Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-11-18
HUDSON TRAFFIC
Tunnel FAVORED
Joint Commission to Ask Leg
isIatures of Both States
for Action.

NEW YORK, Nov. 1s-When the
New York and the New Jersey Legis-
latures convene in January, the joint
New York and New Jersey Bridge
and Tunnel Commission will ask
these lawmaking bodies to consider
the project of highway to connect
the two States over or under the
highly favored, because it appears to
be not only practicable, but as such
engineering feats go, cheap.
The joint commission has been
studying the problem for the past
seven years and in its latest, and
possibly final, preliminary report to
the legislatures, will show that to
construct the tunnels with a capacity
of 100000 vehicles each a year
would cost only $11,000,000, while a
bridge, it has been estimated by en-
gineers, would cost in the end, APP
proximately $42, 600
Little Delay.
meeting of the subcommittee OF
the commission. Of which A. j.
Shamberg is chairman, was held in
this city, and the question was thor
oushly discussed. The sub-commit-
tee will shortly report to the Joint
commission. w. H. Noyes, chairman
of the commission, said last night
that there would be as little delay
as possible after that.
we are going to have some ao-
tion," he said. land as soon as the
subcommittee makes its report steps
will be taken to give the movement
for better traffic conditions between
New York and New Jersey an added
Impetus"
Mr.. Noyes was asked If tunnel
would be recommended and the plan
for a bridge condemned.
81 wouldn't say that" he replied.
1.-THE question of both bridge and
tunnels will be brought up"
The present plan Is to have the
tunnels extend from the foot OF
Canal street to Jersey City. 1t has
been recommended that the tunnels
be built in pairs, one for eastbound
traffic and one for westbound traff1e,
with roadwayS seventeen feet In
width. In illustration of the fact
that highway tunnels are practica-
BILE 1t has been pointed out that sew
eral are now In operation in other
countries, including the BLACKWELL
and Rotherhithe tunnels under the
Thames In England.
| investigations by engineers for the
commission have shown that 1t would
be practically impossible to build
bridge further downtown than Fifty
seventh street, while tunnel could
| be placed at any point where the
people want 1t. Another investiga-
| ton has shown that the number OF
vehicles crossing the Hudson daily Is
IL, $3.50, and that all except 1000 cross
below Twenty third street.
| On April II last the Interstate
| Commission" as it has been termed,
filed a report with the Legislature at
! Albany setting forth the results of its
investigations. In that report the
| lows: River span, $27,100,000; APP
proaches, $1,900,000 engineering and
contingencies, $2,9O0,00 real estate,
$4,S00, 900; interest during construc-
| ton. $5,300000. In the same report II
| was estimated that each pair Of tun-
Enels would cost not more than Sll,-
900, 0o0 The report did not fatty rec
ommend tunnel construction, but It's
conclusions seemed to hint that tun-
| nels were considered more advisable
from many standpoints.
why Tunnels Are Best.
Charles M. Jacobs and j.. Vipond
Davies, of 80 Church street, who
built the present Hudson tunnels TO
Jersey City and Hoboken, are the en-
gineers who prepared the plans for
| pIOpOS6Q highway LuiihNio. -
speaking about tunnel construction as
opposed to bridge construction, Mr..
] Jacobs has said
Every condition is against the
construction of a bridge; every con-
dition is favorable to the construction
of tunnels. Favorable conditions for
long span bridge require the COM
bination, If possible, Of high shores
with a comparatively shallow depth
to bedrock for intermediate support
/ ing piers. Here We have fiat shores,
deep water and great depth to bed
| rock.
1.-The uniqueness of tunnels is that
they can be placed where the people
want them. Now, the people, It is
safe to say, want their first highway
tunnel where the highways Of the
land meet in a common point. The
map shows that SO far as the high
ways from Elizabeth, Newark, Pater-
son and Passaic are concerned they
all merge in Jersey City and Ho-
boken, opposite the southerly portion
of Manhattan"