The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-01-11
NeqU Jerseys Proposed Ocean Boulevard
a Great State Road Costing $40O,OOO,
Would Link Mew York and PHILADELPHIA

of its State line a population of l0,00O,-
900 people and W. great cities, each OF
more than 1000, 600 population, II the
people of each crossing an intermediate
State to get to the other.
With the great new highway along
the ocean front, much of it just back of
beautiful beaches, and with other free
roads and reasonable registration fees
for motor cars, the hackers of the prof.
est believe that the State will not only
be filed with domestic automobiles, but
those from other States. The increase
in property values along the route and
the subsequent Increase in the income
from taxation, it is felt, will more than
make the Ocean boulevard and the
proposed and existing county seat high
ways self-supporting.
Plan 10 Be Submitted,
Under the measure to be submitted
to the Legislature it will be proposed
that the State lake over all OF the high
ways running between county seats
and in future look after their main
t%enanee, taking that burden off the
county governments. The complete net
work of roads, including the Ocean
boulevard, would the be under uni
III III ApiillOl ait hClDl III uliiO IA Oho
ton. Roads in the more sparsely set
tied localities would thus get as much
attention as those in the thickly settled
districts adjacent to the ocean.
The figures show that all of these
] country towns can be connected by 745
miles of roads, of which distance only
$50 miles are at this time unimproved.
The 745 miles of inland highways and
the 1p1 miles of ncnan Nya WnI1ld rIaPp
on the State the care and maintenance
of $40 miles, which could be done fer
not more than $500 a mile, or an annual
expenditure of s261 900. and to this ex-
tent relieve local road taxation. II is
proposed that the various localities re-
tain all sidewalk and curbing rights,
but he relieved of all costs for the road
bed.
The repair item is a serious one for
local governments in their carrying on
of road extension, even with State aid
If the repair of these great arteries of
travel were taken upon the State the
cost of lateral roads and their main
tenance would be a much smaller item
for counties and towns and the cost to
the state need not exceed the present
annual expenditure for State road aid
and two-thirds of his cost could be
provided for by automobile registration
fees.
The commissioners Views.
So much for the general road scheme,
all of which the citizens of New Jersey.
are Obliged to take into consideration
in laying their plans for the Ocean
boulevard. Colonel Frederick Gilkyson,
the State commissioner of public roads,
is one of the most anthrcia5 tia adun-
Gates of the Ocean boulevard. He and
his engineers have carefully looked over
the plans for the route, which he pro-
%nounccs entirely feasible. There are
few physical difficulties to hinder, he
says. Most of the route is already i'm
proved, part Of it must be ''boule-
yarded' and some of it will nave to be
built entirely new.
From atlantic Highlands to Asbury
Park there is already an excellent high
way. The first stumbling block is
reached at Ocean Grove, where the
church corporation in charge of the
great outdoor religious camp has great
iy hesitated TO give its consent to a
~thoroughfare through it's property. The
dliliculty Is in crossing Wesley lake
and reaching Ocean venue but Gov
erno1 Fort said a few days ago "They
are a public-spirited people, and some
means can be devised, let is hope, that
VIII not meet with objection on their
part"
e Ocean Grove Problem.
' 1t is said the road at this point will
/, reed to be continued to Fletcher lake
and the bathing pavilions there, which
? are rot Of great value, will also need
] to be taken. The cost of this con
domination will not be great. Ovei
l Fletcher lake a bridge with a twenty
4 foot spa will be needed. A possible
solution of the ocean Grove problem
which has been suggested, is that tht
Y roadway be lowered to certain streets
+ that it be fenced i'm where it passes
other sections and that overhead foot
I paths be constructed, so that 1t win MOI
e In n measure interfere wich Ocean
Groves seclusion. In the event that M
! fcompromige can be reached with tht
Ocean Grove authorities, which is ssic
10 be unlikely. the road will be msdt
2 to extend inland.
; No further obstacles are encountered
l until Shark Beach is reached, w
81 which a bridge with a ffty-foo. spar