New Britain herald., 1925-02-16
NEW HIGHWAY FOR . N. Y..C0NN. TRAFFIC
Macdonald Suggests Second
 Bridgeport Greenwich Road

HartfOrd, rep. lO.--AS Soiulioii of the ever-increasing traffic prob lem on the Boston Post road, a plan for the construction of a parallel route from Bridgeport to the New York state line near Green wich that could eventually be made scenic parkway, was outlined be- foro the Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce this afternoon by High way Commissioner John A. Mac donald. The project, he said, was yet only in the process of develop ment, but plans contemplated its possible connection with the new Hutchinson River Parkway, which the Westchester County Parn com mission plans to build as a parallel road from New York city to Connec- ticut.
 Tt is our thought" said the high way commissioner, that with the present widening of the Boston Post road to .thirty-six feet from Bridge port to New York, trucks and local traffic, and such other traffic as | would care to use the Post road, would be amply taken care of for many years to come.
 Need of Express Highway
 What we desire is an express highway from somewhere ill the vicinity of Bridgeport west and parallel to the Post road, connecting into some system in New York state which will give easy access for pas senger-carrying vehicles to interme- diate points and to New York city without delay"
 The Westchester County Park commission has projected three parkways running north from New York city, approximately parallel and about two miles apart, he said. The first, or the most easterly one from tho Connecticut border. known as the Saw Mill River parkway: the second known as the Bronx River parkway and the third, which is nearer the Connecticut line is the Hutchinson River parkway.
 ''The Hutchinson River parkway" he said, lis the one with which we are at present most interested, as it will strike the Connecticut lino north of Greenwich in the vicinity of the village of GlenYille. It may be, after plans are provided, that it will be more convenient for this state to consider connection with the Bronx river route, but at present it seems that the Hutchinson riveF plan is the most desirable. How ever the possibility of any parallel route through Connecticut hinges upon the availability of connec- ton at the Ne wYork line.
 First Place for Relief
 'Now in the building of such a route, which l should like very much to call a parkway. it is to be our object to relieve congestion on the Post road first. If. in the process, it is possible to provide for future Identification, we, of course, will take this into consideration, ai- though 1t must necessarily be secondary. Benefit to traffic will be our main consideration.
 "The roadside development that will be possible on this road is necessarily a matter which will have to be considered after the road is constructed, and after such time as the state has been able to perfect it's whole highway system to such a degree that it can afford to spend money on other than necessities un- less funds are forthcoming from | other sources"
 He said that road Of this kind must have lateral connections to all the ccnters of population along the shore if it is to be of greatest value. He said that an appropriation to make a survey of the route had been requested of the legislature.
 He expressed the opinion that such an express route would do more 10 develop Fairfield county and to remove serious traffic problem than any other plan yet devised.
 Traffic Will Increase
 Commissioner Macdonald express ed the opinion that it was impossi- be to see any limit in the growth of traffic between Connecticut and New York City through Fairfield county. He said that 1t would be necessary to look far ahead into the future, as failure to do so would cause hard ship within a few short years.
 We must adopt some plan" he said, the execution of which will only be a matter of time. Have no fear of over-development, as history shows that our failures have been not for ovor-shooting the mark, but for under estimating the traffic re- quirements. The highway depart ment has no hope at the present time of ever catching up with traf- flc on the Post Road. Our only hope is to keep not too far behind 1t.
 Up to the present time, this state has built no purely scenic roads. All have been economic and have been justified on the amount of passenger car traffic and com modities which they have carried This state has not yet reached a position in highway construction where it is possible. to consider any other type than an economic road Any parallel road which we will build, therefore, or which We have