Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-11-20
LESSON FROM OTHER CITIES.

Tbe tranic problem is one of the hardest that
uouD,ci,aIities have to solve. In every place of
any size the greatest congestion prevails in the
business sections and for many of these cities 1t
means the expenditure of millions of dollars 10
relieve the situation.
In Newark, for instance, because the city
has been allowed to grow to its present size
without any plan and without the forefathers
looking far into the future. everything mas oeeh
allowed to center about Broad and Market
streets. Many relief measures have been sug-
gested and some have been carried out at con-
siderable expense to the taxpayers, but still the
problem seems to be as great as ever.
It is not surprising therefore. that in con-
sidering the possibility of the coming lesisia-
ture enacting a law seriously affecting the Jit-
news now In operation in competition with the
trolley lines, Newark finds that until radical
changes are made in the street layout OF that
city jitneys in competition with the trolley are
absolutely necessary.
'The lawmakers must remember the Newark
News says" that, SO far as Newark Is concern
ed. the jitneys can not be driven on OF the
streets on which trolley lines operate without
seriously disrupting our transportation system
that is. not until street changes can be made
that would provide direct north-and-south and
.ast-aud-west routes outside of the thorough
fares pre-empted by trolley lines.
"Jitneys may be, as claimed, deadly COM
~netitors to the trolley, but in this city at the
present time. and under existing conditions
thew form a necessary supplemental service
N care for the rush-hour overflow that the
street cars can not handle properly because Of
trance congestion. This is a fact that can be
demonstrated any day in the center OF the
civ. A new street layout has long been needed
by Newark, and when 1t comes-and 1t should
come without long delay-the jitney can be
taken out of direct competition with trolley
lines without driving the buses out of business"
Perth Amboy does not begin to have the
rafhc problem that Newark has. In fact, there
= very little congestion here as yet. But every
year sees it increasing. II Newark and every
other large city that is now struggling with
4 trafic congestion problem had adopted a
city plan when they were the size of Perth
Amboy their north and south" and "east-and-
west" routes would have been provided for.
The lesson for Perth Amboy to learn is that
now while the city is just beginning to grow
and the traffic problem has hardly started is
the time to look into the future and adopt
plans that will take care of just such a situa-
zion as now confronts Newark.
A comprehensive plan mapping out work to be
done from year to year as the city grows VIII
provide the various routes for traffic to the
different residential sections and when the time
comes for opening these routes it can be done
with the least expense.
BY all means. let Perth Amboy adopt a city
plan now before 1t goes any further. 1t will
mean a saving of millions of dollars to the
city in the future and, at the same time, will
assure a modern and up to date municipality at
all times. There will be a program and a sys-
tenn TO everything that is done that cannot
help attract attention and will make Perth
Amboy a more desirable place to live in.