Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-02-09

90
The traffic referred to is already
an embarrassment to the city. In
the month of July. 1929, As 55S
vehicles used the ferry. On the
basis of full boats holding % GAGS
q twelve minute ferry schedule and
o balance of traffic in the two d.
rections, this implies that even with
uniform distribution the ferry traf-
hc would sc on az full capacity
both ways for ver six hours. The
maximum traffic at certain hours
greatly exceeds the average ana
there is also an excess on Saturdays
and Sundays, but the ch~aracteris-
tic feature of the existing condi-
ton is that is represents a peak
load" of long duration each day.
1t also represents a congestion
which continues for a substantial
proportion (four to six months) Of
each year. Ordinary traffic laws
completely break down when ap-
piled to Perth Amboy. The general
rule, that the maximum hour traf-
hc is from lis to 140 per cent or
the average for the day. is obv.-
ously fnapplicable. In an ordinary
city, the traffic of the maximum
week is about twice that for the av-
erage week; but In Perth Amboy
the ferry traffic for the month Of
July. 1922, was twice the years
average.
There is a general realization that
rms traffic is increasing rapidly, but
rne rate of increase is greater than
is probably appreciated by those
who have not specifically fnvesti-
gated 1t. As a matter of fact av-
erage traffic to and from the ferry
has increased So per cent during
he past two years. At the present
rate OF growth, the traffic will be
doubled in from five to six years,
according to that one OF two pos
sibie conjectures which is adopted
ron the accompanying chart.
When we consider the traffic of
maximum months, the situation is
even worse, for the total number
OF vehicles carried during the
month of July was IL per cent
greater in 1922 than in 1920. The
diagram illustrates these increases.
They r not due to transitory or
exceptional causes, but are closely
relates to the increasing Use of the
automobile. There is in general a
definite correlation between volume
of traffic and local automobile regis
tration Motor car registrations in
New Jersey more than doubled be-
tween 1916 and 1920. In the for
mer year, there were twenty-seven
persons per automobile in the state
and in the latter year, fourteen
There may eventually be not less
than n automobile for every
seven persons. During the years
from 1914 to 1913, the total cash
expenditure from all sources for pub
lie roads ran roughly between six
and W. million dollars. In 1919,
it was over $15.000,0 600. Within
the last few weeks, the voters of
the state have authorized an APP
preparation of $40, 900 900 for the
construction Of highways. All OF
these figures indicate q further
and accelerated increase in all We
hicular traffic, and this increase
wiIl be strongly apparent in Perth
An1boy. Conditions are bad there
now. but unless something is done,
lheH win be twice as bad in five
pr SIX years. The new ferry from
rottenvilfe to South Amboy to De
ready in 1928, will scarcely provide
for more than a normal increase
Of automobile traffic. Tt will re-
dtrce the present peak hour load to
something approximately the days
but the days average is
even O q serious handicap 20
the city.