The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-23
TREE LINED STREET
TO REPLACE SEWER
Council Working on Plans ior
Two Big Improve
1ncntS.
OUTLET FOR BRIDGE TRAFFIC
Enormous Sums to Be Expended
i'll Carrying on Gigantic
Undertakings.

Council committees will attach anew
this week Richmond's s1.O000O0 i'm
! provement problcm-thc converting of
Shockoe Valley into treclned boule-
ward and the building of a suitable
northern approach to the now Mayo
Bridge. These two enterprises have
assumed ovcrshadowinC Importance in
the Ctty'S Improvement program. and
viii tax the ability OF tho City Coun-
ell during the present year. for their
! solution.
The ihocioe Valley project Will come
mp IT o'clock this afternoon before
/ the Committee OH Streets AT the last
meeting Of the committee City En-
| aincer Boiling undertook to present
10 the next meeting II comprehensive
plan indicating the amount OF prop
! 9Ity that VIII have to bc acquired to
| build a siSty-foot avenue on top OF the
/ covered sewer, as well as tho probable
! cost. The report, IT Is understood.
! VIII be presented to Tho compittce this
/ afternoon.
Tho Shockoe boulevard project has
| met with strong favor from members
/ OF the street Committee, and ~ regarded
! with approval by the Administrative
/ bo"rd. In his annual report Satur-
! day, city Engineer Rolling inIorscd
the plan anew. dwelling upon the ad-
J a u
/ foot thorouehfarc along tho bed of
| me valley from the eastern intersection
! with BROAD street through TO the
! hermitage Road.
/ easy Grade for Heavy Hauling.
Su;h an avenue. 1t is pointed out by
| Mr. Boiling. would redeem tho pres
| ent unsiphtly valley and nrovidc :,
! ready means OF ingrcss aud cgrcss for
! industries which would be attracted
10 t"e centrally located sites. Ypro-
NidihS I direct thorouehfarc from TIN.
| freight depot district to the West END
| the Shockoc boulcvarc would ,hso,.i,
| much of the traffic that conEests lower
! Main street. and which is now com
! petied TO follow crowded streets and
! 0i'cult grades 10 reach tho western
side OF the city
The Administrative Board will This
! Week begin the work of improyinr
Shockoo Creek and Bacon ouar,ny
hranch west of Sledd Street Bv tho
| TIME inns section OF the Improvement is
COMPLETED tho way will he clear, it is
peicNed, Tor continuing the work east
| ward 10 Broad Street IT, in nddi,ion
! the Shockoe Boulevard plan receives
! the approval of the City Councu thc
! giant undertaking will continue win
1 OUT break until the east is joined with
the west by magnificent roadway
/ running the length of what IL now :.
/ deserted valley.
The rcdecminG OF Shockoc Creek has
oeeh the dream of every city Engineer
Tor The past half-century, and appears
! now III Il fair way to become a reali,v
according TO city authorities. the in
| creased property values that will fol
! low as result of the Improvement will
! more than repay in increased taxes tho
| cost or the undertaking. a similar
! Improvement has recently been cnn
| plcted by Baltimore, which has con
Ncrted into useful driveway what was
| Tor years Jones Falls-an omen sewer
running through the eastern half Of
the city.
| The bridge Approaches.
{ subcommittee from the Committee
on streets, headed by Morgan r. Mills.
as chairman. will resume tomorrow
ITS inquiry into the bridge approach
puzzle Tho committee will meet Mt
Fourteenth and Main Streets M
o CLOCK In the afternoon.
TWO plans are now under considcra-
tlon The first OF these proposcs 10
! WIDEN Fifteenth Street To Dock Street
ana 10 Widen Dock Street between J,if
Iechth and Fourteenth Streets. The
ThorouShfare thus opened up il to pro-
coed southwark along Fourteenth
| street TO the bridge. the latter street
10 be widened to sixty feet. This route
mas oeen longest under consideration.
! ana has the support OF the City Engl-
i'eer' ana Is SAID to be regarded favor
ABLY by majority of the committee
The rival route Is OF recent exnloi
talon real estate syndicate pre-
scented TO the Council about six weeks
ago plan which called for n direct
siNty-ioot approach from Main Street
10 the bridge along Fourteenth Street
n addition, tho plan provided for open-
ing up Il new short street between
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Streets. OK
tending from Main to Cary Streets
, Traffic GraVltntcs Westward.
Botn plans viii be before the sub
committee ut it's meeting Tomorrow
afternoon. ana supporters of the two
pans VIII no on hand to follow the
committee in its examinations. On the
practicability of the two schemes mem
~ divided. considerable number
hold to the belief that Fourteenth
street Is the logical approach, since
II Is nearest in Il straight line with the
bridge. Most Of the northbound trans-
river traffic 1t is pointed out by these.
- westbound, and will inevitably gray
itate to Fourteenth Street. even should
Fifteenth Street be made the ofiiciai
bridge approach.
Supporters of tho Fourteenth street
plan point to what they call n popular
fallacy in the consideration of the
bridge approach problem. II is not n
question so much OF providing an an
proach to the bridge il Is To re
ilcve congestion in those sections OF
carr. street and Fourteenth street.
which. although already crowded. will
he still more cOnEeStcd when the bridge
IS put in it's full use. The condition
they point out. can only be remcdied
by widening Fourteenth Street itself
and providing 81 new short outlet from
Cary Street to Main street.