The sun., 1916-11-29
TUBES AT FIFTH AVE-.
And AID ST. URGED
Chairman Anderson Of Mayors
Traffic Board Says They
Will End Blockade.
BRIDGES TOO UNSIGHTLY
Tunnel for Pedestrians and
Cars Would Relieve Traf-
fic on Main Artery.

inevitably Mammalian must relieve
the traffic pressure at Forty-second
street n Fifth avenue by means Of
underground pedestrian passages and
tubes for crosstown street cars. leaving
that important intersection entirely to
vehicles. This Is the belief Of A. A. An
derson. chairman Of the Mayors central
committee or street traffic. lie was APP
pointed to that post by Mayor Mitchell
because Of his knowledge Of the traffic
situation in New York. For two years
he has been advocating the tunnelling
of Fifth avenue at its main crossing.
81 can see no other solution" he said
yesterday In his studio at Fortieth street
and Sixth avenue. I'VE all now what
the situation is. We realize that the
avenue Is bearing all the vehicular traf-
hc possible. II can accommodate no
moe pc. sons than pass from one side
time.
We must take the crowds across
either overhead or under Fifth avenue.
T. construct bridges at Forty-second
stree, would lend unsightliness 20 that
important intersection. Furthermore. II
is difficult to persuade pedestrians to
climb stairs. SO all that In left to us
10 w UNIV uiIuNI a. III
81. is not "A difficult matte, at that
point TO make a tube for pedestrians
and another for street cars. The grades
OF tho avenues leading TO II hep to a
degree and we easily could lift the
! grade Of the avenue.
stores In the Tube.
"If we made a tube We wouli need
hui, "A few steps on each side. We could
/ rnnEa N aructtxA aud wyAn 1t~htAI NM
could build In stores. 1t would be an
advantage also TO extend the under
ground for pedestrians clear to Grand
Central station.
by sinking the pedestrian traffic and
the crosstown cars we would have room
on Forty-second street for two auto
mobiles on each side OF the street. 1t
would give greater space and comfort
TO our longitudinal streams of traffic.
This would assist In a great measure
to solve our traffic problem.
In time. l believe that Manhattan
must come TO al elevated vehicle road
way skirting the entire island. This
would be "A path of forty-two miles. by
keeping the traffic moving I'm one dircc-
ton on this thoroughfare and forbid
DIM pedestrians vi could permit a
speed OF nifty miles an hour.
"Thus We would gain one OF the most
beautiful driveways In the world with.
out ~hamperins any OF tho towns activi.
ties. We then could use Fifth avenue
broadway and our other arteries foi
local traffic exclusively. From the elc.
waited roadway there could be side paths
leading to the cross streets. The thor
oughfare would be only four minute.
from the centre OF the town. This Of
course Is somewhat far in the future. bu'
! ] believe we will have to come to I
eventually. II would be a distinct orna
ment and decided benefit to the town"
, Endorses Tunnel Plan.
II. VI. Johnston. president OF the Auto
, mobile Dealers Association. indorses tn
: tunnel plan with an amendment
''In my judgment either bridges q
4 tunnels will have to he constructed n
r important points OF traffic congestion
We oannot expect tho pedestrian 4
Y walk up and down stairs. lie will no
1 do ii. Tn traffic tunnel or the tram
. bridge OF the future must he provided
with escalators SO that the pedestrian
physical exertion."
6 Mr.. Johnston thinks that the regula
2 tions now applied 70 vehicles Should b
= enforced against pedestrians.
4 81 believe" he said. that II is abso
e lutely essential that the block system q
handling vehicular traffic at impor,an
r CROSSINGS should be cxterled so that ne
destrians are subjected To the same reg
Z ulations. For example. under the pres
cnt system when vehlc-ilar traffic Is NOV
= ing north and south at Fifth avenue an,
g Forty-secoud street vehicles are not per
: mittei tn move east and west.
TT traffic system should be modine
so that when vehicular traffic is movin
north md south pCither vehicles NOR no