The Detroit times., 1915-03-11
Subway Scheme Given
Blow in Report
Of Experts
WOULD RESULT
IN HIGHER FARES
Suggestions ! n c lu d e
Skip-Stops and
TwO-Unit Cars

A crushing blow TO the talk OF
constructing a subway under Wood
ward-ave. 10 relieve traftc conges-
ton In given In the report on De-
troit street railway franc, made to
the street railway commission by
Barclay Parsons 4 Knapp. and given
10 the public. Wednesday.
Tine report estimates that sub
way from the city hall to Mancbes-
ter .. sictor-ayes., Highland Park.
would cost sl6,30o.o00. Fixed
charges and operating expenses
would cost s2.00o.o00 annually. The
subway travel, based on a popuia,
ton OF i.000.vJ0. which the survey
contemplates as n possibility In
1920. would be 100000 per year.
In order TO produce sufficient
earnings" says the report. III will
be necessary 10 charge Ave cents
for . single subway ride and six
cents for subway and street car
transfer ride combined. The sub
way rates OF fare would tend to dis
courage the use OF the system, 40 as
70 postpone the realization OF the
So.oo0,oo estimated trafic much be-
yond the periods OF time here dis
cussed. In order TO make the street
railways OF Detroit. combined with n
long subway, on the heaviest trafiic
street, financially seif-supporting
system. n material increase In fare
over the whole city will be neces-
sary."
A short subway under Woodward.
ave. south OF Grand Circus park. ID
likely to be warranted within six
years, however. according to the re-
port. This could be built at a cost
OF s2.5oo.00 II is estimated.
Re-RoutIno Recommended.
The report recommends. IN lieu
OF n SUBWAY. a comprehensive plan
OF re-routing the street railway lines
through the heart OF the city. TO
prevent congestion and thus give
opportunity for operating more cars.
In shape, the report is n large.
square book OF 800 pages and copi.
Gus maps and diagrams. Its recon.
mendations are condensed into 80
pages. The rest OF the book IL
made up Of tables and statements
giving the materials OF the traffic
survey. on which the recommenda.
lions are based. and describes the
conclusions In detail.
The two men most responsible
for the report are William Barclay
Parsons and Henry NJ. Brincker-
hon. Mr.. Parsons Is head OF Bar.
clay Parsons a Knapp. the engineer
ing firm in charge of the traffic sur.
vey. Mr.. Brinckerhon was In per
sonai charge Of the Detroit work.
Mr.. Parsons In known all over the
world as civil engineer OF the first
rank. He was chief engineer OF the
Rapid Transit commission OF New
York. a member OF the Isthmian Ca
nal commission. the only American
engineer on the royal commission
on London traffic. and member Of
the board OF consulting engineers OF
the Panama canal. He had charge
OF the design and execution of the
New York subway system, and rep
resented the city OF Cambridge In
connection with the Boston subway.
He was consulting engineer for
many OF the tubes In New York.
notably the Hudson tubes and the
Steinway tunnel.
Mr.. T,rinckerhoff was the engi.
neer in charge OF the intramural
railway at the worlds fair in Chi
cago. lss2-1s93. He was also cleo
tri Al engineer and later general
manager OF the Metropolitan West
Side Elevated railway in Chicago.
For nine years he has been con-
sulting engineer with Barclay, Par.
sons & Knapp.
Two Sets Of Plans.
Two sets OF recommendation are
made by the trafic report. One
group can be carried out with little
or no expense. The other win en-
tail a cost OF about 100000. the re.
port estimates.
The FIRST set OF recommendation
includes:
1. A system OF stations or skip
stops on woodward-ave., from
Ad .msave. north; on Michigan-av ave.
from Abbottst. west; on Gratiot-ave.
from Pingree-sq. east: on Jefferson.
ave. from Randolph-st. east. and on
Grand liver.ave. from Adamsavc.
west. Alternate street corners are
10 be taken In one direction, the
intermediate corners IN the other.
2. Street collectors Of fares. at
the front doors OF cars, IN the down
town district. during the rush hours.
3. A change IN the division rail
at the rear door OF pay.enter cars.
go that II may be removed ana both
doo-s used Cor entering the car. at
congested points.
4. Running OF special cars
through factory crowds, 10 provide
service for people further along the
line.
8. Setting aside OF cassave. and
John R.-st. for vehicle trafhc. giving