Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-09
PROPOSE ROUTING SOUTH BOUND
ELECTRICS ON COMMERCIAL
Street TO RELIEVE TRAFFIC

That one-way electric car tracks
on Water street with the second line
over the widened and improved
Commercial street, would be the
solution OF the summer trafiic prob
lem on Augustus chief business
thoroughfare, 10 an opinion ad-
vanced by several citizens, which Is
said to have attracted Official atten-
ton. and IL being seriously consid-
ored with q good prospect that 1t
nay be carried into execution.
City Marshal william J. Skehan
was one Of the first heard to make
the proposal of eliminating the
present double track arrangement
on Water street. Marshal Skehan
is thoroughly conversant with the
difficulties OF handling the hundreds
of automobiles which seek parking
space in the BUSINESS section every
day during the height of the sea-
son, and also has given considerable
study 10 the matter Of traffic tie
ups. on account Of electric cars
stopping TO take on passengers be-
Central railroad station.
The scheme would be to use the
east track on Water street for all
northbound cars. from Market
Square to Bridge street, with only
two stops to receive and discharge
passengers,-one at the present post
ONCE stop. where the wide square
would eliminate any need Of tieing
UP motor traffic, IL northbound auto
mobiles were allowed to pass at the
left of the stationary cars: and the
other at the A. &c X. waiting room
opposite the foot of Oak street.
Cars coming from Togus and Wa
terville. southbound, would continue
straight on Bridge street after COM
turn onto the widened Commercial
coed to Market Square. The south
bound tracks would be laid close
over to the Opera House block on
the south side Of the SQUARE, where
the stops would be made to take on
and discharge passengers. The only
other stop Of tho southbound cars
in the business section would be at
the west end Of the Kennebec bridge
where they would not interfere with
motor traffic.
The southbound tracks would
swing onto Water street at the OPP
era House corner and use the pres
ent double track to the foot of Rines
Hill without stops.
1t is pointed out that by this sys-
tenn and with only two stops on Wa
ter street, those of the northbound
cars, the present difficulty which
makes it necessary to hold up long
lines of automobiles would be elimi-
mated. With traffic officer sta
toned ut the post office stop and at
the waiting room it would be pos
sible to direct the automobiles to
pass on the wrong side. This ar
rangement would also do away with
the bad jam which results at the
Bridge street spindle under the pres
ent system when southbound cleo
tries are taking on passengers at
that end of the street and automo-
biies making the turn at the spindle
are held UP, blocking traffic in all
directions and containing no small
element OF danger.
Such an arrangement would prac-
tically assure a clear path for the
big fire trucks from the Hartford
and would greatly reduce the pres
ent hazard Of accident and injury,
when the department IL responding
to emergency alarms.
Those advocating the abolition of
the double track arrangement on
Water street have worked the
scheme out so carefully that they
say that 1t will not be necessary to
rip up Water street to make the
change over. The present south
bound track would be allowed to re-
main, and would come In for use
only when large numbers OF people
are being sent out on special cleo
trio cars. as was the case last st.
Johns Day, when Trinity Common