New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-25
Bills Passed Last Week
Provide for Two
Other Tubes.
GREENSBORO BRIDGE
MAY NOT BE CHANGED
Train Operation Over Span
Would Have Affected
Vehicular Traffic.

Tho construction Of two tunnsls
under the East River, just north o.
the greensboro Bridge, for the oper-
alton Of the Broadwsy-59th at. subway
cars OF the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company. seems now 70 be assured,
saws the Chamber OF Commerce o,
Queens Borough.
It adds: "A bill permitting the city
to make the necessary changes In the
route under 18th and 60th sts. passed
the Senate last Tuesday and similar
action was taken on the following day
by the Assembly.
"This will undoubtedly end the long
fight conducted by the Chamber Of
Commerce TO secure the operation Of
rapid transit trains across the Queens
boro Bridge without cutting down the
roadway width. The seriousness % re-
ducing the present wide roadway Of the
bridge was first pointed out b. the
chamber three years ago. when the
Department Of Charities planned 20
install a freight elevator house in the
roadway in order to bring ambuances
to the hospital at BlackwelPs Island.
This project was defeated Dy the
Queens Chamber of Commerce.
"The dual subway contracts provided
for carrying both the lnterbOrough
Second av. al" trains and the subway
trains of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Broadway-59th st. line across the
Greensboro Bridge 10 connect with the
transfer station on the bridge plaza
in Long Island City. When II was
realized that the proposed arrangement
for carrying these trains across the
bridge would result in reducing 20
one-half the present vehicular roadway
width of % feet, the chamber urged
that a new plan be prepared 10 pro-
vide for additional roadway space on
the upper level. 70 compensate Tor
any proposed reduction Of the present
roadway. Up 70 that time the only
plans presented for the construction
of a tunnel would have necessitated
the entire rearrangement Of the tran
sit system operating through the sta
ton on the bridge plaza, and would
have caused a serious delay IN the
operation Of trains. The Bridge De
partment then prepared plan Tor
bringing the trains across the bridge.
This plan included two separate yenIc-
ular roadways of 20 feet in width. one
on each level. Under that plan the
southerly half OF the upper level would
be used for the operation OF the In
terborough Second av. elevated trains
and the northerly half of the present
roadway would be used for the opera
tion of the subway trains OF the Brook
Ign Rapid Transit Company.
"The Degnon Contracting Company,
however, presented a plan in Deem
Der, 1914, for building two tunnels
under the East River. north Of the
greensboro Bridge, for the operation
of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit subway
trains. The advantages of this plan
are that it leaves the present vide
roadway for vehicles intact; II does
not necessitate any Encouragement OF
the transit service Of trains from the
Steinway tunnel and the Second av.
81" through the passenger station on
the bridge plaza and over the eXten-
sions to Astoria and Corona.
"In February of this year the Board
of Estimate officially approved the tun-
mel method of bringing the BROOKLYN
Rapid Transit trains across the last
River. and requested the Public Ser
vice Commission 10 draft bill when
would permit this tunnel With the
adoption of the bill by the Senate, and
after its approval by the Mayor and
the Governor, il is expected that there
will be no further delay IN the opera
ton of these trains in the very
future over the extensions 20 Astoria
and Corona"