New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-05
no WIDEN KINGS HIGHWAY
Improvement in Beautiful
BROOKLYN" Plan Seems Assured.

In the beautiful Brooklyn" movement "A
plan IS on foot for widening Kings High
way TO the breadth Of lo0 feet throughout
its length from Bay Parkway 20 Eastern
Parkway and placing It on the city map ~
a street or parkway, Under the jurisdiction
OF the Park Department Borough prcsi-
dent Steers and his Public Works Commits
sioner. Mr.. Pounds, are both highly in
favor Of it.
The property owners in that section are
all Of tho opinion that the plan for widen
Ing Kings Highway is a good one but they
do not wish to bear the Assessment for the
cost of the improvements. Providing they
do have TO pay, they say they Will do so
eiudgfngly, as the main benefits Will be
reaped by automobilsts The plan, how
ever, will probably go through, and there
remains only the question OF who shall be
aesessed-the residents and property own
,rs in that section, the borough at large or
the county.
Tho Brooklyn Committee on city Plan
las taken up the idea favorably, but has
rot offered any suggestion as to how the
expenses shall be betrayed. Edward II.
Bennett, the city plan architect, said he
regarded the development and broadening
cf Kings Highway as one Of the most I'M
portant features Of the entire "brautiiul
Brooklyn" movement. Some of the plans
drawn by Mr. Bennett for the proposed
improved highway show It converted into
a boulevard or parkway and connecting
with a series Of proposed public play
grounds to be situated at Bay Parkway,
Ocean Parkway, ocean avenue, FlatbuSh
avenue and Eastern Parkway.
Neither Commissioner Pounds nor Prcsi-
dent Steers seems willing to take firm
stand at the present as to how the as
sessments shall be regulated, and ii APP
pears likely that the Board of Estimate
will decide how the cost shall be divided,
probably the borough paying share ana
the property owners the remainder
Edward Bennett. chairman of the cXecu-
tive committee Of the Kings Highway Inn
proyement Association. said last week that
Kings Highway as II would be when wild
encd could not be used for business ,pur-
poses, as 1t would be too broad. and as
residence street II would be undesirable on
account of the automobile and pleasure
traffic which would turn TO IT,
Mr. Bennett further said: 1T would he
fare connecting similar driveways. The
demand for improvement does not come
from property owners. II they have to pay
for the Improvement they don't want ii.
As for the cost of the widening being re-
fiected on the borough. the increased tax
rate would be a small one and scarcely
felt"
The cost of the proposed improvements
on the highway would probably be between
81. 100000 and $3,0OOOOO. and those members
OF the Board OF Estimate who especially
favor the proposed improvements I'm the
Borough Of Brooklyn are Of the mind 20
make the cost a county. one.
Kings Highway Is referred to for the
FIRST time In the annals Of the county in
1896 In 1854 Governor StuyvesHnt called II
the highway" In 1861 IL went under the
name of the Crossroads" map made In
1866 of Flatlands and Gravesend referred
to II as Kings Highway. The original map
Of the road as II was I'm olden days was
destroyed I'm the Capitol fire at Albany.
and the only charts remaining of the road
III olden days are csp..5 ss-.om the original.