Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-10
THE DELAWARE BRIDGE
is ONE STEP NEARER
Recommendation Of the Race Street Sito
by the Engineers Awaits Approval
bY the Com N ission
by the Commissio

W tIC SOIllHlIooIOH
TNIiE recommendation by the engineers Of
i the Delaware River Bridge Commission
that the bridge be built between Race street
in this city aud Pearl street in Camden puts
the advocates of the other sites on the de-
fensive.
The engineers are supposed to have ex-
amncd into the feasibility Of all available sites
and thcy have doubtless done so. They have
made borings in the river bottom where the
piers must be built and have discovered the
depth to which they must go in order to
reach bedrock They have considered the
length of the span which can be built with
the greatest economy. They have studied
the movement of traffic and the possibilities
of opening adequate thoroughfares to the
approaches on both sides Of the river And
they have done all this with full sense of
their responsibilities to provide accommo-
dation for traffic and to conserve the public
funds and to Interfere as little as possible
with established business enterprises.
Their report will receive the respectful
consideration that it deserves. 1t will not
be adopted by tho commission, however, un
Ill the people have had an opportunity to
examine tn" plans in detail and until those
who object to it have been called upon to
explain why some other plan would be better.
the commission. has been advocating a bridge
at Spring Garden street. Many things can
be said in support of it, and Mr.. Nauclain
will doubtless say them with all the per-
suasiveness for which be is noted. There
are also serious objections TO the Nauclain
proposition. the chief of which is that it
calls for a bridge too far north of Market
street. with n terminal in Camden too far
north of the thoroughfares leading east and
south into the interior of New Jersey.
The site recommended by the engineers
is about half way between Market and
Spring Garden streets and its approaches
would be built on this side of the river
through district very much like that
through which it would be necessary to ap-
proach bridge at Spring Garden street
The cost of condemnation of the land in each
case would be about the same. The Race
street bridge, however, would terminate at
Franklin Square, an open space belonging
to the city. The cost of land needed for an
adequate plaza there would be much less
than at the site favored by Mr.. NauClain.
G.. .. Gillespie. chairman Of the Bridg"
Committee of the Board of Trade, has been
III gng bridge ut Market street with twin
approaches. one 10 Spruce street and the
other to Spring Garden street, with an esca-
lator for foot passengers at Market street.
The obvious objections to this plan are that
it would interfere with the ferry structures
on this side Of the river and that, unless the
twin approaches are made to divert vehlcu-
lar traffic from Market street, it would in
crease the congestion on n street that is
already carrying as much traffic as it can
accommodate.
The Laird plan for n bridge with ter
minus at Washington Square puts a bridge
about as far south Of Market street as the
Race street bridge would be north of that
street. Each bridge would end in a square
owned by the city and neither would inter
ferc with the ferries. The Laird bridge
would enter Camden nearer tho main thor
oughfarcs of that city, and would thus pro-
vide better service for mOtorCars to and from
Atlantic City. II is favored by many inhu-
cntial citizens Of Camden and opposed by
many influential citizens Of Philadelphia
There must have been good reasons for
its rejection by the engineers of the commits
sion. These reasons may not seem valid
to those who have been urging it, but that
they will be thoroughly examined at public
hearings may be accepted as certain.
Indeed the discussion is likely to concern
itself ultimately with the Franklin Square
and the Washington Square sites to the "x-
clusion Of tho others. A layman would find
it difficult 10 decide between them. The
engineers will, Of course, defend their recon
mendaton. They have the advantage over
every ono else Of expert knowledge Of the
physical problems involved obtained by their
long study Of the question. The advocates of
any other plan will find it necessary to meet
the objections which led the engineers to
reject it.
Tho great mass Of peorlc. however, who
have been waiting for bridge will not be
deeply concerned about the site so long as
thry get the bridge. They will be impatient
if time is wasted BY needless prolonglng Of
hearings or by hesitation of the commission
to reach n definite decision as soon as
possible after it has shown proper respect
TO tho desire of the public TO express itself
on tho subject. The money is available to
pay for all the work that can be done for a
year or two The public is hoping that this
money will be- used before it becomes neces-
sary to ask for additional appropriations,
Unless the work is pushed with speed VI
bridge cannot be completed in time for the
Scsuui Centennial celebration in 1926.