The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-09-02
STREET WIDENING PAYS


STREET WIDENING PAYS
In view of the effort being made in Peasanville to
widen Main it is interesting to consider similar
results elsewhere.
Boston has spent $5O00O,00O already in correcting
mistakes due Inadequate planning ST Louis has voted
an $88O0OO0O bond issue reconstruct city thorough
fares and for city plan for the future and Chicago pro-
gram calls for than billion dollars and has already
spent than $5000O000 reconstruction that might
have been avoided by adequate city plan.
Frank Z. Reed of the city planning and coming COM
ittee of the National Realty Board report the sub
jec of city planning, says that it is economical Tor
community think of the future IN laying out sections in
fact money in the treasury The report shows
cities that have been planned show vast expenditures Tor
necessary widening citing New York Chicago and San
Francisco while cities such Washington Houston and Salt
Lake adequately planned for future expansion have streets
of sufficient width and have saved enormous expenses
Rr Reed cites the increase in property values that
following the widening of Michigan avenue, Chicago After
100000 600 expenditure improvements the increase in
property values within the district in three
years
DANGEROUS DISREGARD OF RULES OF THE ROAD.
With the driving season lis height and the roads
everywhere crowded with cars, especially upon holidays
Saturdays and Sundays, it is becoming obvious to any
soned operator that there is growing tendency
disregard of the essential rules Of the road
she desire get ahead in the crowd is leading many
ivers take chances and dangerous conditions
that all of the highways The remedy for the
situation in the hands of the operators themselves for
the police be everywhere. Many OF the violations
what would be termed minor in character and yet they
may result in major casualties and at all times,
source of inconvenience Continual breaking
Of the rules be ascrbed largely careessness and
sefshness rather than ignorance, for the nfracon
are of rules which every driver has learn before he
successfully pass the State examination.
One of the fragrant examples of poor driving
and which had grown rapidly disregard Of the rule
which requires that driver in passing another going
in the direction, shall drive to the left OF the
ahead One thing that contributes causing passing
the right is the habit of drivers, especially truck
operators, of huggng the line Of the road and not
giving way quickly when signaed from behind Persist
refusal to give way creates strong temptation on the
part driver essay the passage of the vehicle by taking
the the right This sometimes has disastrous
results as the driver ahead may decide give way just at
the time the driver behind attempts take the chance and
the two vehicles almost sure TO come together
La this connection is also noticeable that hand
signals being used commonly should be the
case The State has established code of hand signals but
there tendency the part of drivers depend entirely
upon their mirrors and their stop signals and
not to use their hands indicate right left turn
STOP good chaufer puts his hand when he intends
to- change his and indicates the direction he is
take by the signal provided for that purpose There are
a great many drivers the road who do not give any
indication at all and many others merely stick out hand
without showing whether they plan swing right left
or to stop. More attention to signalling will do much to
make traffic flow smoothly and rapidly upon the
crowded streets and also upon the main thoroughfares In
the country The driver who puts his hand out stragt
indicates left turn and then swings to the right in
imminent danger Of being bumped by following car whose
driver had the right to suppose that ne could pass 10 the
right as the car ahead moved off the road it had been
travelling
Cutting out under clancy conditions is such awel
known and prolific of accidents that is astonishing
how frequently is done probably the cause of more