The sun., 1908-01-01
FOR NEW SUBWGYROUTES
iPUAELC SERVICE COMMISSION
\ ANNOUNCES ITS PLANS. e.

.l The Public Service Commission unani-
Pmously decided yesterday to begin as soon
a. possible the building Of two new sub
ways. One Of the new routes will be
short line running through Canal
ktreet 10 the terminal in this borough of
hhe Manhattan Bridge. but the other
subway will extend from the Battery to
pelham Bay Park. with a branch running
flnder Jerome avenue to WOodawn road
iIhe exact lines OF the proposed subways
lhre described in a resolution adopted by
lthe commission. as follows:
The rapid transit system which in the
bpiniOn OF the commission seems best to
kneet the requirements of the people Of the
kclty Of New York is one described as begin
hing at a point under Battery Park, running
fhence northerly through and under Green
DRich street, Trini ~ place and ChurC street to
Fesey street. thence easterly through vesey
istrest TO Broadway. thence northerIy along
isnd under Broadway to Canal street. where
lconnectlon will be made with crosstOWn line
jhereinafter described; thence nortberly 10 a
Il point near East Tenth street. where the line
curves generally in a northeasteTly direction
and under private property and across East
Eleventh street TO Fourth avenue. East Twelfth
street. East Thirteenth street and East Four
tsenth street to Irving place thence northerly
along and under Irving place to Gramercy
r. Park: thence northerly under Gramercy
"A Park to Lexington avenue: thence northeFly
under Lexington avenue to the Harlem River
and under the Harlem River to a point near
the intersection Of Park avenue and East
1 iSsth street, where the lines will diverge, the
eastsrly line continuing east along East
ISeth street to the Southern Boulevard thence
In generally northery direction along
Southern Boulevard to Weetchester avenue:
thence In A generally noTtheasterly direction
along Westchester avenue 20 Eastern Boule-
4 ward or Pelham Bay Park: the westerly line
% begin At a point near the intersection Of
1 Park avenue and East I3sth street and run
ming nOrtherly along Mott avenue to iSlst
\ street; thence northwestery along i5ist
street 10 Gerard avenue; thence northerly
along Gerard avenue to the intersection Of
6ers:I avenue and jerome avenue near Clark
/ place, from which the line to extend north
l erly along and under Jerome avenue to Wood
! lawn Cemetery.
Also . cTosstown line on Canal street con-
meeting at Broadway with the other parts
Of this system. and beginning at the inter
section OF Canal street and West street, and
thence running easterly Under Canal street,
and with proper connections al Broadway
20 the Manhattan Bridge approach. where
II cpnnecttOu can ne made win the Fourth
AVENUE route in Brooklyn already authorized.
The commission instructed its counsel
and chief engineer to prepare the neces-
u sary plans and preliminary details aaspssdily
s as possible with view to forwarding them
without loss Of time TO the Board OF Esti-
taate Il will take but a very short tins
% do this, as the proposed Broadway
Lexington avenue route. as IL was officially
called at yesterdays meeting Of the com
mission. is made up Of four OF 1--WE Of the
rcutos which were laid out by the old com-
mssion and for which tho plans and specif-
cations already have been made
The cost Of the Broadway Lexington
iPvsnue subway is estimated at ooO0 O0O.
Nj pe the cost OF the Canal street crosstown
ssv Eway has been computed at s7OOc,O0l
IA this time the city has not the resources
\ IL begin building the subways itself, and
~ Nts apparent that II the scheme Of the
y mmission In to be carried out in the near
ture h will be necessary to rely mostly
private capital II is thought by ths
bn1nlission that there will be no difficulty
getting capitalists 10 hid for ths building
ind operation Of the subways IL ths Elsoerg
4 III IN 90 amended at the coming session of
Ihe Legislature 70 allow the commission
. 10 let operating contracts for longer periods
fhan twenty years. Gov Hughes is under
ktood 10 favor the passage Of such an amend
lrnent
4 There win be unqusstionably a great deal
kof criticism Of the route selected by the
comrnission. At scores Of public hearings
held by the old board and the present COM
nisaton the need of an Fast Side route was
+ strongly urged. but the proposed line
CLOSELY parallels the present subway as far
horth a. Forty-seoond street and then
follows the line Of the New York Central
raIroad to the Harlem River. That the
NcommissiOn expects criticism was made
apparent from the following statement:
The value OF the Broadway-Lexington
N'venus route both from the transit and from |
he financial standpoint Ia apparent. Below |
Kourteenth street il would run through tho |
fery heart Of the commercial and Office |
Aentres OF the city. II would also tap the |
Populous district between FOrty-sPcond |
sfreee and the Harlem River. the residents |
AZ which at present can reach the low er !
Atroadway district only by a cirCuitOus route. |
he two branches in The Bronx would tap |
he sections which ar most in need OF transit !
Facilities. The Jerome avenue line has been
urged for years. The Southern Boulevard |
section would run through a district already |
well populated and the Westchester avenue |
section would open up an area which has
1
facilities. Further. the present subway car |
Rrles tho Bronxites BY q very devious course |
from their Homes to their of1ces. The Broad |
Nway-Lsxington avenue route would shorten |
he trip vary materially. Further. the di- |
fectness Of the line and the few curves LEX |
Rnaton avenue IL almost upon an exact line |
tgith Broadway would safely allow cars 10 |
! 2e run ct high speed and would lower opsrat-
: fng costs.
It was pointed out also that the pro-
ocesd subway would have the advantage Of |
oeinG. Joined with the New York Central |
8systsm at Forty-second street and lSsth |
PtSeet. end that the suburban trains OF
fhe Central road could be run through to !
'the Battery in the new subway. Atten- |
fion vas also drawn to the fact that the |
subway will run close TO the Steinway |
tunnel terminal at Forty-second street. |
and that by building spur on Fifty-ninth |
street connection can be made with the |
iBlackweIrs Island Bridge.
j It is also possible the report added. |
TO make a similar connection with the !
Williamsburg Bridge and any subway ex- |
tended bv this route into Long leland. |
NAt the Battery IL could likewise be con- |
Snected with the present tunnel to Brooklyn /
% any future subway built east or weat ~ |