Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-12
TOLL-GATE
"BLOCKADE"
SOON TO GO
H. Griffith Predicts
Early Acquisition of
Roads by State
GRADUAL OCES S
automobile Clubs Secretary
Sees Solution of Problem in
Four or Five Years

uo,orinR Philadelphia. hemmed in by
,,,teates which dot the radiating auto
mobile roads, will be free TO the outside
so,id in four or FIVE years.
This prediction was made by c. H'
or,sith secretary of the Automobile Club
:, philadelphia. lie expects in that time
!. 900 the last of the gates wiped away
and the pixies free to motorists.
The present situation, motorists declare,
!. mat Philadelphia, the best situated
l.,,v in the country for automobling of
Varied nature. is surrounded by toll
ala "blockade." and that the tollgate
nrssents the only objection to automo-
hing TO and from Philadelphia. The
roads, they point out, are among the best
IN tho country and radiate in all direc-
,lons. a feature the Importance of which
should not be minlmized. When the ar
s chalo tollgate, an institution of n bygone
day. has vanished, they say Philadelphia
Viii be the ideal motorists city, for the
tollroads are the only disadvantage to
motoring in this vicinity.
"A toll-gate map of Philadelphia and its
surrounding country has never been COM
nIledp said Mr.. Griffith. 1T would be
impossible to indicate the location of the
tolgales except on a very large scale
map The map would be black with
them" e.
STATE TAKES HAND.
He based his prediction that the toll
roads would disappear within five years
on the rapidty with which they are being
abolished by the State
Toll roads are being diminished rap
Idly" he said. They have done good
service In their time, but we have out
grown them. They are ont of date. But
we should not condemn the system
hastily, for we have 1t to thank for the
good roads which we have. The toll-gate
system has enabled the roads to be kept
In good condition"
Phlladelphias five main automobile
hghways-the Chester pike, the Lancas-
ter pike. the West Chester pike, York
road and the I'd Street pike. together with
the Montgomery pike, are dotted with
tollgates on the strips of roadway which
are under the control of the toll-road
system. The sections of toll roads are at.
varying distances from the city, but all
Of the arteries are "blockaded." Most of
me gates situated near the city are about
miles distant.
GRADUALLY DISAPPEARING.
etrip by strip, section by section, the |
Toll roads are disappearing by a process |
of attrition. The most recent step In the |
war" was the filing of request in the |
montgomery County court for the con- |
sdemnation for public use, free of charge, |
81 montgomery avenue, one of the chief |
highways to the Main Line. The county |
vas petitioned In this matter instead of |
'he state because the highway in ques-
uon Is not a through route.
The s25O,Ooo State appropriation, by
means OF which the State Highway De-
paFtment is gradually absorbing the toll
roads and opening them to the public,
mas been used to the best possible ad-
Nntage. according to Mr. Griffith.
he cites the big part of toll rods on
.ne Perkiomen Valley pike which was
iaken over by the State last summer, to-
fsIher with large slice of the Bethlehem
pke which left only IL miles of toll road
On that highway.
another example is the Neshaminy
sahs pike. on the way to Trenton,
Arge part of which was opened last
var he said.> Then there was that
,Sfge section between Doylestown and
rahton which was taken over last year.
"a u olher parts of the State the purchase
y ,oll roads is going on and it will not
y long before we have seen the last of