The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-27
PARK WEST.
Early Summer Correction Of IT'S De-
fects Urged.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sr. I,
Is clear to those who live on or near
Central Park West that something
should be done speedily regarding the
traffic conditions on that thoroughfars
between Columbus Circle and 10th
street.
1t is a dangerous place for pedes-
trians and vehicles. BECAUSE two trolley
tracks. the north and south bound, are
on the eastern side of the ~thoroughfare,
ana the roadway for vehicular traffic,
moving In both directions. is on the
western side. II 10 a eat requiring the
agility Of an athlete for man, woman
or child to cross the street and escape
unhurt.
This condition has existed for many
years past. Fol Ave years the various
civic bodies which are interested In that
locality. among them the Harlem Board
of Commerce, nave ~endeavored to have
the dangerous condition remedied. Sew
eral plans likely to correct the evil rom
dition have been suggested. Tho city
until recently chung to the one of re-
quiring the railway company to move
the eastern track to the west of the
present western track.
The question Is: What Ia now in the
way OF adopting tho plan which to
many has seemed to be the feasible and
sensible one from the start? The side
walk or the eastern side IL twenty-seven
feet wide. plainly a needless width for
the use that Is made of II. To demon
strate this fact beyond a doubt the
committee for the Harlem Board OF
Commerce caused a record TO be taken
Of the pedestrians who use that side
walk, selecting a fair weather Saturday
"a ftaYnann md JatArrnfp.I tAa. ,.x..
I o'clock A. NJ. and 7 o'clock +. NJ.
l.464 persons used IL. walking north
and south. The committees plan there
fore is:
Cut the twenty-seven foot sidewalk
seventeen feet, leaving II ten feet wide,
and permit the tracks TO remain where
they are.
In tho nrst place the railway company
has promised to subscribe SIS. 900 toward
the expense of making the changes
under this plan. h western roadway
Ii non too wide now. for the reason
that on this side are private residences
and apartment houses. A constant string
OF automobiles and other vehicles Is
constantly standing before them. thus
narrowing the roadway considerably for
vehicular trafic II the roadway on
the western side Is narrowed II will
neCesSltato tne narrOWlng OF inc West-
ern sidewalk as wen. and will probably
compel tho property 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, representing realty TO the
value of SO. 29l. 800. have by petitions
made known their objection TO this
needless expense.
The Board OF Aldermen has o on
record as favoring this plan. which
merely involves narrowing "A needlcssiy
wide sidewalk. At a recent meeting
hat body unanimously passed n reso!u-
ton favoring this solution. which Is so
clearly and obviously the right one that
few can understand why Il Is opposed
from any quarter.
The point that remains 10 be made Is
the one OF the responsibility of the city
toward It's citizens In this matter. With
the summer before us we are likely TO
read of the usual accidents which have
happened at that spot every year. Ieav-
ing the conside ration OF monetary losses
o~ccasioned by futur. lawsuits out OF
the question. how can the city Justify
It's course ~ allowing IT, citizens tn he
MANNED and killed when n solution Of
he problem and tho cessation OF these
accidents Is so clearly AT hand7
EDWARD w. FORREST
NV York, May 2s.