The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-18
GREENSBORO BRIDGE
BANE TO MOTORISTS
Conditions There Are Worse
Than Bad, but No Remedy
Is Found.
CALLS FOR ENGINEERING

III. non motoring friend leaned over
., him "a with a sigh OF relief they
reached q comparatively smooth piece OF
cosb,eetons In the Long Island cav
r,a,a after they had clattered. rum
Med, tossed. heaved. shook and lurched
,hs,- way across the Greensboro Bridge,
and said: II should think there were
,u,omobilists enough. men OF standing
+, the community. whose homes are on,
on Long Island and who arc forced to
use this way OF getting home by motor
car, 10 make "A protest In voice loud
enough 20 hc heard and respected about
the continuance OF such conditions on
this bridge.
~ seemed to me wa had pretty nearly
reached the limit coming through the
side streets on the way 10 the bridge,
M, what we encountered there was reg
ular boulevard and glasslike smooth
ness to the surface OF the bridge. Such
another mile or so don't believe can
Ia found without long search IN the
ne,rhborhood OF this city, even though
7 understand from my friends who drive
that there are some very bad stretches
an main highways leading into New
York from several points How do YOU
stand 1t? Your arms must he fatigued
with such driving, and certainly the
wear and tear on your nerves must he
great, not TO mention what II does to
The springs and the other vulnerable
parts Of your car"
TT certainly Ia outrageous" responded
his motoring friend. land II makes me
fur1ously angry every time I have to
make this trip. which Is twice day
lust why something isn't done ! don't
know. We motorists are. after all. a
very tractable lot to stand what We do.
hut We do stand Il and pay the bills
for repairs A. X we liked H. Those
who have tried to fnd out what the rea-
son is have been told that the surface
upon which the wood block pavement il
laid liz too shallow to permit Of proper
foundation for tho blocks. and there
fore when frosty weather follows a rain
the water which has worked its way
down past the cracks between the blocks
freezes. sending the blocks up into
bumps, so that the highway becomes
series OF waves. IT doesn't take long
after this because the traffic over this
bridge Is 50 great. for these places 20
break down again, leaving ridges and
Expressions in the surface. so that n
waffle is as smooth as pancake compared
20 what results.
~ have thought very often that the
department OF the city which has this
bridge in charge ought to be able to do
something to make conditions better. II
occurred to me the Other day that mas
much as this department isn't able to
meet the conditions. and despite that Is
spending large sums OF money annually
IN vain attempts to make things better.
why wouldn't IL he feasihl. TO OFFER a
premium or rewHrd of some sort TO
highway engineers who would study this
rrohlem and come forward with a plan
which would nut the bridge into coudi-
''on So that repairs need not be made
every few months or course 7 suppose
thai there isn't anything In the city
Oh rter that permits W this being done.
hut II seems 10 mo that "A great saving
would he made this way ny cutting IN
ne large amount that is put out in
Watching
"Aftcr all thesc wears. with the great
improvements i'm highway engineering
hat have been made right along. 10
seems u this bridge could be tackled
nv some ono aud made disable night
7'our without all the annoyance TO
mo ors,s that IT occasions II isn't the
fault ~ the wood block pavement. be
cause that lasts all right when laid on
No proper foundation II IL the fouu-
Aq''on problem that has to he tackled
md il would he hard to Imagine any
CIV administration that would earn
greater gratitude from the motorist Sec
''1u NJ tho community than that which
srr'eeds in making the greensboro
Rr'dge ~ for man and motor"