The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-14
Al9THER VIEW OF 1T

Arthur Lieberum is among those Fsvho believes State street bridge sacrcsg the Pequonnock river feasible. n7e has received a. letter from Frank B. James, the well known engineer. expressing views as follows:
 E'riend Arthur:
 You have asked my opinion as to the feasibility of constructing a bridge heroes Bridgeport harbor from the Moot of State street to Stratfou-d ave- mue near Kossuth street, and in an- iewer would say that in my opinion hhe project is a feasible one.
 Az I understand the proposit itiOn, the object of building this bridge is main ay for the relief of congested traffic mhrCrHEh the center of Bridgeport. or more specifically. Main street and Fairfield avenue.
 The congestion at this point is large ny caused by the cars of the Connec- bticut Company
 Another outlet, or means of crossing kETe harbor, as proposed in this new bridRe, would relieve this congestion and provide a new thoroughfare for mll4 road vehicles wishing to pass hhrough the city, or from the east to Kffel west side of the harbor.
 As for the trolley cars using this bridge, there Is no sensible reason why MffeT should do so, as they now pass ahe common center of the city with nlI lines and if they used this bridge kheir traffic would be divided and the public if general be greatly incon- Eenienceds Therefore eliminating the Rrolley cars would decrease the head room necessary to pass under the rail- road trestleL
 There is no place in the city of Bridgeport where the railroad com pany on their proposed plans for elimr knatfng grade crossings have provided h headroom of 14 feet 10 inches. Even HIt Wordin avenue. where they have a siding that passes beneath their main line, do they call for but F feet 6 bnches. still again at a point even mearer this proposed bridge, or we will eay the next street south of State Etreet, Union street, here their plans ehow a headroom clearance of only 10 Feet. This seems adequate for all Eteamboat and railroad purposes. why hot for ordinary traffic, such as would hlse a bridge uuobstructed by trolley cars. Yet should this be the case at State street I hold this not to impair kne feasibility of the project, but it bs not SO. as 1t happens Union street Ms the low point in the grade of the k. Y-. N IT. & IT. R. R. tracks, and kfle grade rises from this point to Fairfield avenue, giving over a foot Nm: elevation to add to the clearance bf Union street. making over eleven Eeet clearance at the westerly end of Rfie proposed bridge.
 There seems no need of my going far Rher on this point, as the same con Htrtfction can be used at State street hsas now in use at Union street, and hardly think this would cost the FaTFroad company $400.Oe0.
 As to the width of a bridge at this point I believe eighty feet to be ex- beSsive.
 The piers in the railroad tressel are how set 40 feet on centers and each piSf is about S feet wide, this would harrow the bridge to 74 feet without kaking account of the remaining pier kh5eh is also feet, making the avail hbie width but 6S feet. Then as you h<now. State street is but 50 feet wide and Stratford avenue but 61 feet with slight prospect of any widening for kears to come.
 On a business or residential street kheb. traffic is more liable to conges- kfon for the simple reason that vehi- nles, are often drawn up at the sides bfe the street for the transaction of ordinary business, whereas, upon bridge the traffic is continually nov Ing. thus offering no permanent ob- ktfuction at the sides as I have shown bn an ordinary street, therefore a kridre does not need as wide a road bed as a business or residential ktreet
 Our widest bridge now in Bridgeport bs the new Congress street bridge, which fs 75 feet. but this bridge has h double line of tracks which take up h4 Heet or more and reduce the road way hy at least the width of one trol- Aax rng. which Is over feet
 M41Enalld saE hhat A bridge mot over 66