New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-30
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
Save Lives by Narrowing Eastern
Sidewalk of Central Park West.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: IL is clear to those who live on or
near Central Park West that something
should he done and done speedily regard
ing the traffic conditions on that thorough
fare between Columbus Circle and llOth
Street II would be sure to save lives and
prevent accidents During tho summer
season IL is invariably the rule that more
persons take trolley trips than during the
inclement weather. which makes itself
manifest on Central Park West by rec
ord Of increased accidents
What these conditions arc II seems
needless to explain to the average New
Yorker. II IL dangerous spot for pcdes-
TRANS and vehicles. because two trolley
tracks, the north and south bound, arc To-
Gated on the eastern side of the thorough
fare. and tho roadway for vehcular traffc
moving in both directions is on the west
crn side. 1t is a feat requiring the agility
Of an athlete for man. woman or child TO
cross the street between the two points
mentioned and escape unhurt
This condition has existed for many
wears past For five years tho various
civic bodies which are interested In that
locality. among them the Harlem Board OF
Commerce, have endeavored to have the
dangerous condition remedied. The inter
views with public officials and data col
lected by the committee for the Harlem
Board of Commerce alone would fill vol
ume of the average library size. Several
PLANS likely to correct the evil condition
e,,rDaatab The ctv until
Gently cung 10 the one OF requiring the
New York Railways Company 70 move the
eastern track to the west OF the present
western track Both In the Supreme Court
Of New York and in the Court OF Appeals
il has been decided that municipality
having once given its permission to place
the tracks where they are has no right TO
order them removed.
The question is, What is now in the way OF
adopting the plan which to many has seemed
to be the feasible and sensible one from
the start? The sidewalk on the eastern
side IS twenty-seven feet wide, plainly
needless width for the use that is MADE
of it, To demonstrate this fact beyond
doubt the committee for the Harlem Board
the pedestrians who use that sidewalk, Sc
Letting a Saturday afternoon of the fair
weather sort, and determined that between
the hours of a. m. and p. m. 1.464 per-
sons used It, walking north and south.
The committees plan, therefore, Is:
Cut the twenty -seven-foot sidewalk sew
enteen feet, leaving it ten feet wide, and
hermit the tracks to remain where they are
The arguments in favor OF this plan are
numerous In the first place the New YORK
Company has promised to sub
scribe $4,000 toward the expense OF max
ing the changes under this plan. The
western roadway is none too wide now, Tor
this is the only side fringed by private
residence and high class apartment houses.
A constant string of automobiles and other
vehicles is constantly standing before them,
thus narrowing the roadway considerably
for vehicular traffic. If the roadway on the
western side is narrowed it will necessi-
tate the narrowing of the western side
walk as we'll. and will probably compel the
owners TO remove all structures
beyond the building line. which is SIX
feet four inches within the stoop line.
Property owners on Central Park west
realty to the value OF Sl0,- |
POI 800 have by petitions made known their
objections to this needless expense.
Not alone the civic organizations. how
over but the Board of Aldermen has gone
On record as favoring this plan, which |
merely involves narrowing the needlessly |
vide sidewalk At recent meeting that
body unanimously passed resolution ia
,oring this solution, which is so clearly and
obviously the right one that few can UNI
lerstand why it is opposed from any
quarter.
The point that remains to be made is the
me Of the responsibility of the city toward
Is citizens in this matter. With the sum-
ner before us we are likely to read of the
usual accidents which have happened at
hat spot every year. Leaving the con-
Liberation Of monetary losses occasoned by
'uture lawsuits out of the question. how
AN the city justify its course of allowing
Is citizens to be manned and killed when
. solution of the problem and the cessa-
ion of these accidents so clearly at
land7 EDWARD w. FORREST.
New York. May 26, 1915.