Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-06-29
FOR A CIVIC STANDARD

A New Brunswick preacher, in the course of
an anniversary sermon a few days ago, declared
that the greatest need of that city was the es-
adjustment of a permanent civic standard. In
comrpenting along that line the Sunday Times,
of New Brunswick, declares: We need a civic
platfbrg that we can bring children up on
fronf |byhood, that will inspire the youthful
citizfhs to cooperate. that will give our men
and/women a comfortable, reliable city to dwell
inf
.% lit the problem comes in establishing the
i1readyd d. Everyone has a different idea of
UP he standard should be. Citizens, in
y or individuality, back their pet hobbies
sci hat ought to be done to make the city
saE nd they refuse to yield to anyone else.
~ ult in chaos, and we get nowhere.
ire reminded Of the recent agitation in
9J slphia and Camden over the proper loca-
re the Delaware river bridge which is to
yGsnv It those two cities and which, when COM
will be the longest span in the world.
philadelphia there were several active
rups each one favoring a different site and
advancing good reasons for their choice.
But in the meantime the engineers and the
experts were making a thorough study of the
situation. With Market street the main artery
of traffic across the city, they sized up the traf-
fc south of Market street as compared with the
traffic north of Market street and found that a
,reponderance of the traffic that would use the
idge was on the north side. They also were
ing river soundings to ascertain the best
lions for the piers which are to carry the
h re. They went at the whole subject in a
Exhaustive manner and when they were
y : o report they recommended a site for the
leIphia approach to the bridge that had
II favored by any of the respective groups
10 advocating various locations.
81 reasons given by the engineers and
Eysafe so convincing and their arguments
Zfd Z that the ordinary citizen advocating
aretther A~ocations had not a leg left TO
tbhfs. t,rhe Franklin square site for the Phll-
NJ approach was adopted by the COM
EMtyby an overwhelming majority. Likewise
esr,den the decision of the engineers was
Eed.
an goes to show the value of expert ad-
matters of civic development that Is
ITO involve the expenditure of millions of
Is and be of permanent value to the mu-
ytality.
serth Amboy, along with New Brunswick and
Try other city. needs a civic standard, as the
ew Brunswick preacher said. This civic
standard ought to be determined by experts
professionals in their line. who come in and
make q thorough study of the city and It's
surroundings. Various groups of citizens Will
favor this street opening or widening and some
will favor another; some will want a park here
and others there. There will be a general dlf-
ference of opinion as to what streets the troll
leys should operate on. how the waterfront
should be developed, and so on. Unless there
is some authority backed by facts to convince
the great majority, as was the case In regard
to the bridge approach in Philadelphia, 1t Will
be impossible to come to any decision or 10
get anywhere.
A civic standard is just exactly what a CITY
plan means to a municipality. A city plan COW
ering the growth of the city for the next hitS
wears carefully prepared by experts would give