New-York tribune., 1922-12-30

Brooklyn Span
Before Board
New East River Bridge 10
Relieve Manhattan and
Williamsburg Structures
Planned by Whalen
To Run From 9th Street
Combined Roadway Width
of Il8 Fi.; Main Section
Will BE 1000 f. Long

Plans for an East River bridge AZ
on estimated cost OF S4i $4,000 we're
submitted 20 the Board Of Estimate
yesterday by Commissioner Whaler, Of
the Department Of Plant and Strue-
lures. The bridge is designed 20 take
the burden Of traffic from Brooklyn
Bridge. which was closed 70 heavy
motor trehie several months ago.
The location Of the bridge on the
Manhattan side will be at Ninth street
and East River, with a plaza at Astor
Place between Eighth and Ninth
streets. On the Brooklyn side the ap-
proach Is located at the East River
between North Third and North Fifth
streets, with a plaza 40 Metropolitan
Avenue and Uavemcyer Street. There
is also an approach 10 the bridge
from Greenpolnt.
The bridge will follow primarily the
lines Of Manhattan Bridge a three.
span suspension bridge. llt will be tho
longest span suspension bridge in tho
world, and have a combined roadway
width Of ll8 feet, more than twice the
width Of the roudways Of Manhattan
Bridge. The main span over the cham
mel will be 1900 feet in length. The
main span Of Brooklyn Bridge be 1895
feet, that Of tho Manhattan Bridge
i.470 feet and that Of Williamsburg
Bridge 1000 feet.
May Rebuild Old Bridge
When the Brooklyn Bridge was
closed last July 90 heavy traffic Com
missioner Whalen recommended the
rebuilding OF the old bridge. but de
clared il was essential first TO provide
for n new bridge or the proper distri-
hutton OF traffic The Commissioner
said Yesterday that the department en-
gincers had concentrated their efforts
on the plans OF the new bridge and
that Il would be another six months
before they were ready TO submit plans
for the rebuilding OF Brooklyn Bridge
The selection OF the location for the
new bridge, Commissioner Whalen
said. had been n matter Of serious con-
Germ, the proposed location having
finally been selected as the proper point
FOR the new structure to best distribute
present and future traffic over the
river. In checking up traffic Of the
Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges.
the department found that the new
bridge, at the proposed location. would
tan an area that contributes rs per cent
Of the traffic 20 the Williamsburg and
Manhattan bridges from Manhattan
and that Il would feed into the Green
point, East New York and Williamsburg
sections OF Brooklyn. as we'll as into
Queens. by the way Of Metropolitan
Avenue. Forest Hills, Richmond Hill
and jamaica; by way Of Mceker Ave.
nue. 10 Newtown. Elmhurst, Corona and
Flushing, and By way Of the Green
point approach 70 Long Island City and
Astoria.
Rapid Transit 10 Connect
Commissioner Whalen also recon
mended connections with the elevated
and subway lines az the new bridge
terminals, and the extension and
widening OF several streets at both the
Manhattan and Brooklyn approaches.
lie proposed the establishment Of ex-
press stations on both the elevated and
subway lines at the Manhattan ap-
proaoh. With his preliminary plans the
commissioner made request 70 the
board FOR an appropriation Of 100000
for borings, surveys and detailed plans.
The assessed value Of the property
10 be acquired for the proposed bridge
approaches and street extensions, Rc-
cording TO the commissioner, is as
follows:
Manhattan-East River 10 First
Avenue ...................... t3.5ss.ooo
Brooklyn--Eaat River 90 Union
Avenue Onciudlng casements) 2,o0o, 900
FOURTH avenue ........,...... $4,000
tension .....e.............,. G:.soo
Bushwlck avenue ..........., s.ii9.soo
rooklyn--Grccnpoint approach,
North fifth street. 90 Man
haitian and Nassau avenues. sis.soo
ruokiyn--Loriucr street ca
tension ...................... if7Gs00
Total assessed value OF property 1880. 900
cost of construction OF bridge
and approaches ..,...-....... $4,000, 900
Total ....................lii.sso.ooo .ooo