New-York tribune., 1922-01-29

Engineer Tells How City
Will Extend Queens Tube
Public Will Hardly Know Subway Builders Are
Borrowing Under Its Feet; 42d St. Assured
Business Will Not Be Disturbed 81

Methods to be employed In con-
struct'ng the extension of the Queens
boro subway were explained by Robert
lidgway, chief engineer of the Transit
Commission, in an address at a meet
ing held under the auspices of the
Forty second Street Property Owners
and Merchants Association at the
Hotel Commodore last week. A. f..
1horne, president Of the association
presided. Travis Whitney, former Pub
lie Service Commissioners, and Louis
Stern, Of Stern Brothers, also spoke.
Mr.. Ridgway illustrated his talk
with numerous lantern slides. He
showed diagrams Of the proposed route
of the extension from Vanderbilt Ave
nue. and Forty second Street under
meath Forty-sccord Street, beneath the
present subway. TO Brayant PARK, to
Forty first Street at Sixth Avenue and
thence along Forty-frst Street, passing
under the Broadway and Seventh Ave
nue. subways, to about the center Of
Eighth Avenue. Under tho plans, he
stated, it will be possible to extend it
TO the North River and, if the means
be available, underneath the Hudson
River into New Jersey. lie also pointed
out that provision had been made in the
contract modifying the westerly end of
the structure to permit connection with
possible future line along Eighth
Avenue.
Mr.. Rdgway said that about 70 pc,
cent of the subway extension would be
constructed without disturbing the
street surface in any way. He stated
that it will be necessary to cut through
the surface in constructing the stations
in front Of the public library and at
Seventh Avenue, but that these excava-
cions will be decked over and tempo
rary street eurfsces will be provided
which will permit traffic to continue
In view Of the tunncling methods Of
constructing this subway, he stated,
the work will not progress as rapidly
as in cases where the open cut methods
were used. In this connection he est-
mated that it would require about
forty two months to complete the tun-
rei, and after that had been accom-
plishcd it would be necessary to lay
the track, finish the stations. equip the
an" 6y WIN Dig LII! diiS, etC.,
taking another six months.
Great Magnitude of Work
"Ordinarily," said Mr.. Ridg way, "the
paving of highway, the construction
Of a sewer beneath q highway or the
laying of water mains is considered
work Of some magnitude. But contrast
the nature Of such work with that Of
building subway! Such things are
paving, sewers and water mains are
merely incidental to the main work in
subway construction. Not only must
the subway actually be constructed,
but the surface and sub surface condi-
tions must be restored to their original
condition after the subway work has
been completed.'
Mr.. Ridgway pointed out several in
teresting features in connection with
the work. He stated that the Queens
boro extension contract Was one of the
largest and most difficult ever let.
mot only does it involve construc-
tlon work beneath the floor of the old
subway between Vanderbilt and Fifth
avenues he said, "but it also means
taking care of large sewer which has
recently been built underneath Madison
Avenue, and which. if it broke loose.
would flood the greensboro subway
and halt the operation of trains to
Queens. Furthermore, it involves the
supporting of portions of the New York
Public library and other large buildings
along the route and the tunneline un-