Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-06
RICHMOND STREET PLAN
( is URGED BY ENGINEERS
Will Save Large Sums of
9 Money, Says Rcpor, TO
Local Chapter.
TO DE PRESENTED TOMORROW
Many Cities Have HAD Experience
In 2oninE, and All Find II tn
lie Costly and Sh"rt-SIEhtcd, Conn
. mittcc Declares.

y Following exhaustive discussion OF
tho subject OF city planning and 2on-
Ing, as presented in detail by Director
OF Public Works Allen J. Savillc, the
Richmond Chapter, American As
ISOLATION of Engineers. named civic
committee 10 survey the situation and
make report This committee has
practically completed its work. and
will, at tho Monday meeting. present
preliminary report. The committee
consists Of Allen J. Sayine T.. II. II.
Myers. ". w. La pradc. j. Henley
Walker and II. II. Guods"ll. Their
preliminary report follows
Thirty years ago stranger
walked into tho office OF the Richmond
Locomotive Works and asked II ne
might 20 up on the water tower. This
stranger was Mr.. Barton. who de-
sired to Set n good View OF the Coun-
try which he afterwards developed as
Barton Heights. Others. following
his example. began TO lay of into lots
the adjacent lands. AS there was no
general plan TO follow, each laid out
MS property to suit himself and with
out due reference to existing streets.
The result is that the streets In large
sections Of the North side run in
various directions and are not con-
nected. These same conditions pre-.
vail on the South Side and in the
West End. notably along Park Ave-
nue. where few OF the cross streets
connect.
Find Experience Costly.
Cities all over the country have
gone through a similar experiences
and practically all OF the progressive
ones have realized that this is
costly, shorts sighted and wastcful
profess OF extending a city. 1t is
and to the individual owners OF sub
divided land Costly 10 the city. be-
cause II means that some day. more
than likely after the territory has
built up. II VIII become necessary 20
open new streets and straightcn old
ones, in order TO accommodate the
increased traffic requirements. Costly
to the individual property owner, be-
cause his property is located on n
street that is not continuous. thereby
rendering ii difficult OF access and
OF less value. In Cleveland sixty
nine miles OF new streets are now
being opened TO relieve traffic con-
di,ions. In 81. Louis and in Pitts
hurgh many miles more. In all these
cities the enormous cost OF such work
is due entirely to neglect in the
past.
"A properly prepared city plan puts
down on 4 map the main streets that
the city will need before the prop
erty IS subdividcd 80 that these costly
errors are eliminated. For instance
Washington has laid out its main
streets embracing the whole OF the
District OF Columbia although much
OF Its area is still devoted TO farming
Would Go beyond City Limits.
'In Richmond we have charter
provision that requires that all sub
divisions OF land must be approved
by tho City Council. but. OF course,
this applies only to that territory
within the corporate limits. To be
effective, this power to fix the main
streets must be given to the city FOR
n distance OF five to ten miles be-
yond the city limits. because, In
most cases. the land would DO sub
divided long before II would be
taken into the city. With such pro-
vision. the location OF all streets
could be made having in mind fu-
tUre development and expansion
The cost of preparing an adequate
plan would be insignificant In pro-
portion to the benefits derived. Th,
longer city postpones the prepare
ton OF such n plan the more costly
Will be the necessary remedies
"a street plan will not only save
money in the ways mentioned above
but. BY having an opportunity &c
lay out many of the streets while
the land is still devoted TO farming
the location can largely conform tC
the lay OF the land so that the cuts
and fills OF the eircc,s Will be re.
duced 10 minimum. saving To the