Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-08-25
NEW ROAD WILL
BE OPENED SOON
South Amboy Road viii be
Completed Before Bridge is
Open Again for Traffic.

Trafic over the bridge across the
Raritan river. between this city and
South Amboy. will be resumed be-
fore Labor Day.
This announcement was made at
the offices of the State Highway De-
D partment in Trenton this morning
by one of the engineers who stated
that one more weeks time would
suffice to complete the repairs which
the draw is now undergoing.
The information was also given
out today at Trenton that the new
concrete road from the South bridge
approach to Broadway and Main
streets, South Amboy, would also be
open to traffic when the bridge Is
again put into operation. This Will
mean the abandoning of the Hole
in-the-Wall" route through South
Amboy.
The delicate work of installing
the machinery which turns the draw
Is being rushed as fast as possible,
II was announced, and with favorable
weather conditions the bridge should
be open for traffic again next Wednes-
day Rumors have been prevalent
the last few days to the effect that
the bridge would be open this week
end and that the draw would be
sary in order to do away with the
long New Brunswick detour now
made necessary in the case of auto
mobiles travelling to the seashore-
These reports were learned TO be
unfounded, however, when the state
highway authorities at Trenton were
questioned in the matter.
Mayor Frank Dorsey was In con-
ference with Governor Edward !.
Edwards at Trenton yesterday in an
EFFORT TO see what action could be
taken by the governor. IL any, to
hurry the work on the draw SO that
1t may be again placed in commits
sion.
Governor Edwards informed the
mayor that on last Tuesday he had
.s communicated with the State High
way Department, concerning the
opening of the bridge and that the
department informed him they ex-
pected to have the bridge open by
Friday,
Upon arriving back In this city,
The mayor himself took the matter
up with the department and was IN
not give out any information, and
was referred to Mr.. Mead of the
Public Utility Commission. Mr.. Mead
informed the mayor that all the
material Is now at the bridge and
that some traffic might be allowed
across the structure on Tuesday. He
would inform the mayor definitely
within a few days the exact date on
which the bridge would be in con-
dition for traffic to be resumed, he
said
The bridge has now been closed
for more than six weeks, during
which time it was necessary to send
out of the state for the parts used
in the draw mechanism. Two days
wre required to jack up the draw TO
the proper level, two large jacks
now being used. When the new
machinery has been installed 1t will
require about the same time to low
er the draw into place.
The completion of the new road,
which will form a part of Route
of the state highway system from
Newark to the shore resorts. will
mark the addition of another excel
lent strip of road between this city
and Asbury Park. During the early
part of the summer when traffic
over the bridge was permitted. the
road from the bridge to South Am
.5oy. via the "Hole-in-the-wall," was
the worst strip to be found on the
way to the shore. Now with the
old detour by way of the ''hole" will
be abandoned by autoists.
1t was said at highway depart
ment headquarters in Trenton this
morning that this road might be
completed by the end of this week.
weather permitting, and if not it
surely would be finished and ready
for traffic the early part of next.
week.
1t will positively be open for
traffic when the bridge is In con-
dition to permit of traffic again
passing over it, one of the highway
officials declared.
The state highway department
will no doubt announce one or two
days before the bridge is opened
the fact that 1t will be in candi-
ton to handle traffic again in order
to allow time for New York and
northern New Jersey motorists to
know that the New Brunswick de-
tour is no longer necessary.