New-York tribune., 1908-03-01
NEW EASTRIVERBRID
tn HELP BROOKLYNITES.
One Planned BetUeen Manhattan
and old Brooklyn Structures.

-1,n rrookl1n Bridge is to be reconstructed
=, ,,ee. the exigencies of traffic if the Depart
-,ent If Bridges of this city has its way Since
ias; August when an appropriation OF S29,ooo
,.-as granted 10 the department by the Board of
r7s.irnares the problem of reconstructing the
h-i6re has been under consideration, and the
,,o-ings for the foundation OF structure just
bort one hundred feet north Of the present
zraa- span on each side of the river have been
made ana the engineers know now just what
he, have TO expect and are ready to report
their findings
Tho contract was given at the time TO the
.zcsl, Sewer Machine and Construction Com
many. a concern supposed to have nothing TO do
--b -rarornany This company has made bor
.-ce on either side Of the East River and has
forn5 that conditions just right for the
.,,usirC of the best kind of foundation for
-,avr bridge 10 take the place of the present
great bridge pending, of course. its rehabilita
,ion The Bridge Department is most desirous
90 meeting the demands of increased traffic
Inst how TO do it is still puzzle
That is il is still puzzle, the whole prob
7r, Is still matter Of grave consideration. This
TOW bridge 10 which the department refuses to
give name. but designates as No. 5, has not
h., allowed by the Board of Estimate and APP
,,o-+ionr,ent hut with the appropriation at its
command the Bridge Department has gone
abeaa and has really arrived at conclusions
which NAV bear great weight when the matter
&c resnbmitted TO the authorities of the several
fcroughs REPRESENTED in the board
There was great reluctance in the Bridge De-
rartnent yesterday tell OF the plans that
have been made. but finally the officials We're
willing 10 give out some of the facts of the
matter A reporter for The Tribune saw the
r,ans Of the work and also got insight into
the unofficial plans of the department. 1t was
evident that the subway constructions the tun-
mel building, would not be permitted 10 inter
fere with the Bridge Department plans.
II was said in the department that the tun-
nels had other significance except merely to
relieve the passenger traffic The tunnel could
not possibly take of the vehicular traffic.
II further said that one bridge like the
Williamsburg was equal TO three tunnels, and
the Manhattan Bridge would be equal TO four
tunnels. The tunnels a matter of fact, il
wes said. are altogether for passenger traffic as
now constituted There may be additions later
care for general traffic, but at present they
are 10 be considered altogether as passenger
means of reaching Brooklyn Manhattan
Very little is known about the proposed new
bridge The Public Service Commission knows
as much about ii does the public Away up
the East River is the Blackwell's Island Bridge,
williamsburg Bridge, which IS at Delaney
street, and where the subway loop arrange
n7ents are rapidly nearing completion. Then
cones the Manhattan Bridge, Of which. after
a long time. the great foundations only
ready. Between the Manhattan and the old
Brooklyn structure is TO be this new bridge.
L has been found that all conditions for the
foundation Of the proposed new bridge are just
right As soon as all the plans for this struct-
ure have been completed the department will
ask for the money 10 go ahead with the build
ing Of what first is TO be a sort of auxiliary
bridge. Il will not he abandoned after the old
structure has been remodelled. Far from il.
There was general disposition in the Bridge
Department 10 look upon the tunnels with
scorn. Il was said that the tunnels could not
take care OF the pedestrian traffic, or of the
vehicles and that this was necessary 70 be of
plan 70 relieve the congestion Of passenger
traffic. That the tunnels would be a relief was
acknowledged. but that they would completely
solve the problem denied.
Mr. Ingersoll the chief engineer of the Bridge
Department, said yesterday that the new bridge
which has not yet been authorized, would be of
great importance in the solution Of the traffic
problem in this city. He said that il would be
first and foremost a means Of making changes
in the Brooklyn Bridge; second, when the lat
ter had been changed the new structure would
be q means Of taking care OF the overflow
traffic. Mr.. Ingersoll was certain that with the
present bridges and the one planned the rush
traffic 10 Brooklyn would be relieved