Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1920-01-24
ROUTE 10 IS FOR MOTOR TRUCKS.
SHERIFF k|NzLEY TELLING OF HOW
The THING WAS WHIPPED into Line
Latest Developments Interesting Showing How Foolish
Palisade Was to Fight in Trenton When Hackensack
Was the Place Send Our Guns and Ammunition.
SERIOUS MATTER ENDS LAUGHABLY

Sheriff Joseph Kinzley, Jr., sends
the following interesting account OF
how Route No. 10 was planned through
politics, and the board of freeholders,
1t will be interesting reading to Pail
sadians who have never before under
stood Just how a sane highway board
could have set about to literally ruin
the main thOroughfare of Palisade by
running this monstrOsity into the heart
of the village when it could have been
turned north or south a block or two
without injuring the town in the slight
est. The Bluff road route will not only
disfigure, but destroy the peace OF a
large number of the Oldest residents
of the place. Mr.. Kinzley says: Pail
sade is to be congratulated that only
heavy motor trucks are to use the high
way instead of steam locomotives. The
article follows:
s.Changing the name of the Bergen
Pike to State Route 10 means a saving
to Bergen county taxpayers OF about
one and a half millions of dollars.
.The historic old Pike after check
cred career has at last become the
property of the great state OF New
Jersey. The final spike in the trans
action was driven by Senator Mackay
and the freeholders last week.
"From plank road, to toll road, to
county road to state highway its
progress from the early days to today
fIgg steadify md consistently the
growth of the county and indicates the
epochs in American history; from
stage coach, to trolley to motor cars.
1t has served great purpose in the
past, its future will mark the advent
of a greater era in transportation.
+. "The Bergen Pike, known as the
old Plank Road years ago, was the
only outlet for this part of the country
to New York. Later the Bergen Turn
pike Company operated it as a toll
road. Then with the coming of the
Public Service Corporation it became
part of that great system mainly for
trolley purposes. Now its future is
destined for motor traffic.
"One of the last historic acts of the
large board of freeholders was the
purchase of this road from the Public
Service, abolishing thereby the old
antiquated toll road system. There
were many who criticized this official
deed because of an idea that the cor
poration had passed on to the county
by this transfer all it's heavy financial
obligations to maintain the road, and
retained for itself all Of it's rights and
privileges for transportation purposes.
But it was nevertheless a forward
movement and natural evolution
toward the proper place for this old
artery of travel.
"When the state highway system
was being worked out in the legisla-
ture at Trenton the alertness of AS
semblyman Walter Winnie enabled Ber-
gen to secure an entering wedge by
the inclusion of a road from Paterson
to Fort Lee ferry by way of Dundee
Lake and Hackensack. The idea
was that this would be by way of the
Fort Lee Turnpike, Essex street and
Market street, all of which was prac-
tically improved roadways built at the
expense of the county of Bergen.
"Former Freeholders William T.
Eager and Joseph Kinzley, Jr, with
Road Supervisor Thier saw the pos
sibilities of having the state take over
the Bergen Pike by changing the lines
from Fort Lee ferry to Hackensack
to Paterson by way of Ridgeheld.
This would take in the greater portion
of the old Pike including two dilapi-
dated bridges, thus saving the county
a very heavy annual outlay for main
tainance of roadway and bridges.
''The proposal appealed to the state
authorities because the new route,
while only a quarter of a mile longer,
did away with the heavy and danger
Gus grades of the Fort Lee hill. A
plan was carefully worked out. When
all facts were at hand the state de-
partment went over the route under
the supervision of General George
Goethals, builder of the Panama Canal
at that time head of the highway de-
partnent of the sl.rtn. Watson g.
a,Clark of Tenaf1y, one of the highway
commissioners, aided very materially
in the technical solution of the prob
lem of climbing the Palisades. Then
came the assistance of Senator
Mackay. The project was finally put
sauarely up to the commission by him
Continued on Page 8.