Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-06
RALPH MoDJESKI
Talks Of the New Bridge

ONE Of the principal effects of the new
" bridge across the Delaware River, con-
Meeting the States of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey as well AZ the cities of Philadelphia
and Camden, will be that it probably Will
make more bridges necessary.
This is the opinion of Ralph Modjeski, the
bridge expert and chairman Of the bridge
engineers.
The experience Of other cities in like
circumstances, said Mr.. Modjeski has
been that whenever two great cities are con-
nccted by bridge and access between them
Is made easier, there Is soon n necessity
created for other bridges in order to take
care of the increased traffic.
"a large bridge always tends to create
this condition and think that Philadelphia
and Camden will be no exception: The
indications even now are that both sides
of the river will develop with the increased
facilities for interchange of products, and
develop rapidly. 1t will not be in the least
surprising, therefore, If the first Delaware
River Bridge, once put into operation, will
lead to the necessity not only for other
bridges, but also for tunnels and for rapid
transit.
Longest Span In the Country
THE Delaware River Bridge, construc-
ton Of which will be begun today, will have
the longest span in the United States ant
the second longest span in the world. The
one bridge with n longer span Is at Quebec
associated, and the span Of that bridge is
only fifty feet longer than the structure
here. The famous bridge in Scotland,
which had this distinction for so many
yeArs, now falls back into the third position
among the worlds bridges.
1.-The new Delaware River Bridge will
without doubt be the greatest highway bridge
| in the world.
"The economic value of this bridge can
scarcely be overcstimated. Bridges work
| inl inE nTtn
anatomically. The freer the circulation Is
through the arteries Of the human body, the
| better is the development Of the body.
Bridges work in the same manner in that
more mo- rapidly il develops,
IAN idea OF the commercial possibilities
of the bridge may be obtained from the
amount Of traffic which it will accommodate.
| The six lines for vchCular traffic will have
| n capacity Of about 5000 vehicles per hour
| moving in both directions. During the busy
hours. when the traffic moves chiefly in one
direction. this capacity will be equal ia
from 1000 to 5000 vehicles per hour. This
IL great deal more than the traffic al
the intersection of Fifth avenue and Forty
second street in New York, believed to bc
the busiest street intersection In the UnteL
States during the rush hours.
"The width of the bridge between curbs
that is, the space allotted to vehicular traffic
will be ONLY three feet narrower than Market
really greater even than 1t sounds, because
in the bridge space there will be no stree
car tracks, as there are on Market street
and which materially narrOws the avallabl,
snace there for vehicles Thus the vehiculaI
caDacity of the bridge, whi'o apparently
narrower than Market street, is in reality
greater than that street.
Eject on the Ferries
'"rhe advantages Of the bridge over th
nrcscnt method of communication are so an,
norent that it is scarcely necessary to enum
crate them. But in winter time this ad
vantage will lie largely in the fnct that, M
matter how much ice there may be in tn
river, communication will not be even de,
layed, let alone interrupted.
"Once the bridge is in operation tn,
traveller will not be dependent, as now. upor
the ferries. The automobiles will avoi,
the long waits at the ferries on both side
OF the river and the terrible congestion whicI
occurs every week end in summer time
There are instances where the passengers n
carS have been obliged to wait four or Gv
hours for transportation across the river
and many of them rather than suffer M
enormous, delay have preferred TO 20 f
Trenton and cross there,
AT the same time ! do not antirinnt
that traffic on the ferries will be prroti
reduced by the bridge. This has NOT hne
the case with other cities where bridge
have been put up and II Is not likely t6a
Philadelphia and Camden will prove a,