New-York tribune., 1920-08-15
Acute Discomfort
In Touring on
New Jersey Roads
Bad Conditions ON Highways
to Coast Resorts De-
scribed; Raritan Bridge
Closing Causes Trouble


bulk Of road repairing is done in the
height of the touring season. At that
time, of course, it creates the most
acute discomfort TO the users of the
roads, especially automoblists, and
they naturally receive the very worst
which they are passing. At this sea-
son OF the year great many motor
lists are driving through to New Jersey
points, only to find that conditions
could hardly be worse.
To begin with. take trip such as
that to Atlantic City at This time. If
the motorist goes by way OF Staten
Island he arrives at Perth Amboy, to
find that the bridge over the Raritan
River between Perth Amboy and South
Amboy is still being repaired. This
gives HIM no choice except to drive
fifteen miles to New Brunswick At
Metuchen he encounters the far-famed
Lincoln Highway.
OF the four miles of this highway
between Metuchen and New Brunswick;
two miles are in a deplorable condition.
10 be sure. good deal of public no
tlce has been directed to this section,
so that the automobiist who has heard
II IS bad may even be surprised that
Il Is not neary as bad as it could be.
That IS TO say, there are occasional
stretches between the rough spots
which are almost smooth.
1t makes the motorist wonder just
what the Lincoln Highway is If the
Highway Association is responsible for
these conditions it ought to be ashamed
OF itself and ought to spend some
money on these ROADS. If, however, the
highway Association is not respon-
slble then at least it ought not be able
= TO claim credit for the good sect.ens
Of the highway in New Jersey, but
probably would do so anyway The
writer recalls a recent statement from
the association which seemed to indi-
cate that it was satisfied with condi-
tions between New York and Phila-
deiphia Conditions are very fine, if
the road is not being used
The city of New Brunswick has
every reason to resent the closing of
the bridge over the Raritan River be-
cause no community was ever so shown
up IN the matter Of rough streets as
New Brunswick is since motorists be-
gan TO come through there on account
of the detour. Actually the streets in
New Brunswick aresrougher than the
road between Motuchen and New
Brunswick, hut now one of the very
worst stretches has been closed for
repairs.
From New Brunswick there arc two
choices. One is to return through
South River to South Amboy, very
pleasant, smooth road. and then to
drive through Keyport and Matawan to
Freehold. Between Matawan and Free
hold there is one very bad stretch and
1r.,- i
tirely closed, necessitating the use of
8 very poor detour. The road for the
last three miles before entering Free
hold is remarkably good This is a
wide concrete surface and truly per-
mancnt highway.
From Freehold through to Lakewood
the road is wide, little rough and
highly uninteresting, and so. too, be-
yond through Toms River and Barnegat
to New Gretna. Directly after leaving
THIS place Il stretch is encountered of
the very worst. kind The road is be-
ing repaired and enormous loads of
material are being dumped on the
stretch. This leaves a section wide
enough for single car to pass through
deeply rutted and very sandy. Cars
can pass in one direction only at a
time. and unless great care is OBJ
served the motorist is likely to find
himself in d ditch.
After this stretch is passed there is
nothing to hinder the automobilist on
his way and he finds himself soon at
the entrance 20 the hosecon Boulevard,
splendid seven-mile stretch, leading
directly into Atlantic City. Because
OF the closing of the bridge this trip
is now about twenty miles longer than
usual
Coming back from Atlantic City to
Long Branch good road conditions are
,%0,. 7 v,i,@ d.,
Pleasant and the coast resorts. From
Long Branch to New York City it is
necessary to make several detours.
There is one that leads around Eaton
town and another which leads the auto
mobilist into Matawan at point on.
the main road to Freehold, where there
is sign warning against the road be-
ing closed at Holmdel. Motorists bound
from Matawan would better take the
road to the left instead of attempting
to go straight on to Freehold.
The writer decided to return from
New Brunswick and Metuchen by way
of Newark instead of going through
Staten Island. This was very much
mistaken choice, because although there
is splendid new state highway lead
ing through Colonia and Iselin the
road gets very bad again in the neigh
borhood of Railway and Elizabeth, and
Is not particularly good between Eliza
beth and Newark. The traffic is heavy
and the roadbed is unpleasant. 1t
makes the trip from Long Branch to
New York nearly eighty-five miles now
and noS pleasing trip at that.
There is a great deal to be done in
the way Of improving the roads in the
S.-'e OF New Jersey, especially those
most use " automobilists bound to
coast resorts. A continuance of these
conditions will undoubtedly mean great
financial loss to the resort keepers. and
they certainly owe it to themselves to
see that improvements are made.