The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-05-10

~ HhA(0 -
full for the purpose at the lowest pos
sible cost and to save as much money
for the state and the counties as w
can"
Anxious to Begin Work
The commission is anxious to see
work under way. General Scott said,
and he asked the engineers to coop
crate. He requested specifically an
early statement as t the motor We
hicle aid sought by the various coun-
ties next year. He also announced
that the policy of the commission will
be to insist upon completion Of con
tracts on or before the date set in the
contract. He pointed out that delay
in completing contracts, besides the
public inconvenience caused, adds ma
terially to the expense in the main
enance Of proper detours.
Commissioner Percy H. Stewart out
lined plans of the commission for an
advisory board to aid in working out
a solution of the traffic problem Incl
dent to the completion of the Hudson
river tunnel.
Tunnel Approaches Big Problem
Commissioner Walter Kidde pre-
dicted that completion of the tunnel
would place it's approaches among the
greatest highways in the country, add
ing that the members of the commits
sion had dedicated themselves to a
solution Of this problem. Next to the
Hudson tunnel, he suggested the i'm
portance of proper approaches to the
Delaware river bridge at Camden and
a solution of the shore traffic problem.
Mr.. Kidde said the present commits
sion had found the engineering work
and all records of the highway depart
ment left by former State Highway
Engineer Thomas ]. Wasser in SPLEEN
did shape.
Major William G. Sloane, state high
way engineer, said the state. organiza-
ton would be 1t the service of the
county engineers whenever called
upon.
The value Of good roads was en-
phasized by Commissioner Abraham
Jelin, who said analysis would show
there is no actual cost in good roads.
the only question being one of finance.
He argued that the returns from inn
proved highways, including all factors,
far exceed the cost of construction
and maintenance.
Growth of Road Problems
Mr.. Wasser gave "reminiscences of
his experience in road work, dating
back to the time when he was asso-
ciated with the late Colonel Edwin A.
Stevens, then state road commission
err, The problems of those days, he
said. looked big, but as compared with
those of today they seem like nothing.
Mr.. Wasser said New Jersey has an
average of two and a half miles Of
road per square mile as against an
average of 80 of a mile for the coun-
try. New Jerseys problem, he said, is
three times as big as that of the ave
age state.
Mr.. Wasser said hat the engineers
of the counties should unite in work
ing out a comprehensive system Of
roads, co-ordinating the routes and
tying them up with the state highway
system. Such a program, he suggest
ed, should cover a period of three
years. the life of the commission.
Tells of Essex and Hudson Neecs
County Engineer Stickel of Essex
declared that Essex and Hudson are
the bankers of the highway system.
contributing about so per cent of the
funds. These counties need state aid
and need it badly in solving the prob
lem of traffic to and from the Hudson
tunnel, he added. He indorsed Mr..
Wasser's plan Of fitting in feeders of
the highway system. and said Essex
is going a step further, having organ
lied a cooperative movement among
the engineers of seventeen munich
palities in that county to link up coun-
ty roads.
John Albertson of Camden, dean OF
enginAars said tho of