Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-10-04
FOR CUTOFF ON ROUTE NO. 4


The deplorable condition of the state highway
between this city and Woodbridge. especially
that part from Perth Amboy to Spa Spring. will
make it necessary to practically rebuild that
stretch Of roadway before very long. In fact,
something will have to be done in time to &C.
eommodate the heavy travel over this route
before next summer.
Before any great amount OF money is spent
en- this road the State Highway Department
ought to seriously consider whether or not the
location cannot be improved so as to better ac-
commodate the public. In a word, would it not
be better to start somewhere north of Wood
bridge, say about where the state highway now
crosses the fast line trolley, and make a straight
course across the open country to Perth Amboy.
reaching Perth Amboy somewhere near Kinsey
corner or opposite about where Convery place
would touch the city line, so as to make one
continuous route across Convery place bridge
and so on to the new state highway bridge across
the Raritan river that is now planned.
Route No. 4 of the state highway system. of
which this road is a part, is the direct route
between Newark and New York and the coast
resorts. 1t Is safe to say that nine-tenths of the
travel on this road as far as Perth Amhoy ana
Woodbridge are concerned, is through traffic
The automobiles using this route want to get
to the seashore as quickly as possible. Such a
cutoff as we have mentioned would be a saving
OF two or three miles. Likewise. it would elimi-
nate the more or less congestion of passing
through Woodbridge and Perth Amboy.
But there would be still another great advan-
tage. At the present time Route No. 4 runs
parallel and very close to the railroad from
Woodbridge to Perth Amboy. AS all this sec
ton has valuable clay deposits and the land is
desirable for industrial purposes, anything that
interferes with it's natural development is a
detriment. Already the request of one person
who owns considerable clay lands in this vicinity
for a railroad siding has been turned down by
the State Highway Commission. 1t is against
the pkicy of the State Highway Commission to
havs ANY more grade crossings on the state
htg Rays. Even though this would be only a
~ and traffic would be very hsn'. \ u
But because a state highway runs along par
ullel to the railroad here are we to be deprived
Of developing the land either by mining clay
mr. building industries, both of which require
udings? In order that thousands of autoists
NAV have a safe speedway between the cities
ana the coast is all this section of the country
q eIldl
10 safeguard human life and every precaution
must be taken, but the man owning valuable
rlav lands or industrial sites ought to have some
consideration. We are not quite ready to give
up everything for the sake of joy-riders going
te the shore.
The remedy would be found in the cut-on
which the Evening News here suggests. The
state highway would then pass TO the westward
Of this property along the railroad; it would af-
ford an opportunity for the property owner
TO develop his land and it would make it posi-
BILE for the autoists to make better time going
to and from the shore.
OF course. the new right of way would nave
to be bought. But as permanent pavement costs
about $50. 900 a mile the two or three miles
saved in making the cutoff would come pretty
near paying for the new right of way.
The proposition is worthy of consideration 1t
ought TO be done before any large amount Oh
money is spent on Route No. 4 between Perth
Amboy and Woodbridge.