New-York tribune., 1907-09-21
FOR NARROWER WALKS.
SHONTS WOULD CUT THEM
Says Only 65 Persons Should Be on
Car-Trafc Recommendations.

President Theodore P. Shonts of the Inter
borough metropolitan Company, in letter sent
10 Chairman Wilcox of the Public Service Com
mission yesterday. says in many words that
if traffic conditions to be improved at con-
gested points like 23d street. in the shopping
district, and at 34th street and Broadway and
42d street and Fifth avenue. the sidewalks will
need to be narrowed The letter entered
on the records of the hearing. and Oren Root.
jr.. who was on the stand when it was intro
duced. said he had drafted it.
The letter suggests certain regulations of traf-
fc that Mr.. Shonts believes would remove much
of the difficulty of the problem of transporta-
tion on surface lines. His principal recon-
mendations are:
An ordinance Prohbitng the passage Of a6G c9a7
p. m, similar to the London ordinance -
Prohibition of cabs standing at street intersec-
tions where there are tracks
Prohibition of wagons or trucks moving at in
teTvals of less than ten feet -.
That no car be allowed to carry more than sixty,
five passengers, and that passengers be prohibited
from standing on platforms of the pay as you
Speaking of the most congested streets. Mr.
shonts says In view OF the physical limitations.
ing appears to lie in the narrowing of the side
walks. Nor is it thought that appreciable hard
ship to pedestrians would result Certainly there
would he decided net gain to the pubic at large
number Of localities the sidewalks not Utilized
to their full capacity, although the streets are
On 23d street the distance from the outer rall TO
the curb either side is but u feet S1z inches.
from which. deduCtng the overhang OF car;
leaves about II feet clearance between curo ana
the passage of traffic on either side, wnile
the pedestrians are accorded 30 feet on each side
When on4 takes into consideration the amount OF
vehicuar traffic on 23d street and the narrow road
way through which II is obliged 10 pass, II Is
not TO be wondered that extreme congestion ire
Quently results.
From house line o line the distance on
Sixth avenue is Just the same as from nouse nme
10 house line 23d street, but on sixth avenue
the sidewalks each 10 feet narrower ana the
distance from curb to curb is 50 feet on sixth ave
against 70 feet 23d street. although tne
traffic east and west the latter thoroughfare IS
if anything, greater than that moving northwaTd
or southwark on Sixth avenue
Here again (at 2Sd street and, Fourth avenue) the
width of the sidewalks is all out of proportion 10
the space allowed for the roadway, and any We
hiCle standing curb in 23d street renders II
necessary that all vehicles In order to pass must
move out on the tracks The necessity OF Operat-
ing the through running between West &d
ferry and the Grand Central station around
the from the west to the north az this point
the running OF Lexington avenue cars through I'd
street between Broadway and Lexington avenue
the short headway Of the Sd street crosstown cars
the immense amount Of veEcular traffic using 80
street to move east and west and the narrow road
way Of 23d street. 20 make this Junction
point with Fourth OF the most con-
gested localities the city.