SPEED WITH SAFETY

Southland Times, Issue 23123, 13 February 1937, Page 14

SPEED WITH SAFETY

HIGHWAY PROBLEM FRESH EFFORT BY NEW YORK Construction of an extensive system of “freeways” in the vicinity of New York, as the best permanent solution of the traffic problem on main highways, is advocated in a plan drawn up by the Regional Plan Association. The term “freeway” indicates a new type of general traffic highway based upon a right of way to which abutting property owners do not have access. Its purpose is to avoid frequent intersections and their consequent delays. In addition, it aims at making reasonably high speed safer by separating traffic as to direction and by excluding developments on either side of the driving lanes which, by inviting stops, make for congestion. The freeway would give to both pleasure and commercial traffic, the type of safe and uninterrupted roadway now enjoyed by pleasure cars on a parkway. In this way an express route is provided for both light and heavy traffic. To be of greatest service the new freeways, the association holds, must be as close to the existing main highways as possible and provide convenient access roads to population centres. While the present express highway system is believed to have accomplished much for the continuous flow of traffic at higher speeds by such means as grade separations, direct alignments and curves of long radii, it is held to lack a chief essential for permanent express use—border protection. To provide such roads new legislation is necessary. The rights of property owners enter largely into the subject, but discussions already indicate that the project is .feasible and Bills are in preparation for the legislatures of New York, New Jersey, and other contiguous States. “Parkways” are already existent roads in which there is a divided central portion for separated through traffic each way. Divided from this again, on each side, are service roads for the properties abutting on the parkway and adjacent streets. The freeway would be a through, route without any such service, or access provision until it reached its destination.