New Britain herald., 1920-06-21
A NEW CENTRAL STREET.

| Tomorrow evening there will be a hearing before tho board of Public Works on the advisability of creating | n new street in the center of the city. when the extension of Lake street through to Main will come before tho public. The project has cropped up for a number of years past, and no great opposition has developed al- though the possibility of adding to our street facilities had never reach
 cd the point which Is now present. IL is said that there is. in contempla-
 ton. q scheme which calls for a
 building alongside the railroad tracks. If this is erected the expense of build ing the street will be much greater. and the universal belief is that ul- timately the thoroughfsre must be placed. Consequently immediate &C., ton is necessary.
 Most New Britainites are familiar with the plan. Briefly. it is to open up Lake street continuing it to Main parallel with the railroad tracks on the south side. The advantages to the public are obvious to one who ,contemplates the ever-incpeasing traffic about our center. Automobiles are many. there is no passageway for them. south Of the tracks in a wester- iy direction. until the green. and West Main street is reached. Any passer- by knows the amount of trafic here | at rush hours. a part of which, at | least would be diverted on the new | street. We have the pedestrian. also, to consider. Many a factory man | and woran is forced to pass along | the side of the tracks on what Is little more than an aiieyway in going to and from work. But the compel ling argument. after all. Is the en- of tb>>ixx itself in the creating of further conSSniences to the public. the rise in values>Sf prop erty and the consequent grear in- come from these properties. wSsh- Ington street would be benefited the proposed change. SO would Maj street and there Is a great area 9f land in the center of the block bould- cd by Main. West Main. Washington and the railroad which would be opened up for stores and places of business.
 It is understood that condemnation would be necessary | against certain owners of land on Main street. which the cut would cross. Otherwise. intsnested prop erty owners. also on Main street and in the center of the blocks. have promised the city s7O.Ooo should the project go through and one of them has stated that he will start erection of a seven story block bounded by Main street and the new street. It is certain that other large buildings would be erected facing the railroad. Here we have. then s7o.oo0 in cash To weigh against the cost of building Inc street
 It is said that about $50. 900 would bo the cost to the city, above the Of those directly bene- tited. Inttrest upon this. at seven per cent. figures at s3.5o0. Should the city issue bonds it would be able to pay. in all probabilities. the inter- sst on the bonds and possibly small payment on principal per year. from he increased taxes paid by the prop srty owners along the new street. It would have an addition to it's per property that would be we'll worth the investment. and convcn- ence that would undoubtedly prove 
 There may be opposition tomorrow evening. there may not. If there is it will come from misguided or selfish lourccs. Possibly the average citizen with nothing to gain or loce. except ng valuable addition to hts home iity. will not cnrc to attend the meet ng. Hts views will he the most well 'omod by the board should he choose O take the necessary time.