Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-01-03
BRIDGE IS GIVEN
ANOTHER BOOST
At CONFERENCE
Engineer Holland at Lions
Club Meeting Shows That
Bridge is Solution
NO PLACE FOR A TUNNEL
Plan of Design for Interstate
Structure is Already
Under Consideration
NO PLACE FOR A TUNNEL

The proposed bridge over Staten
rand sound connecting Perth Am
boy and Tottenville was given its
greatest boost in this city at noon
luncheon of the Lions Club today.
Not only members of the Lions and
Rotary Club, but New Jersey and
New York state senators and assem-
blymen, engineers of the New YORK
Bridge and Tunnel Commission. the
Department of Plants and Struc-
lures of New York, members OF the
tunnef commission. the South Shore
Protective Association of Staten Is
land and other guests of importance
were on hand to lend their aid to
the project
Anv doubt which might be found
IN the minds of those who have held
the opinion that d bridge would not
be practicable across the sound at
t2his point was removed by Clifford
M. Holland chief engineer of the
Bridge and Tunnel Commission and
Col. Wilgus, consulting engineer of
that body. Engineer Holland said:
ga bridge across the sound connect
ing the high ground on both sides
of the water is perfectly pratic-
able. It is only a question of wheth-
err we must go down 100 feet or 800
feet to strike bed rock but this will
be no obstacle
"The desirability of the bridge
cannot be doubted" Engineer Hol-
land said. Figures show that $780,
600 vehicles crossed the sound by
ferry during 1922. There Is no way
to determine the vehicular traffic OF
the future as bridges and tunnels
create their own traffic. When the
vehicular tunnel under the Hudson
river was designed we anticipated 1t
would care for the increase in traffic
for thirteen years. We now find that
IL will be glutted on the day 1t opens,
so enormous is the increase In
traffic"
"This is not a site for a tunnel
crossing; it is q point for bridge
as there is high land on both sides.
Tie bills passed by the two state
legislatures last year authorized an
Investigation as to the desirability
and practicability of constructing a
bridge or tunnel at this point.
bridge is both practical and desir-
able.s Within ten days the engineers
work will be completed"
Engineer Holland complimented
city Engineer Booz for the assis-
tance given him in his work and am
nounced that the location of a pro-
posed bridge as laid out on blue
prints by City Engineer Booz was
Identical with that decided upon by
the engineers of the commission.
Colonel Wilgus. the commission IS
- IL eafd ha h "a a n
ssardent feeling in the worthiness OF
the enterprise and since 1906 he
has been studying the praciscability
Of a bridge at this point. the subject
being close to his heart. He said a
bridge can be constructed connecting
the high lands on both sides of the
water which will create a great high
way and he spoke of the possibility
and practicability of constructing
4 railroad bridge adjacent to the We
hicuIar bridge.
Senator Morgan F. Larson prom
ised to do everything in his power a
Trenton to have New Jersey worl
with New York in financing the cos
of the structure. Senator Mark AL
len. of Staten Island. pointed ou
that the bridge was not so much a:
to serve the residents of Richmond
or Of Perth Amboy and vicinity bu
rather the travelling public and re
duce traffic congestion. 1--WE will
put this through at Albany" he said
$50 it's up to you to do the same a
Trenton"
Senator Arthur N. Pierson, of I'm.
ion County. saidS II am with you IL
the bridge project. We cannot afford
not to have 1T. 1t is a necessity and
ana IN favor of extending ths
means of intercommunication be-
tween New Jersey and New York"
Continued on page A.