The Detroit times., 1914-05-23

The point that Engineer Walker
makes-and which Is echoed by ex-
perts and far-sighted citizens is that
the ultimate cost TO the taxpayers OF
building a subway will increase the
longer the adoption of a comprehen.
siye plan is delayed. Detroit is grow
ing every hour, and the value OF prop.
erty in all sections of the city is rap
idly increasing.
few years ago the common Coun.
Gil committee on public utilities TOOK
up the subway question ana prepared
some data which was turned over 90
the railway commission when that
body was organized under special
charter amendment TO deal with the
transportation question Aid John G..
Lodge. one of the first Go urge the
necessity OF a subway. sent com.
munication 20 the commission calling
the attention of its members TO the
pressing need OF subway i'm the
downtown district.
Meanwhile, engineers and others IN.
terested in a solution or the intolera.
BILE street car congestion especially
tentative plans,
grade separation engineer Tor the
Michigan Central railroad. has = nEaa-
teal knowledge OF tunnel building and
also knows something about condi,
tions that are likely to be encounter
ed in the construction OF a subway in
the central section OF the city lie
has given the subway proposition
some study and has prepared set OF
maps, which he admits are incom.
plete, but which will convey some
idea OF Just what a comprehensive
subway system must include i'm the
way OF underground trackage. sta
tions, connections. etc. On his own
initiative he has probably gone TAR.
Their in attempting t. develop a sub
way plan for Detroit than any other
man in the city.
81 do not want to convey the i'm
preston that | have solved the sub
way problem for Detroit" said Mr..
Walker, as he unrolled bundle or
blue-prints and maps in his office in
the Michigan Central station
81 realize that the time is rapidly
approaching when Detroit must build
a subway large enough TO furnish eX-
press service from the center OF the
city TO the three or four-mile circle
in all directions. The few maps and
rough drawings | have prepared are
incomplete. but they are enough TO
carry. possibly, suggestion or two
to the railway commission Before a
subway system is de
cided upon the commission will have
TO study out numerous plans, check
Ia, arrfs 20
at something that will be practical
BILE and adequate"
Mr.. Walker has prepared a general
plan that calls for about 20 miles OF
subway, the erection of numerous sta
tions in various parts OF the city, and
a great passenger transfer station 10
extend underground from the city hall
to the soldiers monument.
Under this plan, Mr.. Walker would
double-track the main arteries
Wood ward.ave., Gratiotave, Michi-
gan-ave., Grand River-aye., Fort-st.
and Jefferson The underground
loop In the downtown section would
be made by branching the Woodward
ave subway southeast at Grand Cir
Gus park, running 1t down Broadway
to Monroe-aye. and southwest III
Monroe-ave. TO Woodward-aye MICH
igan-ave and Woodward-ave. would
be connected by single underground
track beginning at Washington blvd.
and running northeast TO Woodward
ave. This single track. after the com
pletion OF the subway, could be used
to sidetrack and store cars MIR.
Walker suggests that the Grand Riv-
or and Woodward cars could be loop
ed, and the Michigan cars run
through. as they do now, under
ground
At the city hall or rather beneath
the city hall. on the Michigan-ave
side, there would be four tracks with
unloading platforms between them
allowing the passengers TO transfer
from one line to another at this
point This would be the main trans
fer station.
Mr. Walker suggests that, to avoid
the great expense of boring under the
Michigan Central tunnel. the FOREST
branch OF the subway could be ex-
tended out Lafayette-b blvd to Third
St and hence south below Fort-st, to
the present railroad viaduct. which
might be used as an elevated rail-
way track as far west as the Boule-
ward An elevated section I'm the fac
tory district south. OF Fortst would
not be Objectionable and would mean
a considerable saving in the cost OF
the system The Grand
River-ave. branch would be connected
with the central loop by short cut
through First-st TO save distance.
the eastern branch OF the tunnel
would extend out Congress-st. strik-
ing Jefferson-aye. at Van Dyke-aye.
and continuing east in Jefferson TO
a point west of the water works The
plan also provides for a possible tun-
mel TO Windsor, which, Mr. Walker
says, must be considered a suburb OF
Detroit in working out a complete
system of underground transpor
tation that Is to take care OF the
city's growing needs for years to
come.
my idea would be to provide ex.
press service from the three or four
mile circle TO the center of the city.
explained Mr. Walker.
stations could be built at inter
walls OF six or eight blocks. especially
where surface car tracks occupy
cross streets. This Arrangement
would. relieve the surface tracks OF
all the traffic destined or originating
beyond the Boulevard would provide
local service feeding the express
service. and would make possible the