRIDGE AND MAN
HAITIAN ELEVATED TERMINALS.
LAND EAST OF PARK ROW AND NORTH OF
THE FRIDGE WOULD HAVE TO
BE ACQUIRED

Bridge Commissioner LindenthaI is working
on plan by which he hopes the worst condi-
uons existing at the Manhattan terminal of the
Brooklyn Bridge at the rush hours be
lieyed. The plan involves an Improvement in
the terminal facilities for bridge trains or ele-
waited trains crossing the bridge an improve
ment in the terminal facilities OF the Manhat-
tan Elevated Railways branch in Park Row,
and an Improvement or extension Of the trolley
loops. There is such dependence OF one i'm
proyement on another that they must stand or
fall together Questions Of law will have to he
settled by the Corporation Counsel before de-
tails of the plan he settled. and co-opera-
tion of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company
and the Manhattan Railway Company with the
city will have to he secured
Early in his study of the bridge problem Mr.
Lindenthal discovered that additional loops for
the trolley cars at the Manhattan terminal could
not be provided without the removal Of the
gallery a portion Of II. because the gallery
east Of the present loops is too low TO permit
the passage of cars under it, He satisfied him
self by a study OF the terminal that ii would
not do to remove the gallery until provision
was made for a loop terminal for the bridge
trains for a more direct connection between
the bridge trains and the trains Of the Third
ave. elevated road stopping Mt the City Hall
station, in Park Row. He saw too that II such
direct connection were made it would do away
with great deal Of the congestion on the plat
form Of the City Hall station. where one
crowd at the rush hours is pushing toward the
bridge cars and another crowd is fighting TO
get on the elevated train going up Thrd-ave.
In the consideration % plan 10 form
direct connection between the bridge trains and
the elevated trains in Park Row several OBJ
stacles discovered. one engineering dim
Guilty was presented by he fact that the elevated
road in Park Row at an acute angle with
the bridge. 1t seen that considerable prop
erty north Of the bridge terminal and east Of
Park Row would have to be acquired before
bridge trains could be made to turn a curve to
the elevated tracks in Park Row Another
gineerlng difficulty seen in the higher level
Of the bridge trains 1t was supposed that
other difficulties would be found in the conflict
ing rights of the railroad companies. \ plan 10
have bridge trains run UP Park Row to Chat
ham Square or to have elevated trains in Park
Row cross the bridge, therefore, seemed to be
beset with too many difficulties
A plan to which Mr.. Lindenthal has been Civ
ing attention would provide for loop terminals
for both bridge trains and the elevated trains in
Park Row. There has been difficulty in decid-
ing where the loops should be constructed. The
loops might be east OF Park Row Immediately
north of the bridge terminal but great deal OF
land Tor them would nave TO be acquired. Ihey
might be constructed so as to take in a small
part of Centre-st.. permitting of connection
with the rapid transit subway by stairway. In
that case the "Staats-Zeitung" Building would
be surrounded by the loops.
The terminal loops would he at different
grades. the loop for the bridge trains being high
enough to permit the elevated trains In Park
Row to run under it on their own loop. Plat
forms for each loop would be connected by stair
ways with each other and with the street Such
an arrangement would give more room for emp
tying and loading cars and most of the pushing
and crowding at rush hours would be done away
with while the loops would permit of greater
regularity in the running of the trains than is
possible with the present arrangements for
switching trains.
With the construction of the loops for bridge
trains and elevated trains the gallery at the
Manhattan terminal could be cut away TO
permit the construction of additional loops for
the trolley cars. Mr.. Lindenthal has said that
the additional loops would not permit the run
ming Of more trolley cars over the bridge, but
they would put stop TO most Of the confusion
and dangerous fighting for places cars at the
loops At present people have to wait at one
loop while several trolley cars pass before the
car they want to ride comes along. For that
reason crowds collect all the loops. If there
was a loop for each line of cars crossing the
bridge there would be less crowding, pushing
and jostling at the terminal
The plan of extending the bridge approach and
also extending the elevated station the
bridge in Park Row, has been advocated for
many months. on November Is, 1900 The Trib
une published drawing showing how the con-
gestion of traffic between the bridge and the ee-
waited station could be relieved by extending the
platform Of the elevated station part of
the triangular square lying between Park Row
and North William-st., north of the bridge. In
the article accompanying the cut ii was stated
that the of property to be acquired for the
additional platforms would be Sl9JOO0 and il
was suggested that the Manhattan Railway
Company would be willing TO pay one-half the
cost OF acquiring the property in order TO get
the advantage of increased facilities the
bridge terminal. 1t further urged that
three platform extensions be constructed in or
der to separate passengers going from the trains
to the bridge from passengers going from the
street to the trains and passengers going from
the bridge TO the trains.