Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1909-02-18
THE OCEAN BOULEVARD
New Jersey Must Keep Pace With
Other States in Road Improve
ment, Is Gov. Forts View.

AS a result of a recent consulta-
tion with Governor John Franklin
Fort, Edmund A. Wilson, the attorney
general of New Jersey is now busily
engaged in drafting the proposed
Ocean Boulevard bill, which calls for
the completion of a 127 mile continu-
Gus drive along the sea front and a
connecting line of highways between
the various county seats of the State
over 700 miles in length. 1t is very
difficult piece of legislation to draft
and for that reason it WAS placed in
the hands of the attorney general who
is an intimate friend of the governor
and one of the best legal minds in the
State.
AS soon as the bill is completed it
will be introduced in the upper
0. H. Brown, who feels confident of
its passage. The Senator will be sup
ported by the population of the entire
shore W hich has become very much
enthused over the extent of the pro-
ject and the benefits which they will
derive from it. The construction of a
road from Atlantic Highlands to Cape
May means much to the resort inter
ests of the seacoast which are enor-
nous and growing 100000 in value
each year.
This is particularly the case in
Ocean and Cape May counties which
are now falling in line with Atlantic
and Monmouth and developing rapid
ly. The total assessed valuation of
Cape May county has doubled during
the past six years, while the increase
in Ocean county is almost as great.
1t is believed by the leading men of
these two counties that if the Ocean
boulevard bill is passed it will add
additional impetus to this develop
ment and consequently to the wealth
of the State.
The mere fact that New York State
has authorized the expenditure of $780,
100000 upon it's roads and highways
within the next ten years makes it
imperative that New Jersey also au-
thorize an expenditure of money for
this purpose in order to maintain it's
reputation as the summer playground
of America. Fortunately, however, it
is not necessary in order to complete
the proposed Ocean boulevard and
connecting county seat highways to
expend one fiftieth of this stupendous
amount of money, as it is but neces-
sary to build Ia miles of road and
five bridges to complete the Ocean
boulevard and but 1859 miles of roads
to connect the county seats as most of
the roads have already been complet-
ed by the various municipalities
through which the system extends
1t is generally conceded that New
Jersey in its competition with New
York State, Massachusetts, Connect
cut and Rhode Island as an ideal
place of residence, both in the winter
and summer, must maintain it's form
er high road standard. A few years
ago New Jersey stood first in the I'M
ion for its good roads, now it occupies
sixth place. This condition cannot
but hamper the growth of the sum-
mer resorts which are the States
greatest asset.
1t has been incorrectly stated that
this proposed inauguration of a great
road system will interfere with the
Improvement of other roads in the
State. This is not the case. If the
Improvement is authorized by the
members of the legislature special
appropriation will be made, while the
roads themselves will be more than
self supporting in view of the subse-
quent increase in property values
along their route and the subsequent
increase in the income of the various
counties of the State.
When the measure is given hear
ing by committee at Trenton, the old
state house will be packed by at least
1000 enthusiastic Jerseymen residing
along the ocean front, anxious to
maintain the reputation of the State
as great resort centre and the ma
tional capitol of pleasure.