HYLAN FOR ROADWAY AT GRAND CENTRAL

The New York Times
December 21, 1922

Plan for Elevated Drive Explained to Estimate Board Committee of Whole.

CRAIG CRITICISES PROJECT

Other Members Recommend Its Adoption to Relieve Congestion of Traffic.

Borough President Miller's proposal to erect a driveway around the east end of the Grand Central Terminal, to alleviate traffic congestion, received the approval of Mayor Hylan yesterday at a public hearing before the Committee of the Whole of the Board of Estimate.

About seventy representatives of the Fifth Avenue Association, the City Club, the Board of Trade and Transportation and other civic bodies attended the hearing, and when Mayor Hylan asked if any one objected to the plan, no one replied. Samuel W. Taylor of the Traffic Committee of the Fifth Avenue Association told the board that "nearly 1,000 of the leading merchants of this city, whose employes number more than 100,000, have signed a petition to have this improvement made."

Mr. Miller's plan provides for an elevated roadway in Depew Place, extending from Forty-second to Forty-sixth Street, similar to the viaduct on the west side of the terminal, which would permit north and south bound vehicles to continue without crosstown interference.

"Some of these reformers that have been opposing me in the past," said Mayor Hylan, "have reformed and come over to our side and if the New York Central is willing to reform and talk things over, and if the city will benefit together with the railroad, I am willing to have the plan adopted."

When a member of the City Club spoke of the plan as a "partnership" between the city and the New York Central, the Mayor corrected him.  "It may be a mutual plan," said the Mayor, "but it's no partnership."

Controller Craig said that it should not be necessary for the city to have to go to the railroad for city improvements.  Heretofore, said the Controller the railroads had been able to "block in the legislature legislation that the city deemed necessary."  He was not willing, he said, to close any more streets around the terminal, and although traffic made it imperative, he added, "I don't want to make a roller-coaster out of the highway."  Other members of the board recommended the adoption of the plan.