The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-16
FIGHT FOR
WIDER MADISON AVE.
Committee Conducting Campaign En-
couraged by Attitude of Bor-
ough President

the avenue and the removal OF encroach-
ments and those opposed to It.
The borough presidents office several
years years ago made a count of the
traffic on the avenue and survey OF
the occupants of the buildings. This
data is of value to-day with the excep-
ton perhaps of the traffic count and in
my opinion no traffic count should be
taken until the Thlrty-fourth street and
the Park avenue viaduct improvements
are completed and opened to traffic.
Suggests Canvnssing Owners.
THE Fifth Avenue Association has
been very active in this matter and has
at various times offered to lend Its
efforts toward obtaining additional in
formation. 1t has occurred to me, there
fore. that It might be willing to make n
canvass of the avenue and determine
how many of the owners of property
are in favor and how many are opposed
to this Improvement Should a majority
favor it l think that 1t would be proper
for the city administration to consider
undertaking the work Immediately.
81 address this communication to YOU
because you have apparently been try
ing to get the Fifth Avenue Association
and this office to work together on this
improvement"
on February 20 Mr. Gilman sent thu
following reply to Mr.. Bowling:
Il beg to acknowledge receipt OF your
favor of the 18th inst. which reached me
this morning. with reference to the
widening of Madison avenue. l would
call your attention to the fact that on
the list of those opposed to the widening
OF Madison avenue there are number
Of owners south of Fortieth street. In
which section / personally do not think
1t is necessary to widen the roadway, AZ
there are no car tracks.
III you will look at the map of the
section between Fortieth street and
SiXtyfirst street you will see that there
are actually very few encroachmenta
and that a large number of the existing
entertainments can be removed at COM
paratively small expense compared with
the benefits which the property would
derive
Il do not think it fair to count the
traffic on Madison avenue under existing
conditions as l know great many peo-
pie avoid Madison avenue because of the
danger of being blockaded between a
vehicle standing at the curb and the
cars in the middle OF the street
Would Benefit Fifth Avenus
81 am convinced that there IS nothing
lHdl WOuIu nelIl tne congestion on run
avenue SO much as the widening of the
roadway on Madison avenue. This.
alone, ] think, is sufficient reason for
your office TO take up the matter ac-
lively. as the loss OF time to people
using Fifth avenue in IS present con-
gested conditions Guns into very large
sum of money. ] personally believe that
Park avenue Is too far away to ever
accomplish the purpose which Madison
! avenue would.
Would II not he possible for your
office to again have n hearing on the
subject and notify all the Madison ave
nue. owners between Forteth and Six
tieth streets?
1T would seem to me that this class
OF work is very beneficial at this present
time. when all those interested in the
reconstruction period are trying to get
jobs for discharged soldiers; this i'm
provement could give employment TO
quite a number OF people.
MY chief reason for asking that you
take It up again is that l know the
benefit to be derived by property owners
is so far in excess of the cost that I am
convinced 1t would be an excellent thing
for both the property owners and the
city 10 proceed rs speedily as possible"