The Washington herald., 1910-08-21

In most cities the older portions have
grown from small beginnings and the
street plan has been the result Of chance.
/ Occasionally a city is created upon
site deliberately chosen. as Washington
was In such cases an opportunity is
offered 70 create plan peculiarly adapt
ed TO the special development in mind.
/ There are a few other instances In this
country where the future possibilities
appear 10 have been realized. Indian
apolis and Detroit might be mentioned.
In New York City the commission
created in 1907 TO prepare a street plan
failed 10 anticipate future growth. This
commission appeared 10 believe that the
chief traffic would be across the island
from the North River 10 the East River.
and east and west streets were laid out
with only 200 feet intervening. while the
north and south avenues were placed
from 200 10 900 feet apart. The values
of real estate having become enormous.
IL is now impracticable 90 correct mis-
takes In this original plan within rea-
sonable limits OF expenditure
Diagonal Streets Important.
A characteristic feature Of most Amer
lean cities IS the lack OF important di-
agonal streets leading 10 some definite
point Of interest. These diagonals need
not be long or straight fc7 their entire
distance. but different sections OF them
should be free from reflections. This IS
the charm OF Washington and OF Paris.
One may follow the numerous diagonal
streets in either OF these capitals and
bc quite sure OF reaching som. point OF
interest While It is often impossible to
correct mistakes Of planning within prac-
ticable limits OF expense. there are few
cities where conditions cannot be i'm
proved
In many American cities additions have
been made by extension OF the city limits
or by consolidation with other cities. Ere
quently these additions have been ex-
plotted by the suburban developer They
are often so limited in area that II is
difficult 10 do anything but extend the
city plan over them. II occasionally hap
pens that an extension OF the city limits
Will include number Of centers Of popu-
lation. and that these are disconnected
and could be absorbed In a larger city
plan without serious detriment. Areas OF
this kind are almost invariably traversed
by highways which follow natural lines Of
traffic They should be made the con-
trolling features Of the city plan. They
are generally OF the ordinary country
road width This win be totally made
quate, but they are usually allowed 20 re-
main until they have been so built up as
10 make widening expensive.
What then is the logical method OF pro-
cedure? The first thing IS to determine
the relative position OF the different parts
Of the rev territory. It viii then be pos
sible TO proceed with mapping in widely
separated sections with a positive knowl-
edge Of the relation Of the street lines in
one section TO those in another. The next
thing which will demand attention is the
system Of existing roads. There was. and
is, a good reason for these. These roads
should form the skeleton Of our future
street system. often it Will be necessary
to strengthen them, and in all cases to
widen them. They should be not less
than 100 feet in width and in some in
stances even wider II the old road has
good shade trees, the original highway
can probably be preserved for pleasure
driving while another section can be re-
served for railroad tracks. and, perhaps,
still another for automobiles
These old roads may have been nearly