Evening journal., 1910-12-28
REPORT ON
RIVER ROAD
Mayor Gets Estimates on
Three Routes, Showing
Great Cost Of Project
FAVOR ROUTE BY
CnRISTIANA AVENUE

Chiet Engineer Taylor and street
Commissioner Pierson, of the Street
and Sewer Department, semitic Mayor
Spruance to-day their report on the
river front project as asked for by the
mayor. The report suggests three
routes to the river, one by way OF the
present Seventh street route, which
the officials estimate would cost up
wards of S3,6305OO another by Chris
tiana avenue, in South Wilmington,
the estimated cost of which would be
S1530,00 and the third by Fourth
street, eliminating the Seventh street
route. Two bridges, however. would
have to be built on the Fourth street
route at an estimated cost OF $780,
600 each Road repairs would cost
aproxomately $4,000.
The officials seem TO favor the
Christiana avenue route.
The figures given however. do not
include the cost of pier construction.
The officials point out that the pres
ent Seventh street route is too cir
cultous and in their judgment not
fitted for the expansion which they
hope will be necessary to accommQ-
date the traffic from the river frontN
Mr.. Taylor and Mr. Pierson make
mention of the revenue that would
be derived from the piers that would
be built along the river and also re-
fer TO the fact that three trunk rail-
road lines already touch along the pro-
posed Christiana avenue route.
The report follows
Wilmington. Del. Dec. q. 1910.
..r
Department, Wilmington, Delaware
Gentlemen: According TO instruc-
tions we are submitting for your con-
sideration some data relative to the
selection of the most advantageous
terminus and location of a road "a
the river. together with an approxi-
mate estimate Of the cost OF construc-
ton of the various details of the pro
ject
Accompanying this report you will
find a tracing showing that portion
Of the city lying between Market
street and the Delaware River We
had hoped and expected to be able tC
submit plans showing details of the
improvements, together with section.
of the roadways, piers, bulkheads, &c.
but find that we have been entirely
unable TO get the time to carry out oui
first intention.
As regards the route from the cen.
ter OF the city to the river there arc
at present two roadways which are
available for light traffic. It may
be unnecessary TO say that a stree
however well built is not OF itself o
vital consequence In building ths
river front, but must be considered az
merely connecting link between the
heart of the city and the river. Th'
| essential feature is to have an ad
vantageous terminus. If a road o
street is built Of asphalt or bitulithi'
and no other point 10 be reached ex
cept the present mud banks and flats
/ it would soon deteriorate for want o
use, the same as the present roadway
are doing. The type of the pave,
surface and its width depends entirely
upon the amount and character of thu
/ traffic, and II seems best TO start will
cheaper form of construction, sa!
macadam surface, and make it bet
/ ter as occasion demands
| Christiana Avenue Route.
/ The route by which the river nortt
Of the Christiana is reached follows
/ Seventh street through its severa
courses and distances for a length o
1900 feet from Church Lane at il.
present width of 49 feet, from theme,
for a distance of 1900 feet to tn,
Brandywine creek the width is Il
feet, the road being carried across tn,
B -andywine on a bridge "a feet wide
to It's intersection with the line o
Fourth street extended following tn,
latter street, at 100 feet wide for
distance of 1000 feet the road termi
mates at the river bank. The bed o
the road is owned by the mumicipallt,
and as the low water mark ~ecedes Z,
the bulkhead line, the ground so Ead
along the line Of the street wouI,
naturally accrue to the city.
For macadam roadway Of thi
length, having a width of Is feet AM
a depth of 10 inches we. would esti
mate a cost Of $4,000. This route j
very circuitous and in our judgmen
not fitted for the expansion which W
hope will be necessary to accommo
date the traffic from the river front
II is held within its present contract
ed limits by the property Of tn
American Car and Foundry Compan
and the Mccullough Iron Compan
and by the opening under the track
Of the Pennsylvania railroad. Il /
possible to continue the line Of Fourtl
street straight to the river and aban
don the Seventh street route, bu
this would necessitate the building O
two bridges of either the draw o
bascule type. one 600 feet and tn
other 1,200 feet in length. The latte
at the junction of the Brandywin
with the Christiana would probabl
not be allowed on this line. as
would cross the water at such n
angle as to make navigation difficult
These bridges will approximately cos
$4,000 The route on the South sid
would go along Christiana avenu
from Third street bridge to the tn