The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-16
URGES COUNCIL
TO WIDEN STREET
Chamber Committee Pro-
nounces Bridge Approach In
adequate. and Asks for Relief.
NEED 40-F00T ROADWAY
CITY Engineer Suggests Alter
native Plans to Provide for
Double-Track Car Line

Conforming the present approach "a
the new bridge as altogether made
ouate 10 the traffic demands that VIII
be placed upon it when the structure Is
completed. the Chamber of Commerce
committee on Streets roads and parks,
adopted resolution yesterday after
noon calling upon the City Council 10
adopt remedial measures at the earliest
possible date.
The committee devoted two hours 10
a thorough discussion of the problem
and called into consultation NUMBER
of Southsidc business men, as well as
CITY Engineer Boiling. 10 assist IN
arriving at a solution. Mr.. Boiling
submitted several tentative plans Tor
widening Fourteenth Street from the
bridge to Main Street, and the utillza-
ton Of Virginia Street to take care OF a
part of the traffic.
No action was taken in the way OF
recommending any one plan. The com
mittee agreed that il would be wise TO
await the report of the Council sub
committee on streets, which has been
appointed 10 make an investigation OF
the bridge approach problem, before
committing the chamber to any course
of action. Upon motion OF Henry W
Anderson. the committee adopted d
situation and asking for an early action
on the part of the Council.
To Open Forty-Foot Street.
City Engineer Boiling told the com
mittee that by far the best solution
would be TO widen Fourte zenith street
between the bridge and Main Street 10
sixty fcct-the same width as the
bridge itself. Such plan would meet
with little difficulty. he said. as re-
he ErfA loo IN
Cary. but would entail expensive CON
domination proceedings when the widen
ing of the street was carried forv ard
from Cary to Main.
The engineer suggested as an alter
native plan. tho acquiring either by pur-
chase or condemnation. of strip OF
property on the eastern side pf Four
tccnth Street. between Main and Cary
to be used as an arcade walkvay. per
mittiug he roadway TO come up to what
is now the property line. Such d plan
would not interfere with the upper
stories of the buildings now in the
eastern side of the street.
To supplement- the arcade walkway
on the eastern side of Fourteen Street
Mr. Boiling suggested the construction
of an elevated sidewalk on tho opposite
side of the street directly over the
present sidewalk and the converting
of the present sidewalk space into road
wa.
These two plans. put into effect to-
gether. he said. would give the desired
forty-foot roadway for a double track
car line. and at the same time would
avoid in large part the heavy expense
which would follow the widening of
tho street outright by condemnation
of property on the western side of
Fourteenth Street.
Favors Open Square.
Chairman John {. Easey, Of the
chambers streets, roads and parks
committee, favored sixty-foot street
to Cary. and the condemnation of all
the porpcrty on the western side of
Fourteenth Street from Cary to Main.
as well as the obstrUcting property on
Main Street, to be turned into II large
open square The plan would he more
expensive. he agreed but would be
a permanent solution and cheaper IN
the end
Garter c. Jones, of South Richmond.
feared that determined opposition would
be offered to he project to elevate the
grade of all bridge approaches above
the highest recorded food level Such
a project. he said. would involve prac-
tIcally the rebuilding of the Southern
Railway yards and could never be put
through 1t was better. he thought. to
adopt the present grade and take the
risk of having the bridge cut of by
high water once in thirty years.
The committee decided not TO take
up for tho present the question OF
opening Il now street to Broad. City
+ Engineer Boiling served warning that
action IN the matter OF widening Four
tecnth Street 10 the bridge must be
taken at Onc3c. since the contractors
are under agreement TO finish the
bridge by July l..
The meeting was attended by com
mittcc members John &. Easlcy. Henry
W Anderson W. ID. Duke and Allen
Potts. and City Engineer c. T.. Boil
ling. John ". Moore. " T. Dabncy
r. A..Dunlop. A. L. Adamson. George
=. CTcnshaw. W. B. Dunford and Car
ter &. Jones.