Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-12-10
NO BRIDGE At
SMITH STREET
Technical Advisory Corpora
ton Does Not Believe Cost
Would Justify Bridge
URGES ACTION AT ONCE
In Buying Land Needed to
Widen Convery Place to
New State Bridge

The widening of Convery place
to better care for the heavy 'traff1c
which will go over this street when
the new bridge over the Raritan
River is completed has been recon-
mended to the aldermen by the city
plan commission, which has JUST
filed with. the alderman report of a
survey made by the Technical Ad-
yisory Corporation of New York.
The experts who made the survey
of the situation do not recommend
a bridge over Smith street at the
northern approach to the bridge
which would be a continuation or
Convery place. With reference to
the proposed bridge over Smith street
the report says:
With a gradient of about per
cent up going north on Convery
place from Smith street and with a
gradient of only .66 per cent down
going south, the idea of grade separ-
alton by means of a bridge over
Smith street is alluring. Both APP
proaches could be short and plenty
Of lateral-space is 10 be had In Con-
very place for the bridge structure.
Beyond doubt such bridge should
be built If it cost little or nothing,
but at cost which may well be as
sumed to be more than 100000 its
desira b.lity is exceedingly doubtful.
Traffic at this corner can be ham
Gled by the ordinary means for
many years to come, probably indef-
initely. The stopping of Convery
place traffic to allow Smith street
traffic to flow Is not nearly as serious
n matter as the opening of the draw
ln the new bridge, and 1t has been
shown that this can be readily ham
died at least until route is made
n four lane highway for many miles
10th sides of Perth Amboy. The
bridge for grade separation at the
corner of Smith street Is not recon-
mended.
The report does, however, recon-
mend the widening of Convery
place, at some future date If not at
present. 1t urges the acquisition of
the land necessary for this widen
ing at once however as the land
values will increase yearly adding to
the cost of this project.
With reference to the widening OF
very place between Smith street
"a the Lehigh Valley railroad
bridge, the repotr says:
The Widening OF Convery Place
The pavement of Convery Place
between Smith street and the Le-
high viaduct Is thirty-six feet wide.
which is a little scant compared
with the thirty-eight feet now being
provided for on the new bridge and
its approaches to take care of four
lines of traffic.
Perth Amboy now should look
ahead to the time when Convery
Place will be built up on both sides
between Smith street and the Lehigh
viaduct and when a certain amount
of stopping and parking will be de-
slrable. No such stopping or park
ing will be possible whenever traf-
fic much exceeds the 1923 vehicles
ner hour assumed in each direction,
as two moving lanes in each direc-
ton or thirty-eight feet of fairway
will be needed then. Any such wid-
ening would also then be available
as a reservoir In case that portlon
of Route 4 between Smith street ana
the draw span of the bridge pc
comes inadequate for holding walt
ing vehicles during draw openings.
Property can probably be secured
along Convery Place at present for
less than it ever can in the future.
rhe cost of widening Convery Place
,fter 1t shall have been built up is
likely to be prohibitive.
In view of all these factors, 1t is
advisable to widen Convery Place
ON the east side between Smith
street and Fayette street. and prefer
ably up to the Lehigh viaduct. by
twenty feet. When the volume OF
traffic warrants. the present paved
roadway should be widened twenty
Feet on the east side for the same
distance; The sidewalk sl, space n. on each "a =
now--twelve feet. 1t is advisable to
acauire m the strip for widening at
once, but not to widen the paved
roadway until traffic warrants. SO as
TO have interest on construction
costs and take advantage OF any les
sened construction prices.
In case the street widening be be
carried only to Fayette street, then
fhe widening should be reduced
CONTINUED on page ~
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