New-York tribune., 1903-02-13
STREETCAR REFORMS.
MORE LINES. MORE CARS.
Railroad Commission s Recommends
tons to .Sokue Traffic Problem.

Albany Feb. l2-The State Board of Railroad
Commissioners will announce tomorrow. it is be
neved. its recommendations to the metropolitan
Street Railway Company to better the service on
its lines and relieve the conges;ed condition OF
street surface railway traffic in New-Nork City
The recommendations will take into consideration
the plans of the company eNpenG s5.e0eoo in the
next year for the Improvement of its system,
These include the building of about thirty miles OF
new single track equipped with the underground
electric trolley system. such as is now IN use on
the main lines Of the company Among 'lc o'i''
improvements contemplated arc the following;
a new crosstown line, equipped with electrlcity.
through FiChty-sixtia-st. between Eishth-aVe ana
Astoria ferry and an extension on the Same Suee'
between Eighth and Amsterdam aves.
In T1,jr,,--fourth-st an electric line with five
miles Of single track place of the present stor-
age battery system.
In Fnurteenth-st. an improved line. With spur
through Avenue a to Twenty-third-st and Grand
81. ferries.
An extension of th' Grand-St. iihe lTom Uie
North TO the East river.
The oreration Of the First-avc. line from Harlem
River to Fourreenth-st.. connecting with cross
town lines and allowing especially for the dlStrlhu-
lion Of traffic from the Fourteenh-st Inc east ana
This rebuilding work will begin in the middle of
Nor,i, and lis construction viii continue through
ON, the sprins summer and fall. Tho company de-
string 10 have il completed before cold weather next
winter irterferes with operations.
In addition the company is endeavorins to secure
the consent of the property owners in Eghty-lNth-
- Nest % Amsterdam-ave., for an extension 10
Riverside Drive. which. if granted. VIII give inc
i+ another -rossovzn line from river to river For
several years the company has been striving I'M
successfully 10 obtain this consent.
The commission in its recommendations will take
nm Two questions those OF the temporary and Of
the permanent relief of the congested condltion
of traffic Under the first head il is believed that
a. least six and probably ten recommendations
viii be made. including the following:
First, the elimination of street obstruction Wher-
ev,er r,ossibIe under existing ordinances. which
heretofore have rot been adequately enforced ny
the police and other city authorities
second the taking and disohaTgins of passen-
gers ~ The earside street intersections. when mas
rroyen 10 he preventive Of accident in other cities
of Tho country where street surface roads have
be.n orersted through crowded thoroughfares with
: minimum Of danger 10 vehicles. passengers and
pedestrians
Third-The use Of sand on asphalt pavements
when slippery for the better protection of horses
sad on lines not yet equipped with electricity. not
only insI1ring their safety. hut preventing the de
laws which arc SO frequent. caused hy the 1alllns
IF animals. and the consequent hlockao'nS ol
traffic
Fcurfr-Tl,e removal from consested thorough
fares n, which cars are operated of all idle vehicles
such As are not in motion or receiving LOADS
E-iftb-T7e enforcement Of systematic rules 10
govern the movement of vehicle traffic across in
1icuarly in places where congestion Is most ilheS
10 develop
Sixth-An extension Of the rush hour schedule on
lines such as govern the operation or elevated
trains under the revised schedule put in operation
recently on the Manhattan lines on reoommenda-
ZION Of the State Board Of Railroad Commissioners
Among the most important Of the improvements
rro:,osed for the permanent relief Of trafhc IN
Broadway in the neighborhood OF Herald square
where The great avenues Of travel north and south
through Broadway and Sixth-ave. and east and
west through the streets converge and cause
continual congestion. is a subway from point IN
the park where the Greeley statue stands to a
-oi-+ in front Of the Herald Building. he state
4sosrd of Railroad Commissioners has been con-
siderine plans for this Improvement which, IT IS
estimated win about $4,000 These plans pro-
vide for entrances from the west side Of Broadway
2. Tbirty-fo,lrtll-st and from The east side Of
-f,,,,s,.. near the old Tabernacle While it is
ir,naeeihe 10 learn whether this plan is the one
which the board has adopted. il has been ascer-
tained that important recommendation has peen
drawn to cover this point Of congestion
other recommendations which the commission
has had under consideration for the permanent
relief Of traffic. and which Will undoubtedly to
rrea4 degree be included in those made TO the
company. are:
T-irs1-Jncreased service on the Second, Third,
seventh and Eighth lines. tapping Broadway
from side streets al various points with view of
iverting to the lines of those avenues traffic which
now seeks Broadway Fourth, Sixth and Lexington
aves for means of transit
Second-The diversion Of Broadway cars 10 the
Sixth-ave lines at Thrty-fourth-st. for a limited
distance If the proposed tunnel is not constructed
Third-The operation during the rush hours of at
least $50 cars an hour over the Broadway line at
Thirty-fourtll-st-
Fourtll-The maintenance of maximum service on
the Sixth-ave. and Broadway lines from a. TO
: p. m. and thereafter with but slight reduction
until midnight
Fifth-An increase in the number of cars operated
al certain other points the same basis as the
recommendation for the ThiTtHfourth-st- crossing.
Si2th-The adoption Of the proper ponce reguia-
ton govern the movement of vehicles on Broad
WAY. between Seventeenth and Twenty-flrst sts.,
where the roadway quite narrow.
-Seyenfh-Prohibitinly by local or State legislation
tho occupation Of Broadway, south Of Fifty-ninth-
st. with building material
Ei-htf-The strict enforcement Of rules govern
ing the sanitation and ventilation Of cars. and the
dSuse Of absorbent materials on the floors TO
make a. healthful and agreeable possible
riding during rush hours.
The presentation Of this report will complete the
work OF the State Board of Railroad Commission
CTS. and efforts secure better street railway
service for the people oI the borOughs Of Manhat-
tan and Brooklyn The Manhattan Elevated Rail
road Company and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
system engaged in carrying out the recon-
mendations OF the board heretofore made to them.
surface lines 1t is the belief Of the commission
additional facilities will have been provided
for the travelling public Of the great city adequate
needs. at least until the underground rapid
transit is put into operation. At any
Is The opinion Of the board that ii has done all
reality