Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-10-04
SUGGEST BONDS
FOR SPAN HERE
State Road Board Urges Gov
jernor to Act to Finance
Bridge Over Raritan Here
CALLED EMERGENCY CASE
Proposed Bond Issue Would
be Voted Upon at Referen-
i dunn for Raising the Money

TRENTON, Oct. 4. - The State
Highway Commission today made
public statement which 1t has SUBJ
mitted to Governor Edwards show
ing that the sum of $1S,000,00O mus
be sent eventually by the state If
the bridges connecting the state
highways are to match the improve
ments proposed and under way fol
the roads In New Jersey.
! OF this sum, four million dollars
will be needed within the next three
wears to replace seven important
bridges which are in urgent need OF
attention, says the state highway
commission, and the remaining w.
100000 should be provided to COM
plete the Improvements to Other
structures within the six year period
TIE seven cases of urgency include
the important Perth Amboy Bridge
over the Raritan River, which the
highway board points out it was
forced to close for a time during the
past summer because of its con-
dition. The sum of $315,000 is need
ea for immediate repairs to the
seven bridges enumerated in the
statement, and it is recited ina,
several of them are tottering anc
one has actually collapsed and fallen
INTO the SlIedHl oNtI - ''S-
built in Morris county.
The highway commission suggests
to the governor that he recommenc
10 the 1921 Legislature that 1t give
authority for a measure carrying q
bond issue, to be voted upon by the
people at a referendum, for the pur'
u pose of finding the money to mee'
I the bridge construction program
I which it declares is imperative. Fol
d lowing Is the statement submitted &c
Mr.. Edwards on this question:
4 I'VE desire to lay before you for
n consideration in making your recom-
" mendations to the next legislature
l. the seriousness of the state highway
situation as it pertains to the I'M
IMPROVEMENT of the bridges forming an
Mimportant part of different sec.ons
of the various routes. Unless adequate
Il financial provision Is made ior im
ID proyements, both immediate and
k future. to these structures over the
kISsivers and smaller streams In various
\ EYsections of the state. much OF tne
" value of the highway system now
u1der construction will be impaired
"In this connection, may we invlt.
Hlyour attention to report by state
Highway Engineer Thomas ]. Wassei
lust submitted, based on data coiiecl-
ed by Charles A. Mead. department
engineer of bridges, which carries
Information in detail as to the situa
ZION respecting the bridges. We wo~id
.particulariy call the attention o
sYour Excellency to the sever
tructures which MIR. Mead character
zes as important locations needing
immediate attention, to use ms
words: "as a matter OF urgency.
Following are the seven structures:
"Raritan River bridge at Perth
zAmboy; Matawan Creek, Monmouth
eounty; Cooper's bridge over Nav
esink River. Monmouth county
Manasquan bridge. touching Mon
nouth and Ocean counties: Shark
River bridge, Monmouth county,
Pine Brook bridge, Morris county
Sedminister bridge. over the nortr
branch of the Raritan River II
somerset county. The Pine Brool
tructure Is on route No. IL and the
s3edminister on route No. 16. Al
HE others are important links o
oute No. 4, which runs from RAN
Nay to Absecon.
"These bridges are In such con-
Hition that regardless of what is tt
be done to their permanent replace
nent, the sum of not less than s3lH,-
boo must be provided for the repair :
bending the availability of adequate
Eunds to meet the permanent con
Estruction plans which Mr.. Mead has
outlined for them in his report.
"Referring again to the seven mos
kIreent projects. the first mentioned
khe structural cost of rebuilding the
Amboy bridge over the Raritan river
figured at $2.70O.0O0. In the mean.
lime the sum of s150,000 must bt
epent to maintain the present bridge
he present structure has been re-
ricted to loads of not more thar
Ave tons, due to the poor trestle ap'
approaches. To maintain it as
Temporary measure for period o.
Ethrce years, or until the new one Il
built may require $4,000 year. The
new bridge planned Is to be made
adequate for carrying trucks of TWEEN
tv tons in weight without restriction
Last March. part of the presen
bridge was carried away by the tlocd
necessitating temporary repairs. Dur
ing tho summer much criticism was
heard when we were forced to Close
4 this bridge because of failure of III
operating machinery to function, ;
condition. which confronted thi
board when it came into Office. Thi!
bridge is one of the two under STATE
control which carry all the principa
traffic between New York and Phila
delphia and the south. to say moth
ing of the shore resorts of this state
The other bridge under our contro
is located at Albany street. New
Brunswick. The importance of th'
Amboy bridge can, therefore, be ap
preciated.
Having recently completed a tou
of inspection of a number of tn
highway routes, we had an oppor
tunity to inspect practically all o
.re bridges described as in need c
urgent attention, and, therefore
write with first hand knowledge O
the situation respecting them. Speak
ing generally on the question 0
bridge improvements, 1t need hard
ly be said that unless the rivers an
smaller bodies of water are span
ned with suitable structures. muc
of the good which We hope tn
citizens of the State who use tn
- roads may derive from them VIII b
lessened. The bridges are an inte
grsl part of the highway construc
ion, anw we feel that their improve
ment should receive the same atten
ton as any policy respecting Il,
laying down OF permanent roads. n
the two subjects so hand in hand.