The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-14
TOPEKAPLANIS
READY FOR CITY
Bartholomew Recommendations
Are Announced Today.
Includes Widening Streets, and
Three Traffic Ways.
ESTABLISH BUILDING LINES
Better Distribution of Street
Car Lines Also a Feature.
Improvement of Topeka Sewer
System Is Needed Badly.
Recommendations of Bartholomew
for Foundations for the
Topeka Plan.


Complete record, survey and improvement
of the Topeka sewer system.
Permanent establishment of three thru
traffic ways north and south, to pass over
Kansas avenue, Quincy street and Jackson
street.
Provision for thru traffic ways east and
west to include Fourth, Sixth and Tenth
Provisions for radial streets, or those
affording communication between thru traf-
f1c ways, the principal one suggested con-
Meeting Sixth avenue and Tenth avenue III
diagonal line from Quincy to Washington
avenue.
Widening of some of the principal streets,
to include the widening Of Kansas avenue
in part of North Topeka and of Huntoon
street.
Establishment of building lines, to
prevent irregularity of placement of
buildings, both in residence and bust
ness districts.
Better distribution of street car
lines
Development of territory already
within city limits. rather than extern
sion of city over larger area.
Harland Bartholomew of st. Louis,
city plan expert, who is to produce the
Topeka Plan, made his first report to
the city planning board today noon at
a meeting at the Elks' club. The
meeting was one of vast Importance
to the general development of Topeka.
Bartholomew report is in no way
final in the construction of the Tope-
ka plan. His recommendations will
be considered by the board before
they are incorporated in the final To-
peka plan. But his report today
points IL .Fard robable improvements
and important changes in the city's
structure.
Consider Major Street Plan.
The report today concerned chiefly
the major street plan, or the construc-
ton of main thorofares in the city,
made after survey of the genera
layout of Topeka streets which has re-
qufrd two months for completion.
A major street plan includes provi-
sion for adequate traffic ways in all
directions about the city, or a system
of streets to carry most conveniently
all the city's traffic.
Making a major street plan is
simpler in Topeka than in any city l
know Of" Bartholomew stated, in
opening his report. That is because
Topeka's principal streets are so well
laid out. In some cities the making
of adequate major streets is a tremen-
Gus problem"
Three Thru Traffic Ways.
The chief recommendations in the
tentative major street plan presented
today would provide three thru traf-
fic ways north and south and east and
west. Under the Bartholomew sug-
gestion, those traffic ways will be Kan
sas avenue, Jackson street and Quincy
street and Fourth, Sixth and Tenth
avenues Radfal streets to connect
those main traffic ways should also be
esta blished, he pointed out. One of
the principal radial streets would cx-
tend from Tenth and Quincy to Sixth
and Washington avenue. requiring
diagonal cut thru a number of blocks
in that direction.
There is an unfortunate failure to
provide any radial streets in Topeka, -
Bartholomew said. mo city should
be without radia1 streets, which great
Iy facilitate traffic"
Criticises Sewer Systems
Topekas sewer systems received
heavy criticism from Bartholomew.
His diagnosis of the condition of To-
peka sewers was based on the report
of a sewer expert who made a brief
survey of the local system recently.
Property in Topeka is jeopardized
in many places by inadequate sewers, -
he said. I'm nearly all parts of the
city the sewers are sufficient only for
sanitary purposes, and do not carry
off the water from storms
THE sewer system between Sixth
and First avenues and at Sixth ave-
nue. and Tyler streets should not be
tolerated" he said. The poor drain
age at the Rock Island station must
give an unfortunate impression to
visitors to Topeka"
Topeka has a very bad, piece-mea1
system of sewers" he declared.
Praise for Paving System.
Topeka pavements received high
commentator from the city planning
authority.
Topeka has some of the finest
paved streets I have ever seen in
city of similar size he said Topeka
should be proud of it's pavement"
The lack of crowded conditions in
Topeka was comm ented upon.
There is a tremendous spread of
your city for its population" he said.
t'This city has a smaller density of
population than any other I know
pf. Utica. n. Y, is a city of 10000
persons living in q smaller area than
that of Topeka. I would not encour-
age density of population, but would
not advise further spread of the city
until the present city area is devel-
oped."
A most efficient set of maps show
ing the growth of Topeka. the density
of population, the major street plan.
and homes. the street car system and
development of pavement, were pre-
sented by Bartholomew today. The
maps will be considered by the plan
ming board and will be made public
in a short time.
Texas Oil Company Boosts Prices.
Houston, Dec. 14-if1e Humble Oil