The Detroit times., 1915-03-11
AND LOOPS
ARE URGED AS CURE FOR
TRAFFIC CONGESTION

right OF way TO north and south
bound trafic on these streets over
east and west-bound trafic on inter.
secting strests. This plan would
necessitate the widening OF John r..
st. and the repaving OF certain
blocks.
Q. Rerouting of certain Detroit
and interurban lines to relieve bad
crossing conditions. making Cadii-
lac-sq. and Bates-st the interurban
station.
More Elaborate Changes.
The more detailed plan includes
moe important and far-reaching
changes. These include:
I. The entire re-routing Of the
various lines entering the heart of
the city. This re-routing scheme
provides for the looping back OF cars
not required for through trafnc
across the center Of city. and 10 de-
signed to make possible the opera
ton OF cars to and from the center
OF the city without interference with
one another.
2. Extensions Of the Crosstown.
Fourteenth, Warren and Grand Belt
lines.
3. Construction Of q large bridge
TO Belle Isle. at the present site-a
bridge capable OF handling street car
trafiic to the island. passengers to
be loaded and unloaded at sub
way station on the island, The
building Of q second bridge ut the
east end OF the island" says the re-
port. should BE deferred until the
pressing traalc needs at the present
site are provided for"
4. Two-car units on Woodward
ave. during the rush hours. to be
put In service at once. are recon.
niended. and additional car service
on present over-crowded lines after
the re-routing II accomplished.
Described IN general terms. the
re-routing consists In providing
number OF loops In the heart OF the
city, so that cars will cease TO cross
In large numbers at woodward-ave.
and Michiganave. and Woodward
ave. and Fort-st. Grtswold-st. con.
gestion 10 also cared for.
Delays at Crossings.
Observations OF the time lost on
the principal lines by reason OF
crossing interferences during the
rush hours showed that on Wood.
ward-ave. the north-bound cars dur
ing the rush hour from Fort to
State-sts. consumed two minutes. SO
seconds on an average. Of which 50
seconds. or practically one-third. was
unnecessary crossing delay" says
the report. THE east-bound Michi-
gan and Baker cars between Wayne
and Farmer. experienced crossing
delays OF three minutes. 81 seconds
out of an average running time OF
seven minutes AZ seconds. the west
bound cars OF the same lines being
delayed one minute 56 seconds In q
running time Of Ave minutes. eight
seconds. This lost time does not ex.
press or indicate the period OF block
ade OF cars. which II cumulative as
soon as they begin to line up one
behind another, but Ii the actual
time lost by one car between the
points mentioned
more than 80 per cent OF the
Fortst. cars. as al present operated,
cross woodwardave. only for the
purpose Of looping around Cadillac.
50. Thus In order to simply turn
the cars the woodward-ave. trafic
Ii crossed twice.
Further complicatins the city
street car crossings IL q system of
heavy interurban cars turning In
and out over these same intersec-
lions.
The re-routing plan aims to re-
duce to a minimum the delays from
the crossing and other forms of In
reference. while maintaining an
closely as possible the present gen.
oral functions OF each line. On the
Jefferson line, car crossings are re-
duced by 80 per cent: on the Michi-
gan line. Sc per cent, and on the
woodward line, rs per cent.
The re-routing permanently re-
iIeves the worst OF the present bad
street car interferences In the en-
tire congested district The equiva-
lent relief would not be obtained by
either single north and south or
east and west subway. The import
ance, therefore, of the re-routing
plan, whether subway IL subse-
quentiy built or not. In very obvious.
Cost Would BE 100000.
An estimate OF the necessary
track changes. repaving. curbins,
sidewalk and other items involved
In this complete re-routing plan for
the congested district amounts TO
st00, 900.
where street car congestion be-
comes as acute as In Detroit, II In
necessary to minimixe every element
OF delay The capacity Of any line
where the principal trafsc Is In one
direction Is limited by the number
OF cars which can be operated. In
creasing the number Of cars to re-
duce crowding only tends to make
conditions worse, unless running
time. stops and crossing delays can
be reduced. The scheduled speed.