New-York tribune., 1922-06-18

Of the sixteen improvements 70 be
made at railroad expense in connce-
tion with the Union Station develop
mcnt. as suggested By the Chicago
rlan Commission. a part Of this plan
includes the doubic-dccking OF Canal
Street north OF Lake Street, the point
where IL ceases 10 be a part Of the
quadrangle, and its connection with
The north side Of the city by means Of
doublc-dcck bridge at Kinzie Street.
From Kinzic street a new connection
has been made with South Water
Street and the Loop district By means
Of the new Franklin-Orlcans Street
bridge. Thus this series Of street i'm
7rovements provides circuit around
the point where the Chicago River di-
vidcs into It's north and south branches
and greatly facilitates the movement
Of traffic between the different sides
Of the city.
South Water street, when widened, Will
form the northern boundary OF this
traffic circuit or quadrangle. To-day IT is
entirely absorbed by private business.
but will be reclaimed for public use by
the Improvement The street extends
along the rivers edge for mile be-
tween Market Street on the west and
Michigan Avenue on the cast The
curve in the Chicago River at this
point brings South Water and Market
streets together. where they are
brought in immediate contact with
Canal Street by means Of the Lake
Street Bridge.
Eighty-Foot street To BE Made
1875 Feet In Width Soon
The street to-day is eighty feet wide.
The City Council has passed the neces-
sary ordinance TO widen il TO 135 feet,
and the condemnation suit will be
started in court within the next thirty
days. When improved South Water
street will have an upper surface 10
feet wide and lower level 1875 feet
wide, the extra twenty-five feet on the
lower street being used for dockage
purposes The upper street will be at
the new level fixed by the Federal gov
ernment for the bridges crossing the
river, and both levels will ht In with
the upper and lower surfaces Of Michi-
gan Avenue.
The estimated cost Of the improve
ment is S2OOOO,0OO, which will probably
be paid for approximately half and half
by public bond issues and special as
sessments. The public must spend So
100000, in any event, to comply with
the demands Of the Federal government
in connection with the height Of
bridges, even II the proposed improve
ment were not made. This amount is
FOR damages to adjacent property and
20 defray the cost Of filling in the
streets in order 10 raise them 10 the
new level Of the bridges. The widen
ing. however, VIII save the people OF
Chicago Sl2.OOO,OOO a year by eliminat-
ing the present wastage Of foodstuffs
caused by the location Of the produce
market in South Water Street. and by
reducing traffic congestion in the down
town district l6 per cent.
Besides this quadrangle improvement
four other street widenings are under
way. One is a three mile extension Of
Ogden Avenue. an important diagonal
street which extends northwest through
the city from the western city limits
five miles TO Union Park. on the West
Side. From here on 70 Lincoln Park,
on the North Side, the city is now
tearing down the buildings in order 70
make l05-foot-wide street extending
10 Ogden Avenue from Union Park 10
Lincoln Park at Lake Michigan.
The other three widenings are OF
parallel streets.