The New York herald., 1921-07-17
CONDUIT HIGHWAY
ON LONG ISLAND
New Twenty-Five Mile Road of
Modern Type Direct to
South Shore.

splendid wide State road of the most
modern type, twenty-five miles long,
safe. free from congestion. providing a
direct connection between Greater New
York and the south shore OF Long ISL
.~1-this is the Conduit Highway as
revealed in the report issued by the
automobile Club of America.
Automobile owners in the metropoli-
tan area, especially of Brooklyn and
Queens and the counties of Nassau and
Suffolk are keenly alive to the cost in
time and annoyance of the congested
conditions now existing on the roads of
western Long Island. They are looking
forward eagerly to the time when all
this will be a thing of the past through
the opening OF the Cond duit Highway
with surface thirty to forty feet wide
all the way from Ridgewood Reservoir
(Highland Boulevard) in Brooklyn,
across Queens and Nassau to Amityville
on the south shore.
THE most important piece of road
construction ever undertaken on Long
Island" says the club report with
beneficial results commercial, economic
anu SpCldis 70 every lOWUSHlp OH LOnB
Island and not without effect on the
prosperity of the State" Extracts from
the clubs statement follow:
The Present Right of Way.
Far sighted public officials. wishing
to better traffic conditions on eastern
Long Island (rapidly becoming intoler-
able). conceived the idea of utilizing
the right of way now owned by the
city from the Ridgewood Reservoir in
Brooklyn across Queens and Nassau
counties to Amityville.
This strip OF land, some twenty-five
miles long and from 100 to 200 feet
wide. Is part of the water system Most
OF the acreage was the property of the
old city of Brooklyn. and Greater New
York succeeded to the title when con-
solidation took place in 1897 For the
most part the surface Is unused. Huge
underground conduits, the largest OF
steel, " inches in diameter. carry water
from pumping stations into the city. AS
the highway will not impair the use of
land for water purposes. the city of New
York has provided the needed land with
out charge. The right of way costing
absolutely nothing. the State has a road
building opportunity hitherto unpar-
llelled in a well populated district
''The approaches to the highway from
the city are convenient and direct. From
lower Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge.
Clinton street and Atlantic avenue are
used From the Manhattan Bridge
Flatbush avenue gives access to Atlantic
avenue, Eastern Parkway and Glenmore
avenue. The Williamsburg Bridge takes
one to Bedford and Atlantic avenues
From greensboro Bridge and Queens
Boulevard there are several easy routes
to the new roadway.
The highway is planned essentially
as business road. It's utility for the
quick transportation of Long Island
farm products into the heart of the city
will be recognized at once from the ac-
companying map. In an easterly direc-
ton much of the freight now carried to
suburban towns by tractors and trucks
VIII naturally follow the new highway
as more direct. The narrower existing
roads will be relieved of this heavy
traffic and the units will be enabled to
move with safety at rate faster than
at present Lowered costs of trans
portation should follow.
Many Towns Directly Served.
The Highway. after skirting Jamaica.
passes directly through the busy towns
of Springfield. Rosedale. Valley Stream,
Lynbrook, Rockville Centre, Baldwin
Freeport, Herrick. Bellmore, wantagh
Seaford. Massapequa and Amityville,
saving a full five miles as compared
with any Of the present routes. Within
a few minutes of the road, and almost
as dir~ctly benefited. are such important
suburban points as St. Adams, Queens.
Hollis. Floral Park. Mineola, Garden
city. Hempstead Hicksville, Central
Park. Plainview and Farmingdale.
The Conduit Highway will have its
terminus In Amityville. but this by no
means sets a limit to It's useful influence
on transportation. Il Is necessary only
to recall he names OF the towns and
cities on the eastern half Of the island
Babylon. Brightwaters. Bayshore, Islip.
East 1slip, Sayville, Bayport, Patchogue,
Brookhaven. East and Centre Moriches,
the Hamptons, Quogue, Good Ground,
&c.-to realize how much Il will mean
20 have this section brought an hour
nearer to New York by automobile over
the direct route that will be provided
on the Conduit Highway.
Although not on the direct line. River,
head. Sag Harbor, Mattituck. Southold.
Greenport md all the country about
will enjoy rhe convenience OF the new
road
According TO the plars drawn by
the engineering subcommittee the road
way can be completed within three years
OF the start OF the work. Sections OF
considerable length would be ready for
use within eighteen months, and at the
end OF the second year one-half OF the
surface wo1ld be usable throughout the
twenty-five miles"