Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Liurary HISTORY of the work of eliminating grade crossings BY THE Brooklyn Grade Crossing Commission A joint undertaking between THE CITY OF NEW YORK THE LONG ISLAND R. R. CO. AND THE BROOKLYN HEIGHTS R. R. CO. April 30, J9JS BROOKLYN GRADE CROSSING COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS Frank M. Brooks, President John S. Griffith, Secretary Edwin C. Swezey, General Superintendent Ralph Peters, Representing L. I. R. R. John L. Wells, Representing B. H. R. R. FORMER MEMBERS Louis Beer, resigned April, 1904; John C. Brackenridge, resigned December 29th, 1903 and William F. Potter, President, Long Island Railroad Company, died April 3rd, 1905. BROOKLYN GRADE CROSSING COMMISSION THE BROOKLYN GRADE CROSSING COMMISSION was created by an act of the Legislature, which became a law May 9, 1903, entitled as follows : "Chap. 507, an Act to abolish certain grade crossings of highways and railroads in the borough of Brooklyn in the city of New York and county of Kings, and providing for necessary changes in the grades of highways, streets and avenues, and of portions of the railroad, and right of way of the New York. Brooklyn and Manhattan Beach rail- way company, leased to the Long Island railroad company, and of the Brooklyn L^nion elevated railroad company, leased to the Brooklyn Heights railroad company, so as to abolish present and avoid future crossings at grade, and providing means for the payment for such alterations or changes."' The act authorized the Mayor of the City of New York, (Hon. Seth Low) to appoint a Commission of five, three of whom should represent the City, one to represent the Long Island Railroad Company, and one to represent the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the act above referred to. The Mayor appointed, June 29. 1903. as members of the Commission, Louis Beer, Frank M. Brooks and Edwin C. Swezey. representing the City, John C. Brackenridge. represent- ing the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company and William F. Potter, representing the Long Island Railroad Company. The first meeting of the Commission was held at the office of the Borough President. July 9, 1903, at which an organiza- tion was effected by electing the following officers : Louis Beer, president ; Frank M. Brooks, secretary : Edwin C. Swezey. general superintendent. Mr. Brackenridge resigned December 29, 1903. and was succeeded by John L. Wells, ap- pointed January 6, 1904. Mr. Beer resigned April, 1904, and 5 was succeeded by John S. Griffith, appointed May 3, 1904. The death of Mr. Potter occurred April 3, 1905, and he was succeeded by Ralph Peters, appointed April 24, 1905. These changes in the membership of the Commission re- sulted in its reorganization by electing Frank M. Brooks, presi- dent, John S. Griffith, secretary, and under the Board as thus constituted, the work thus far accomplished on both Improve- ments, has been carried on. The act of the Legislature stated that the work contemplated affecting the Long Island Railroad Company should be designated as the Bay Ridge Improvement, and that the work contemplated affecting the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company should be designated as the Brighton Beach Improvement, and as the two Improvements were distinct from each other, it became necessary for the Board to organize two separate forces to carry on the Improvements. The Board appointed Mr. Lardner V. Morris, Chief Engi- neer of the Bay Ridge Improvement, and Mr. John H. Dwyer, Chief Engineer of the Brighton Beach Improvement. Because of the division of the work the report of this Board showing the progress made will deal with each Improve- ment under separate headings. As the work of eliminating grade crossings by depressing or elevating the railroads would affect the abutting property and also the property abutting on the intersecting streets, it became necessary from time to time to grant public hearings to citizens interested therein, also to consider petitions covering certain specified requests to protect as far as possible the interests of the residents and property owners affected by the proposed changes and also to consider the future development of what was at the time of the beginning of the work undeveloped territory. As the original act was passed without a thorough knowl- edge of the requirements in this regard, the Commission after carefully investigating the many interests involved felt justified in advocating at different times amendments to the act by the Legislature. Said amendments became Laws on the following dates : Chapter 603 became a law on May 4, 1904, and provided for the constructing of bridges for streets not yet opened across 6 the right of way of the Long Island Railroad, but which will be needed when the adjacent territory becomes more populated. This amendment also provided that the cost of these bridges need not be charged against the $2,500,000 originally appropri- ated by the City for the Bay Ridge Improvement. Chapter 589 became a law on May 19, 1905, and amended the original act to the effect that the right of way of the Long Island Railroad should continue in a depression under Flatbush avenue easterly to a point between Albany avenue and Avenue G. The original act provided for the elevation of the Railroad between these points. Chapter 635 became a law on May 26, 1905, and provided that if in the judgment of the Commission the cost of acquiring land for the construction of slopes is less than the cost of constructing retaining walls for the purpose of sustaining the embankments, the Board may adopt that method of construction ; also provided an increase in the amount to be appropriated by the City for the Brighton Beach Improvement from $750,000 to $1,000,000; also proidded for the construction of bridges over streets not yet legally opened of the Brighton Beach Improve- ment; also conferred power upon the Commission to settle claims for damages to improved property abutting on streets, the grade of which has been changed for the purpose of this Improvement. Chapter 735 became a law on July 25, 1907, and provided for the re-location of the tracks of the Long Island Railroad Company between East New York avenue and a point near Bushwick avenue and Aberdeen street ; also provided for a method of procedure in ascertaining the damages to improved property caused by changing grade of streets affected by the Improvements. The progress reports herein printed give a history of the work in detail. The time for completion of the Bay Ridge Improvement of the Long Island Railroad extended beyond the time expected when the work was begun. This was due to financial conditions, requiring a temporary sus- pension of large expenditures until such time as the City and the Railroad Company were prepared to proceed. Owing to the Act creating the Commission failing to provide for terminating its existence and preserving its rec- 7 ords, — the Commission in co-operation with the City Author- ities joined in asking the action of the State Legislation to that end. The Legislative Act provided for the transfer of the duties of the Commission to the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, and the filing of all its records and maps with the County Clerk of Kings County and the termination on May 1st, 1918, of the existence of the Brooklyn Grade Crossing Commission. 8 BRIGHTON BEACH IMPROVEMENT First Progress Report 1903-1907 The Brighton Beach Improvement comprehended the elimi- nation of the grade crossings of the steam road constructed in 1878, called the Brooklyn, Flatbush and Coney Island Railroad, but popularly known as the Brighton Beach Railroad, which was built in conjunction with the development of the Brighton Beach Hotel and adjacent property. The road began at Franklin avenue and Atlantic avenue in the City of Brooklyn, running South to the Brooklyn City line for a distance of one mile, and from the Brooklyn City line extending through the villages of Flatbush, Greenfield and Sheepshead Bay, within the towns of Flatbush and Gravesend, making the total length of the road 7 miles. When the road was constructed the territory above men- tioned consisted mainly of farm land, and the Brooklyn, Flat- bush and Coney Island Railroad Company purchased its right-of- way, owning the same outright. The great increase in population and growth of the City of Brooklyn extending into the suburbs resulted in a movement on the part of the residents to the end that all the territory adjacent to this Railroad, became in 1894 a part of the City of Brooklyn, and on January 1, 1898, became a part of the City of New York. By this time this section had reached a period of active development with a rapidly increasing population. The Brighton Beach Road was acquired by the Brooklyn Union Elevated Railroad Company in May, 1899, a connection having been made with the elevated railroad system at Franklin avenue and Fulton street a few years prior to this. The electrification of the road immediately followed, which enabled passengers to be carried to the City Hall in Manhattan. The extension of population along the line of the Brighton Beach Road and adjacent thereto, was so great and the quick time made from the heart of the City to Coney Island resulted in such a great increase in traffic, that the running of motor 2 9 Brighton Beach Improvement trains became a source of danger to the residents, and it was deemed advisable by the city officials to co-operate with the Railroad Company in the elimination of all grade crossings exist- ing at that time and to avoid future crossings at grade. Under the terms of the original act of the Legislature, the City was required to pay one-half of the cost of the work, the total payment on the part of the City, however, not to exceed an amount of $750,000. The amendment to the act Chapter 635, Laws of 1905, increased the total amount which could be paid by the City to $1,000,000. Immediately upon the organization of the Commission it acquired from the Railroad Company preliminary surveys, maps and plans and after reviewing same the Commission decided to divide the work of the Brighton Beach Improvement into three sections. The first section consisted of the separation of the grade of the railroad from the grade of the street at Park place and Prospect place, by elevating the railroad. The second section consisted of depressing the tracks of the Brighton Beach Road from a point about 300 feet south of Church avenue to a point about 450 feet South of Avenue G, making of total length of Section No. 2 of 6,400 feet. This depression was in the form of an open cut. Section No. 3 began at the terminus of Section No. 2 and was in the form of an embankment, extending to Neptune avenue, and from that point running to grade at about 880 feet, making the total distance of Section No. 3 18,800 feet. At the time of the preparation of this preliminary report, the work of the Brighton Beach Improvement on all three sections has been completed sufficiently to operate all trains over the new grade. The work has been carried on with great rapidity, the accomplishment of which has required the most faithful and energetic efforts on the part of the officials of the Board and its engineering staff. The Board desires to acknowledge the energetic co-operation of Mr. E. W. Winter, President and Mr. W. S. Menden, Chief Engineer of the Brooklyn Heights R. R. Co., in the securing of these results. in Brighton Beach Improvement SECTION No. 1. The work of Section No. 1 was the first attempted. The two grade crossings at Park place and Prospect place were particularly dangerous, owing to the large and steadily in* creasing population adjacent to the Park place station. Plans were filed with the Commissioner of Public Works as required by Law on June 28, 1904. Bids for the work were opened and contracts awarded on July 22 and 26, 1904. The work on Section No. 1 consisted of the depression of the roadway of Park place eight (8) feet below the established grade where it crossed the railroad. The changed grade extended 240 feet to the West and 138 feet to the East of the railroad, at which points it comes to the established grade of the street. The track of the railroad was elevated upon a steel structure 6 feet above the old street grade, giving with the depression of the street a headroom of 12 feet between the railroad and the street. The change of grade at Prospect place was effected by elevating the railroad on a steel structure to a point which al- lowed a headroom of 12 feet between the railroad and the street. In making the arrangement for carrying on this work it became necessary to provide for the maintenance of traffic, which during the rush hours morning and evening and during the Coney Island season is particularly heavy. A somewhat complicated situation was created because of the limited right-of-way, and the problems to be solved were many in order to facilitate the progress of the work and at the same time maintain uninterrupted traffic. Contracts were drawn and the work organized and carried on with this object in mind, however, and it is a matter of great credit to the Chief Engineer that the entire work of Section No. 1 was completed and the new station erected without injury to any of those employed on the work or to the traveling public and without any interruption in the exceedingly heavy traffic of the road. n Brighton Beach Improvement The following contracts were made covering the work at Prospect place and Park place (Section Xo. 1). Cranford Construction Company. For excavation of street to lower the grade, building of drainage sewer, construction of concrete walls to maintain sidewalks at higher grade than roadway and construction of walls and abutments to elevate the railroad, for erection of fencing on sidewalks along depressed roadway, repaving depressed roadway and reflagging sidewalk. Contract awarded July 22, 1904. Cost of work $40,439.00 Amount of concrete used, 2,6C0 cubic yards. Amount of material excavated, 5,200 cubic yards. Lineal feet of fence, 1,090 feet. Pavement laid, Medina sandstone, 1,450 square yards. " Asphalt pavement, 313 square yards. Sidewalk laid, 7,030 feet. Granite curbing, 700 lineal feet. McClixtic Marshall Construction Company. Contract for raising and reinforcing spans of elevated structure at and near St. Marks avenue and construction of new bridges over Prospect place and Park place. Contract awarded July 22, 1904. W eight of Prospect place bridge, 43.5 tons. Weight of Park place bridge, 50.8 tons. Cost of raising and reinforcing elevated structure at St. Marks avenue, $2,800.00. Total amount of contract 9,939.00 Eastern Construction Company. Contract for the erection and removal of temporary inclines for the purpose of maintaining traffic during construction of permanent work from St. Marks avenue to Prospect place. Contract awarded July 26, 1904. Total amount of contract 5,603.00 Brighton Beach Improvement Milliken Brothers. Contract for building new station platform and canopy. Contract awarded July 22, 1904. Cost of same 4,243.00 Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company. Paid for work on temporary and permanent tracks, overhead line changes, right-of-way fences and incident work 10,959.00 Sundry Expenses. Making changes in water mains in Park place. . . . 1,109.00 Incidental expenses, printing, rent of land, inspect- ion, etc 645.00 $72,937.00 In addition to the above cost there will have to be included any award for damages owing to the changing of grade of the property abutting at Park place, claims for which are now in process of settlement. The work on this section necessitated the erection of a new station at Park place by the railroad company at an expense of $3,100, including station building, lighting, wiring, etc. SECTION No. 2. The work of Section No. 2 consisted of the separation of the grade of the railroad from the grade of the street at Beverly Road, Avenue C, Avenue D, Ditmas Avenue, Newkirk Avenue and Foster Avenue by depressing the right-of-way of the rail- road, beginning at a point 300 feet south of Church Avenue and continuing to a point about 450 feet south of Avenue G, a total length of 6,400 feet. The determination of the Commission to depress the right- of-way on this section was reached after a lengthy consideration of the matter, necessitated by the desire of the Railroad Company to elevate its right-of-way. The Commission received numerous protests from many associations and residents adjacent to the Brighton Beach Rail- 13 Brighti'ii Beach Improvement road against the elevation of the road, and in order to give the Railroad Company the full use of its entire right-of-way, nearly all of the property owners adjacent to the railroad agreed to give the Railroad Company, in consideration of the road being depressed, an easement to sufficient of their property for the purpose of constructing retaining walls to hold up the sides of the cut. In reaching this result the Commission acknowledges the assistance of the Committee of One Hundred, consisting of residents of Flatbush organized for the purpose of consulting with the Commission as to the nature of the work to be accom- plished at this point. The Commission also gave hearings to representatives of the Germania Real Estate and Improvement Company, and to the following gentlemen representing various organizations and property interest : F. A. M. Burrell, Chairman, Committee ot One Hundred; Hon. E. M. Bassett, L. H. Pounds, T. B. Acker- son, E. P. Maynard, Engineer O. F. Nichols, Hon. George E. W aldo, Dr. G. W. Brush, G. P. Fiske, H. A. Meyer, H. B. Bullard, George Maynard, George T. Haight, J. A. Davidson, Charles E. Bolles. The Commission voted to depress the right-of-way on the 10th day of March, 1905. Plans were filed with the City Clerk on the 21st day of March, 1905. Briefly stated the work of Section No. 2 included: (a) The construction of a 36-inch sewer 1,350 feet long from Church avenue and the railroad cut, through East 18th street to Beverly Road, for the purpose of carrying off the drainage running into the cut north of Church avenue, and to prevent it entering into the proposed new depression. (b) The construction of a 36-inch sewer 5,800 feet long running from the railroad cut East through Newkirk avenue extending to Rogers avenue, thence south to Flatbush avenue and then into the Avenue F main sewer, for the purpose of carrying off the drainage of the proposed new cut. (c) The cutting of a new roadbed 18 feet below the old roadbed, the sides of the cut to be retained by concrete walls. 14 Brighton Beach Improvement (d) The construction of new station buildings at Beverly Road, Avenue C and Newkirk avenue. (e) The construction of steel highway bridges over rail- road cut at all intersecting streets, and also foot bridges st Albemarle Road and Avenue G. (f) The erection of 13,600 feet iron fence on retaining walls. (g) The construction of the Foster avenue sewer to allow for lowering the roadbed of the railroad. Bids for the construction of the East 18th street sewer were opened and contract awarded on May 16, 1905, to Henry Dumary. Bids for the construction of the Newkirk avenue sewer were opened and contract awarded on June 6, 1905, to Henry Dumary. Bids for the excavation of the proposed cut and for the construction of concrete retaining walls were opened and contract awarded on November 8, 1905, to Charles Cranford. Bids for the construction of new station buildings were let by the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company to Thomas G. Carlin on February 25, 1907. Bids for the construction of new steel highway bridges were opened and contract awarded on February 6, 1906, to Milliken Brothers. Bids for the erection of iron fence were opened and con- tract awarded on February 9, 1906, to Wayne Iron Works. The plans also provided for the construction of drainage sewers for the cut, for the construction of conduits in the retain- ing walls for holding the cables necessary for the transmission of the electrical power to operate the railroad, and also for the replacing of city sewers at cross streets. In the drawing of the contract provision was made for the maintenance of the usual passenger traffic of the railroad, and rules and regulations were imposed on the contractor to safe- guard as much as possible the safety of the traveling public, and the cross street traffic and the property of adjacent property owners. Owing to the depth of the cut and the limited space for the work of construction and excavation, extraordinary care and 15 Brighton Beach Improvement foresight was required by the Chief Engineer in the drawing up of the contract and the requirements of the same, so as to facilitate and maintain passenger and cross street traffic and at the same time to allow the contractor to proceed with his work uninterruptedly. This necessitated the construction at various points of tem- porary cross overs and overhead electric equipment, temporary tracks and temporary bridges at cross streets. The Commission was required to arrange for the taking up of trees and shrubs on the ground to be disturbed immediately adjacent to the cut, to transplant and care for the same during the progress of the work and to retransplant upon the completion of the work to the original location. The excavation of the cut was begun in March, 1906, and finished in July, 1907, the total amount of material excavated being 230,000 yards. It is a matter of gratification to the Board to include in its report the statement that, during the progress of this work under many adverse conditions existing because of limited space avail- able for the simultaneous prosecution of the work and operation of the railroad, the passenger traffic was maintained on its regular schedule, including the heavy traffic of two summer seasons, without injury to the traveling public. The material excavated on Section No. 2 was hauled on the Brighton Beach Railroad south to Section No. 3 to form the embankment planned at that section. The work on the cut was begun December 29, 1905, at Avenue G, for the construction of the west concrete wall. The excavation for the depressed roadbed began at and followed the construction of this wall, said excavation consist- ing of about one-third of the width of the entire cut. After the west wall was completed the east wall was begun at the Church avenue end of this section and as the east wall progressed it was followed by the excavation of the remaining portion of the cut. The west wall was completed in October, 19C6, and the east wall was completed in August, 1907. Railroad traffic was maintained along the easterly side of 16 Brighton Beach Improvement the right-of-way until the west wall and the excavation adjacent thereto was completed, when tracks were laid in the new excava- tion and trains operated thereon while the east wall and the excavation of the remainder of the cut were being completed. The following contracts were made covering the work of Section Xo. 2, Brighton Beach Railroad. Charles Craxford. For lowering the right-of-way of the railroad, con- struction of concrete retaining walls, construction of the drainage system of the new grade, con- struction of station walls and canopies. Cost of work $472,000.00 Amount of concrete used, 43,000 cubic yards. Amount of sewer pipe used, 6,056 lineal feet. Amount of soil excavated, 230,000 cubic yards. Amount of granite pavement, 2,600 square yards. 38 manholes. Conduits, 157,400 duct feet. Henry Dumary, For constructing sewer from Church avenue and railroad cut through East 18th street to Beverly Road. Size of sewer 36 inches. Length of sewer, 1,300 lineal feet. Cost of sewer construction 10,600.00 For construction of sewer running from railroad cut and Xewkirk avenue and extending to Avenue F main city sewer. Size of sewer 36, 42 and 54 inches. Length of sewer, 5,800 lineal feet. Cost of sewer construction 42,500.00 Thomas G. Carlix. For construction of new station buildings at Beverly Road, Avenue C and Newkirk avenue. The Railroad Company pays the entire cost of these new stations. 17 Brighton Beach Improvement Report of cost of same will be made under sepa- rate headings in completed report. Milliken Brothers. For construction of steel highway bridges over railroad cut at Beverly Road, Avenue C, Avenue D, Ditmas avenue, Xewkirk avenue and Foster avenue. Aggregate tonnage, 447 tons. Average tonnage of each bridge, 74.5 tons. Cost of above bridges 41,068.00 Wayne Iron Works. For erection of iron fence on retaining walls, com- prising 12,000 lineal feet. Cost of same 17,000.00 Charles Cranford. Reconstructing Foster avenue sewer to permit lowering of grade of right-of-way. Cost of same 13,972.00 Cost of concrete arched flooring for highway bridges 13,700.00 Cost of restoring all street pavement and sidewalks at streets intersecting railroad 6,500.00 SECTION No. 3. The work of Section No. 3 consisted of the separation of the grade of the railroad from the grade of the highways at the southerly terminus of Section No. 2 extending south a distance of 3.7 miles to Neptune avenue and descending to normal grade from Neptune avenue, to a point between Neptune avenue and the Brighton Beach Hotel. The railroad was elevated the entire length of this section, crossing the following highways: Avenue J, Avenue K, Locust avenue, Chestnut avenue, Elm avenue, Avenue N, Avenue O, Kings Highway, Avenue R, Avenue S, Avenue T, Avenue U, Avenue V, Neck Road, Shore Road and Neptune avenue. By referring to Section No. 1 of the Act creating the 18 Brighton Beach Improvement Brooklyn Grade Crossing Commission it will be noted that it requires the New York, Brooklyn and Manhattan Beach Rail- road to be elevated between Avenue J and a point south of Neptune avenue, so as to carry all present and future intersect- ing streets between said points beneath said railroad. Power is also given to this Commission to relocate the right-of-way of the Manhattan Beach Road as then existing, so as to parallel the easterly side of the Brighton 'Beach Road, pro- vided such relocation is consented to by the proper city authori- ties. When so relocated the act requires the railroad to be elevated. As the Commission had decided to relocate and elevate the Manhattan Beach line as above outlined, it will be readily seen therefore that it became obligatory on the Commission to elevate the Brighton Beach Railroad to a height corresponding to that proposed for the Manhattan Beach line when relocated. In pursuance thereto the Commission voted to elevate the Brighton Beach Road on the 22d day of December, 1905, and subsequent thereto plans and specifications for Section No. 3 were amended on July 3, 1906, July 20, 1906, December 28, 1906, and March 26, 1907. Plans being filed with the City Clerk on December 26, 1905. The elevation of the road was accomplished by the con- struction of an earth embankment, material for which was supplied by the excavation of Section No. 2, and also a portion of the material excavated from Section No. 1 of the Bay Ridge Improvement of the Long Island Railroad Company, which work was going on simultaneously with the work of this section and under the direction of this Commission. Additional material was also secured from adjacent work being carried on by the Long Island Railroad Company. But for the material supplied from these sources, the work of Sec- tion No. 3 of the Brighton Beach Improvement would have re- quired double the time for its completion and a greatly increased expenditure. The contract covering the work of the Bay Ridge Improve- ment required that the excavated material be placed in embank- ment of that work or be delivered at Manhattan Beach Junction 19 Brighton Beach Improvement by Contractor W. H. Gahagan, and pursuant to a separate agree- ment between the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company and Contractor Gahagan and approved by the Commission, was hauled along the line of the Brighton Beach Railroad, south of Avenue O as far as Sheepshead Bay thus creating the embank- ment between those points. The elevation of the entire right-of-way of the railroad couid be accomplished either by the construction of retaining walls and filling in between the walls, or the purchase of land adjoining the right-of-way for the purpose of having an embankment wkh slopes extending over the purchased property. As the purchase of land and the construction of slopes would cost less than to construct concrete retaining walls, it was decided to adopt the former method, subject to the opinion of the Corporation Counsel that it would be legal for the City to partic- ipate in the purchase of land necessary to form the slope of the embankment. The question was submitted to the Corporation Counsel and under date of June 25, 1905, an opinion was given favorable to the adoption of embankment method. In view of the heavy summer traffic prevailing on the Brighton Beach Road, it was also thought wise to arrange for the stoppage of all passenger traffic on the Brighton Beach Road during the construction of the embankment, and arrangement was made between the Brooklyn Heights Railroad and the New York, Brooklyn and Manhattan Beach Railroad, with the ap- proval of the Commission, to electrify the Manhattan Beach Railroad from Manhattan Beach Junction to Sheepshead Bay Junction and to divert the traffic of the Brighton Beach Road over the tracks of that company. The object in making tlvs arrangement was to allow the work to proceed with greater rapidity and by the suspension of all traffic to eliminate the danger of accidents to the traveling public, which would be more or less prevalent because of the constant running of dirt trains, trains bringing material and supplies, contractor's equipment, etc. It would also avoid the necessity and expense of constantly shift- ing the tracks for the purpose of maintaining traffic. 90 Brighton Beach Improvement Under an opinion received from the Corporation Counsel, dated December 11, 1906, the legality of the action of the Commission in this respect was approved. The amount of land required for the construction of the slope of the embankment was a strip 22 feet wide, immediately adjacent to the easterly side of the right-of-way. At Neck Road it became necessary to construct an incline on the westerly side of the main line, allowing traffic to be main- tained for the Sheepshead Bay Race Track. This incline reaches a low point at Avenue X, crossing under the Brighton Beach Road and the Manhattan Beach Road and continuing over the property of the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company to the depot at the Sheepshead Bay Race Track. There has also been constructed an incline for traffic return- ing from the Sheepshead Bay Race Track Station. Said incline being on the easterly side of the main line between the tracks of the main line and the Manhattan Beach Road, reaching the new grade of the road at Neck Road. The following contracts were made covering the work cf Section No. 3 : Charles Cranford. Supplementary contract to build abutments at streets on Section between Long Island Railroad Cross- ing and Avenue O. Amount of material excavated, 2,400 cubic yards. Amount of concrete used, 3,200 cubic yards. Total cost $21,350.00 Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company. Excavating foundation and building bridge abut- ments, and making a four track embankment from Avenue O to and including Neptune avenue. Amount of material excavated, 4,600 cubic yards. Amount of concrete used, 9,500 cubic yards. Amount of material in embankment, 467,000 cubic yards. Cost 156,000.00 21 Brighton Beach Improvement Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company. Work on their own portions of abutments and walls at streets where stations are located. Amount of material excavated, 1,940 cubic yards. Amount of concrete used, 3,540 cubic yards. Total cost 23,000.00 Barth S. Cronin. Building coffer dams and excavating foundation pits and driving piles for abutments and piers at Neptune avenue. Coffer dam work $5,100.00 Excavation and pile driving 8,025.00 Total contract 13,125.00 Abbot-Gamble Company. Putting in solid floor construction on railroad bridges from Avenue J to and including Neptune avenue. Amount of flooring, 73,000 square feet. Amount of contract 72,500.00 Frank J. Gallagher. Grading nine streets to get 14-foot headroom under bridges on Section No. 3. Estimated amount of contract 14,000.00 Milliken Brothers. Furnishing steel bridges on Section No. 3. Amount of steel, 2,500 tons. Total cost 238.500.00 Railroad Company paid for 460 tons of steel (in- cluded in above) amounting to $42,320.00. Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company. Under contract to build abutments and make em- bankment fill on Section No. 3, are building the incline at Neck Road. Estimated quantities: Concrete, 7,900 cubic yards. Excavation, 20,000 cubic yards. Reinforcing rods, 74 tons. Estimated cost 77,000.00 22 BAY RIDGE IMPROVEMENT LONG ISLAND RAILROAD First Progress Report 1903-1907 SCOPE OF THE WORK The Bay Ridge Improvement comprehends the elimination of all grade crossings of the steam railroads operating under original charters known as the New York, Bay Ridge & Jamaica Railroad Co., the New York & Manhattan Beach Railway Co., and the Long Island City & Manhattan Beach Railroad Co., consolidated into the New York, Brooklyn & Manhattan Beach Railway Company, which is now leased to and for the purpose of this report will be referred to as the Long Island Railroad Company. The Act of the Legislature, which became a law May 9, 1903, provided that the work of the Bay Ridge Improvement should be carried on at the joint expense of the Long Island Railroad and the City of New York, each to pay one-half of the cost. The maximum amount to be expended by the City was limited to Two and one-half million dollars ($2,500,000) with the provi- sion that any additional cost in excess of the joint expense of Five million dollars ($5,000,000) should be borne by the Railroad Company only, except that where additional bridges were built at streets not actually opened or traveled so as to provide for future crossings, the cost to the City was to be increased so as to cover one-half of the expense of such additional bridges. NECESSITY FOR THE WORK. At the time of the construction of these railroads, the terri- tory through which they ran consisted mainly of farm land, but the rapid extension of population into the suburban districts of the Borough of Brooklyn resulted in the development of residen- tial neighborhoods adjacent to the railroads, attended with all the '23 Bay Ridge Improvement inconveniences and dangers pertaining to the operation of steam roads crossing highways at grade. To provide for the present and future requirements of these rapidly growing sections, and to establish all the conveniences and facilities necessary for munici- pal living, such as water mains, sewer systems, electric light, tele- graph and telephone conduits, and to enable additional streets to be opened across the right of way of the railroad so as to provide for necessary foot passenger and vehicular traffic, it became nec- essary to make a permanent separation of the grade of the rail- road from the grade of the highways by elevating or depressing the right of way of the Railroad. The separation of grades con- templated by the legislative Act covers that portion of the Rail- road extending from the Brooklyn Borough Line to Bay Ridge, a distance of 10.4 miles, and from Manhattan Beach Junction to Manhattan Beach, a distance of 3.7 miles. The number of grade crossings to be eliminated, existing at the time of passage of the Act. from Bay Ridge to Brooklyn Borough Line was 41, and from Manhattan Beach Junction to Manhattan Beach 10. Upon the organization of the Commission, it was enabled to purchase from the Railroad Company the surveys and maps cov- ering the proposed Bay Ridge Improvement, thus saving the Com- mission the time necessary to have the same made under its own direction. OUTLINE OF PLANS. The consideration of the plans of the Bay Ridge Improve- ment involved a re-adjustment of the right of way at certain points; the establishment of new grade lines; the re-construction of existing freight yards conformable to the new grade lines of the right of way ; the re-construction of sidings and of connec- tions with private yards to conform to the new established grade. A very important feature of the Act of the Legislature was the provision for the elevation or depression of the entire width of the right of way. The Commission found this could be accom- plished either by the construction of retaining walls and filling in between the walls for the purpose of elevation, or by the con- struction of retaining walls to sustain the sides of the cut if the 24 Bay Ridge Improvement right of way was depressed by excavation, or by purchasing land adjacent to the right of way, said land to be utilized for the construction of slopes. As the estimates of the Engineers indi- cated that land adjacent to the right of way could be purchased and utilized for forming slopes to sustain an embankment in the event of the right of way being elevated, and utilized to sustain slopes in the event of the right of way being depressed, it was decided to require the purchase of land for the forming of slopes, should such action by the Commission in the opinion of the Cor- poration Counsel be authorized by law. A favorable opinion to that effect was given by the Corporation Counsel January 25, 1907. In compliance with the request of the Long Island Railroad Company, plans were also adopted providing for a form of con- struction which would increase the facilities of the Railroad over its existing right of way at certain points, said increase in facili- ties, however, to be paid for only by the Long Island Railroad Company and not to be a charge against the Improvement. DETAIL OF CONSTRUCTION. The plans finally adopted by the Board called for the de- pression of the Railroad from Bay Ridge for a Distance of 5.6 miles, to a point between Albany Avenue and Avenue G, and for the elevation of the road on an embankment from this point a dis- tance of 2.8 miles, to a point about 1800 ft. north of New Lots Road ; thence following a gradual descending grade to a point about 425 ft. south of Atlantic Avenue; thence requiring a tunnel to be constructed about 3500 ft. in length, coming to grade at the original surface at a point about 200 ft. south of Central Avenue ; then again elevated on an embankment terminating at the Borough Line. Owing to the depression of the right of way, it became nec- essary for the Commission to arrange for the re-construction of sewers at the following points : Eighth Avenue, Ninth Avenue, Ft. Hamilton Avenue, Twelfth Avenue, New Utrecht Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, East 35th Street. The work necessitated the changing of water and gas mains 25 Bay Ridge Improvement and electric connections at all opened streets, and the shifting ci street railway tracks and re-laying of same so as to prevent an interruption of traffic at the following railroad crossings : Flatbush Avenue, Gravesend Avenue, Ocean Avenue, New Utrecht Avenue, Brighton Beach Railroad, Coney Island Avenue, The existing grade crossings traveled by the Public from Bay Ridge to the Borough Line were as follows : First Avenue, Ft. Hamilton Avenue, Kowenhoven Lane, 11th Avenue, New Utrecht Avenue, 15th Avenue, 60th Street, 53rd Street, New Utrecht Road, 18th Avenue, 52nd Street, Gravesend Avenue, East 3rd Street, Coney Island Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, Herkimer Street, Fulton Street, Norman Place I .roadw ay, Conway Street, Centra A total of 41. Of the above, Amersford Place, an old country road not Oil the City Map and practically eliminated as a thor- oughfare by the opening of Flatbush Avenue, was abandoned; Wyckoff Avenue is shifted to conform with the lines of Fast 83rd Street; and Canarsie Road is shifted to conform with the lines of East 92nd Street. Additional bridges are being con- structed on the lines of the streets laid on the City Map but not yet opened, as follows: Ocean Avenue, Amersfort Place, Flatbush Avenue, Kowenhoven Rd. (Kgs. Hwy.) Wyckoff Avenue, Canarsie Road, Rockaway Avenue, Aew Lots Road, Sutter Avenue, Pitkin Avenue, Glenmore Avenue, Liberty Avenue, Vesta Avenue, East New York Avenue, Stewart Street, Eastern Parkway, La Sales Place, Bushwick Avenue, Aberdeen Street, Furman Avenue, Avenue. 26 Bay Ridge Improvement 16th Avenue, 59th Street, 17th Avenue, East 14th Street, Xostrand Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, Avenue H, Albany Avenue, Avenue G, Utica Avenue, Avenue D, Ralph Avenue, Remsen Avenue-, East 94th Street, Blake Avenue. Two bridges for pedestrians only were also provided for, one at East 18th Street and one at Belmont Avenue, making a total of 17 new streets provided for. On this section there were oper- ated, crossing the tracks of the Railroad at grade. 9 lines of street railways, on two of which are also operated motor trains, and one crossing of steam and electric railroad tracks, namely, Atlantic Avenue. MANHATTAN BEACH SECTION. The section running from Manhattan Beach Junction to Coney Island, for the purposes of this report is designated as the Manhattan Beach section. The original Act of the Legisla- ture empowered the Commission to relocate this section adjacent to the easterly side of the Brighton Beach Railroad, if in the judgment of the Commission it was to the public interests so to do, after acquiring the consent of the proper authorities to that end. Because of the close proximity of the Brighton Beach Rail- road to the Manhattan Beach Railroad and the undesirable con- dition which would be created by the construction of an embank- ment for the Manhattan Beach section on its present right of way and the construction of an embankment for the Brighton Beach Railroad on its existing right of way, thus placing the property lying between the two elevated roadbeds in a position which would undoubtedly affect its value and impair its advan- tages as a residential section, the Commission voted to relocate the Manhattan Beach section as above outlined. Application was made jointly by the Railroad Company and the Brooklyn Grade Crossing Commission to the Board of Estimate and Apportion- ment in January, 1906, and the application was granted on June Bay Ridge improvement 7, 1907, pursuant to an agreement to be made between the City of New York and the Long Island Railroad. As re-located, the plans finally adopted by the Board called for the elevation on a dirt embankment of the Manhattan Beach section for a distance of 3.3 miles, which would result in the separation of the grade of the railroad from the grade of the streets at the following streets: Opened and Actually Traveled Streets. Locust Avenue, Avenue U, Chestnut Avenue, Neck Road, Elm Avenue, Shore Road, Kings Highway, Neptune Avenue, Bridges to be Placed at Streets Shown on the City Map, but not Yet Opened: Avenue T. Avenue P, Avenue K, Avenue R, * T Avenue S, Avenue L, . _ Avenue 1 , Avenue N, Avenue V, Avenue O, Avenue Y. It was decided to abandon the following old lanes, action to that effect being taken by the Board of Estimate at the request of the Board : McGaws Lane, Johnsons Lane, Johnsons Road, Emmers Lane. Provision was made to take care of the traffic of these lanes by placing bridges at the nearest adjacent avenues shown on the City map. This made a total of 19 streets to be provided for. On the above section there is one street surface railway crossing the tracks of the Railroad at grade to be eliminated, namely, Neptune Avenue. 28 Bay Ridge Improvement PROGRESS OF THE WORK. The bids for the first portion of the work of the Bay Ridge Improvement were opened in the rooms of the Commission on April 27, 1905. The contract was awarded to Beinhauer & See, on April 27, 1905, and provided for the construction of concrete bridge abutments and adjacent retaining walls at the following points : Xew Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, 17th Avenue, Albany Avenue, 53rd Street, Avenue H, 18th Avenue, Avenue G, 52nd Street, Ralph Avenue, Gravesend Avenue, Avenue D, East 3rd Street, East 83rd Street, Flatbush Avenue, Remsen Avenue. Rockaway Avenue. The work of the Improvement was begun on May 19, 1905, at Gravesend Avenue, Parkville, consisting of excavating a trench for the retaining wall running parallel with Gravesend Avenue, forming the easterly end of the Parkville freight yard, to provide for the lowering of the bed of the freight yard to conform to the new grade to be established for the main right of way. On this occasion, the Commission and the Borough Officials participated in the ceremonies of starting the work. Appropriate addresses were made by Hon. Martin W. Littleton, President of the Bor- ough of Brooklyn, on behalf of the City, and by President Frank M. Brooks, of the Grade Crossing Commission, and President Ralph Peters, of the Long Island Railroad Company. The first shovelful of earth was removed by Miss Beatrice Brooks, the five- year-old daughter of the President of the Commission. The method of carrying on the work as projected by Chief Engineer Morris was first to construct all the bridge abutments and retain- ing walls, and when the abutments were completed to place in position the steel girders required to form the bridges, after which the excavation was to be made which would establish the depressed roadbed at the new grade line laid out on the plans, the material excavated being transported to that portion of the 29 Bay Ridge Improvement work to be elevated upon an embankment. This method of con- struction obviated the entire closing of any streets, so that the usual street traffic was maintained during the progress of the work. Bids for the excavation were opened in the rooms of the Commission on December 12, 1905, and the contract awarded to \Y. H. Gahagan on December 22, 1905. Bids for the steel work for the bridges were opened in the rooms of the Commission on May 19, 1905, and contract awarded to Milliken Brothers on May 26, 1905. Sundry small contracts were let as work progressed for the construction of sewers, the surfacing of roadways, changing of water pipes, construction of solid floors and parapet walls for highway bridges. The Railroad Company did the work of chang- ing the track with their own forces, under the direction of the Commission, by day labor, as this was work that could not be estimated upon or satisfactorily done by contract. WORK ACCOMPLISHED AT THE TIME OF WRITING THIS REPORT: The work accomplished up to this time consists of the de- pressing of the main line from 7th Avenue to Avenue G, a dis- tance of 4^2 miles. The material excavated to make this depres- sion being used to form an embankment from Avenue G to New Lots Road, a distance of 2 l / 2 miles, thus eliminating all grade crossings on the main line for a distance of 7 miles, with the ex- ception of four highways, where permanent bridges will be com- pleted within a few months. Also a portion of the excavated material was diverted to the embankment on the Manhattan Beach Branch, from Avenue J to Shore Road, a distance of 2]/ 2 miles. On this division some work has been done towards constructing bridges over the intersecting streets. On the main line, from 7th Avenue to New Lots Road at East New York, work is under way on 36 bridges, and of this number 18 are practically completed. The Railroad traffic is now maintained on the depressed grade from 7th Avenue to Ocean Parkway and from East 14th 80 Bay Ridge Improvement Street to Albany Avenue, and on the embankment from Wyckoff Avenue to and including New Lots Road. Two adjacent freight yards have been depressed and are operating on their permanent grades at Parkville and Vanderveer Park. The grade crossings where the three principal intersecting railroads operating motor trains cross the Long Island at grade were eliminated as follows : The Prospect Park & Coney Island R. R. on Gravesend Avenue, September 19, 1906; The Bath Beach & West End R. R. on New Utrecht Avenue, July 16, 1907; Brighton Beach Railroad, January 17, 1908. The bridge abutments supporting both the Railroad bridge and Highway bridges are constructed of concrete, for which was used the best quality of Portland Cement, and the stone used throughout the work was crushed limestone. The sand was ob- tained from the excavated portions of the work, as it was of ex- ceptional good quality. The Highway bridges, that is the bridge floor, are made of steel I-beams, placed in parallel rows and completely encased with concrete, forming a slab the width of the highway and spanning the Railroad tracks beneath. This makes a floor that is as near permanent as engineering skill can make it. Upon this floor in the roadway is laid a pavement of various types, consisting on some of wood block and on others sheet asphalt or asphalt block. In place of a fence or iron railing that is usual on bridge struc- tures, there has been built a reinforced concrete wall of a design that is pleasing to the eye and also of permanent construction. All the Highway bridges built to date are of this type. The water pipes, gas mains and electric conduits in the streets where bridges were built were relaid in such manner as to pass between the Lbeams and the floor of the bridge in a chamber especially de- signed for their use. This chamber was placed under the side- walk in most cases so as to be of convenient access for the re- moval or placing of more pipes or ducts. The Railroad bridges, that is where the tracks of the Railroad cross above the highways, are constructed of steel girders span- ning the highways. The floor of these bridges is constructed of concrete and I-beams, and this floor is thoroughly waterproofed 31 Bay Ridge Improvement to prevent any dripping of rain-water or oil through the bridge to the highway beneath. Upon this floor the ballast, ties and rails are laid. This makes practically a noiseless bridge and the pas- sage of trains overhead is hardly noticeable to pedestrians or horses on the highway underneath. These Railroad bridges are practically all of one type, with the exception that at some streets, where ample height is obtained, the girders instead of being placed between the tracks were placed underneath, making what is known as a "deck bridge," the floor being of the same character as the former type. At Wyckoff Avenue a brick arch was constructed in place of a steel bridge ; this was owing to conditions that made it favorable to construct that type of bridge. At some streets the angle formed by the Railroad was so acute that although the street was only 64 feet wide the bridge structure was 138 feet long. This was the case at Avenue G, which necessitated main girders over the roadway of 92 feet. Four of these girders weighed 42 tons each, an unusual weight for girders. The total weight of steel in this bridge is nearly one million pounds. If the steel in this particular bridge were made into ordinary telegraph wire, it would reach 4,000 miles, and this, it must be remembered, is simply for a bridge across one street in the Borough of Brooklyn. The total weight of steel in bridges of all types constructed to date is 4,500 tons. The total amount of concrete used in the bridges, abutments and retaining walls amounts to 40,000 yards. This would make a stone shaft 10 feet square and 10,800 feet high, or approxi- mately 2 miles. The total amount of material excavated is 1,225.000 cubic yards, and this was placed in the embankments as above noted. To give a fair idea of this amount of material, it would cover the entire area of Prospect Park to a depth of feet. This immense amount of material was excavated by Contractor Gaha- gan with four Steam Shovels and loaded into specially con- structed dump cars, which were hauled away to the propel point for embankment construction. 82 Bay Ridge Improvement The sides of the depressed portion are retained by earth having its natural slope. This slope is protected by sodding and seeding, giving a Parking appearance as well as protecting the depressed roadbed from the washing effects of rain storms. The embankment section is simply the excavation reversed ; that is, if the excavation were taken out in one block and turned up side down it would form the embankment, and the slopes of these embankments are to be protected in the same manner as the depressed section. The cost of the work executed to date is estimated at about $1,500,000, which cost is divided between the Long Island Rail- road Company and the City of New York. WORK TO BE DONE TO COMPLETE BAY RIDGE IMPROVEMENT. (a) The reconstruction of right of way from New York Bay to Seventh avenue, a distance of about one mile. (b) The depression of the freight yard extending from New Lots Road to the entrance of proposed tunnel at East New York avenue. (c) The construction of a tunnel on a new line for a distance of about 3,500 feet from East New York avenue to the Evergreen cemetery, through the hill between the above points. (d) The construction of an embankment and bridges from the Evergreen cemetery to the borough line, a distance of one- half mile. The East New York freight yard, which is the distributing point of freight for the entire East New York and Brownsville sections, comprises a strip of land 200 feet wide and a mile long, extending from New Lots Road to Liberty avenue, between Vesta avenue and Junius street. This yard will be depressed and crossed over by the following streets : Blake avenue, Sutter avenue, Pitkin avenue, Glenmore avenue, Liberty avenue and Belmont avenue. The work will be so arranged as to reduce to a minimum the changing of grades of the intersecting and ad- joining streets. Under the Grade Crossing Act it was impossible to change the grade on the Long Island Railroad between the 33 Bay Ridge Improvement points mentioned as contemplated by the Law, as there was a steam railroad in operation on private right of way and adjoin- ing the east side of the land of the Long Island Railroad. This was the Brooklyn & Rockaway Beach Railroad, known as the Canarsie Railroad, and the Law did not cover the abolishing of grade crossings of this railroad. The matter was settled, however, by the Long Island Railroad and the Brooklyn Heights Railroad jointly purchasing the Canarsie Railroad, dividing the property, and the Brooklyn Heights elevating its portion on a steel structure a sufficient height to allow the streets ~o cross the proposed depressed railroad yard and pass underneath the elevated structure. This was done without expense to the City of New York. From a point at Liberty avenue, where the tunnel com- mences, to the Evergreen cemetery the present right of way of the railroad forms an irregular curve, and it was found, after investigation and study, that a very large sum of money would be saved and the work carried on with greater convenience and dispatch if the present railroad were abandoned and the road rebuilt on a straight line between Liberty avenue and the inter- section of the present railroad at Granite street. The original law did not allow the Board to make this change of line ; there- fore a special act was passed by the Legislature on July 25, 1907, which made this change possible, and plans are being prepared so that work can be started at an early date. An approximate estimate of the cost of the work remain- ing to be done on the Bay Ridge Improvement is $3,500,000. BRIGHTON BEACH IMPROVEMENT Second Progress Report 1908-1909 The work unfinished during the year 1907, and completed during 1908, consisted of erecting railroad bridges at Kings Highway and Shore Road, placing solid floors on bridges (both railroad and highway), completing the earth embankment, reg- ulating, grading and paving intersecting streets, and other mis- cellaneous work made necessary by the Improvement. The cost of work during 1908 is as follows : Restoring pavements, sidewalks and completing floors on highway bridges — streets between Church Avenue and L. I. R. R $15,023.00 Grading — paving and regulating streets between L. I. R. R. and Neptune Avenue on account of change of their grade due to the Improve- ment 21,990.00 Erecting steel R. R. bridges at Kings Highway and Shore Road and completing highway bridges 32,394.00 Completion of solid concrete floors on railroad bridges 7,980.00 Steel foot bridges, concrete floors and approaches at Avenues A and G 12,420.00 Subway at Avenue H, Fiske Terrace Station 3,618.00 Neck Road Incline and steel R. R. bridge 32,100.00 New 8-inch water main from Neck Road to Brighton Beach to take the place of an old main covered by earth embankment 6,958.00 Earth-fill in embankment between Shore Road and Neptune Avenue 5,740.00 Removal of temporary bridges and stations erected while work was under way 1,898.00 Temporary tracks and O. H. Line changes on account of failure of Milliken Bros, to deliver steel bridges 3,012.00 35 Brighton Beach Improvement Completion of fence on retaining walls 1,155.00 Completion of two permanent operating tracks between Church Avenue and Brighton Beach 5,492.00 Maintenance of two operating tracks on the em- bankment for one year, ending with 1908 3,431.00 Permanent O. H. work between Shore Road and end of the Improvement 1,501.00 Restoring yards, lawns and property injured by the Improvement 626.00 Electric Light Company, poles and wires moved and changed .. _ 491.00 Miscellaneous work Church Avenue to C. 1 2,760.00 Total $158,589.00 The Commissioners appointed by the Supreme Court to assess the damage to abutting prop- erty on Newkirk Avenue on account of the change of grade of this street due to the work of the Improvement, presented their report, awarding damages to various owners, the amount including expenses of the Commis- sioners, and chargeable to the Improvement, being $ 13,953.17 The total Amount expended during the Year ]9(!s, chargeable to the brighton beach Improvement, is summarized as follows: Cost of the work completed during the year 19US 158,589.00 Award of Commissioners to various property owners OU account of change of grade of Newkirk Avenue 13,953.17 Labor and material furnished by Railroad Com- pany and Contractors prior to January 1, 1908 - Engineers and other expenses during 1908, paid during the year (50,205.98 Total during 1908. 86 $232,7 IS. 15 Brighton Beach Improvement During the year 1909, the only work done on the line of the Improvement was the grading, regulating and paving of Avenue Y and grading Avenue K to the east line of East 15th Street. The opening of Avenue Y allowed the filling-in of Em- mers Lane, the roadway having been kept open when the em- bankment was made by carrying the tracks across the lane on a temporary wooden trestle. BRIDGES AT AVENUES L AND P The Board having previously authorized the construction of permanent steel bridges at Avenues L and P, the Railroad Company, with the approval of the Commission, entered into contract in the early fall with the Fort Pitt Bridge Works for the steel and with Oscar Daniels Company for the erection of the bridges, also with the Newman Construction Company for the work of building the abutments, excavating and removing the earth-filling in the embankment and placing reinforced con- crete floors on the bridges. The work is now well under way, the abutments at Avenue P having been completed and the exca- vation at Avenue L started. The steel for the bridges will be delivered on or before February 1st next, and the entire work, it is expected, will be finished by May 1st, 1910. The approximate cost of the work at both these streets estimated at $44,200.00 The total expenditures to December 31, 1909, chargeable to the Brighton Beach Improvement, exclusive of amounts paid wholly by the Railroad Company, is as follows : Park and Prospect Places $73,934.38 Church Avenue to L. I. R. R 603,282.69 L. I. R. R. to Brighton Beach 732,217.57 General Charges 142,077.40 Total $1,551,512.04 37 BAY RIDGE IMPROVEMENT Second Progress Report 1908-1909 During the year 1908, apparently a small amount of work was accomplished, principally upon the request of the Mayor of New York, asking the Board not to let contracts for future work on account of the prevailing financial depression, and also the Commission could not do any work on the Manhattan Beach Line for the reason that the City did not finally approve the agreement for the Railroad to change its line until January 29th, 1909. SEVENTH AVENUE TO NEW LOTS ROAD The work during the years 1908-09, consisted in finishing the bridges for thirty-four (34) streets between Fort Hamilton Avenue and New Lots Road, and also a small amount of ex- cavation, the lowering of tracks between Ocean Parkway and East 14th Street, and widening the embankment to practically the full width between Avenue "G" and New Lots Road. This covered a distance of about seven miles, and on this stretch all the bridges are completed with the exception of the floors to be placed on the East 18th Street foot-bridge, the Railroad Bridges at Kowenhoven Road, Avenue "D" and Ralph Avenue, In October the Board authorized contract to be made with Frank J. Gallagher for the concrete piers on Seventh Avenue, and also with the American Bridge Company for the furnishing of steel work for this bridge. The work is now going on, the masonry being nearly constructed and the steel work is being delivered. LIST OF STREETS AT WHICH BRIDGES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ON THIS SECTION Fort Hamilton Avenue, Eleventh Avenue, New Utrecht Avenue, Fifteenth Avenue, 00th Street, Sixteenth Avenue, 59th Street, Seventeenth Avenue, 53rd Street, New Utrecht Road, 88 Bay Ridge Improvement Eighteenth Avenue, 52nd Street, Gravesend Avenue, East Third Street, Coney Island Avenue, East 14th Street, Brighton Beach Crossing, East 18th Street (not finished), Ocean Avenue, Nos- trand Avenue, Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn Avenue, Avenue "H", Albany Avenue, Avenue "G", Utica Avenue, Kowenhoven Road (Kings Highway) (not finished), Avenue "D" and Ralph Ave- nue (not finished), Wyckoff Avenue, Remsen Avenue, East 92nd Street (Canarsie Road), East 94th Street, Rockaway Avenue and New Lots Road. Of these bridges fifteen (15) were at unopened streets. MANHATTAN BEACH DIVISION AVENUE "j" TO NEPTUNE AVENUE On this division a small amount of work was accomplished during the year 1908, principally constructing the embankment, and also five bridges were completed, namely : Avenue "J", "K", Locust, Chestnut and Elm. The tracks of the railroad were removed from the surface, and placed on the new embankment, thus eliminating five (5) grade crossings. In the Spring of 1909, work was resumed on the section between Elm Avenue and Manhattan Beach, and practically completed at the close of the year, there having been constructed and finished the embankment and fourteen (14) bridges. On the embankment one track has been laid and in operation, though the tracks of the railroad have not been removed from the sur- face between Avenue "N" and Neptune Avenue. It is expected that all the grade crossings will be abandoned in this section by the 15th of March, 1910. The bridges constructed on this section are as follows : Avenue "J", Avenue "K", Locust Avenue, Chest- nut Avenue, Elm Av enue, Avenue N, O, Kings Highway, R, S, T, U, V, Neck Road, two bridges at B. R. T. connection to Race Track, Avenue "Y", Shore Road, Neptune Avenue; also bridges are now under construction at Avenue "L" and "P." Of these bridges ten (10) are at unopened streets and avenues. NEW LOTS ROAD TO EAST NEW YORK AVENUE On May 25th, 1909, bids were opened in the Commission rooms for w r ork between New Lots and East New York Ave- 39 Bay Ridge Improvement nue. This covered the lowering of the freight yard tracks of the Railroad Company between those points, and it was esti- mated to cost about $580,000. On May 28th, the Commission approved the bid of Walter H. Gahagan, and authorized the Railroad Company to enter into contract with him for that por- tion of the work. On this section of the work, it was necessary to underpin the columns of the Canarsie Elevated Railroad, and to construct a retaining wall from a point near Livonia Avenue to Glenmore Avenue, which wall was completed by December 31st, as well as the abutments for the bridges at Blake, Sutter and Pitkin Avenues, and also a small amount of excavation was done which w r as placed in the embankment near New Lots Road. Contracts were also made with the Fort Pitt Bridge Works for the steel work for the bridges on this section. The steel work was all delivered, and one bridge erected and floor completed, namely, Blake Avenue. The Railroad Company shifted the main running tracks temporarily between Liberty Avenue and Livonia Avenue, in order that the work of construction could proceed. COSTS The amount of money expended for construction purposes for the years 1908-09 on the three sections above mentioned was $650,426.11 which was all known as "Joint Account," and does not include any additional work done by the Railroad Company for its own use. The total amount "Joint Account" including con- struction, engineering and Commission ex- penses for the years 1908-09, was The total amount of "Joint Account" expendi- ture to date The total amount expended to date including "Joint Account" and additional work at the Railroad Co.'s entire expense, and also land for slopes between 8th Ave., and New Lots Road $745,276.48 1,983,690.92 3,515,801.98 40 Bay Ridge Improvement GENERAL INFORMATION The following list of forty-nine (49) bridges, with the City's per cent, of the total cost, the original tracks of the Rail- road at each bridge, the number of tracks provided for by the new bridges, and the original width of the Railroad Right-of- Way. This cost includes the foundation excavation, concrete, steel, erection of same, floor slab, street approach work and parapet. The table shows also the cost to the City and the additional work done at the Railroad Company's expense. Bridges — Bay Ridge to New Lots Road Highway Bridges Total City's City's Tracks R. of W Cost Share Per Ct. Orig.-New Width First Avenue $125,000 Ft. Hamilton Ave. 19,087 $ 7,273 37 2 4 35' Eleventh Ave. 15,845 6,523 41 2 4 47.5' New Utrecht Ave. 14,948 7,474 50 2 2 67' Fifteenth Ave. 14.061 6,228 44 2 3 35' Sixtieth Street 20,629 10,314 50 2 2 35' 16th Ave. & 59th St. 20,370 10,185 50 2 2 35' Seventeenth Ave. 13,638 6,819 50 2 2 35' Eighteenth Ave. 29,150 14,575 50 2 2 35' Fifty-second St. 12,577 5,507 43 2 3 35'; Gravesend Ave. 19,049 9,524 50 2 2 99'' East Third Street 7,034 3,517 50 2 2 35' Coney Island Ave. 16,444 8,222 50 2 2 42^'' E. Fourteenth St. 8,105 4,052 50 2 2 50' Brighton Bch. Ning. 14,522 7,261 50 2 2 50' Ocean Avenue 25,334 10,569 41 2 4 38.7' Nostrand Avenue 15,159 7,247 48 4 4 99' Flatbush Avenue 41,172 19,153 46 o 4 67' Brooklyn Avenue 16,608 5,352 32 2 5 35' Av. H. & Albany Av . 60,122 23,873 39 2 4 35' 41 Bay Ridge Improvement Railroad Bridges Total City's City's Tracks R. of W. Cost Share Per Ct. Orig.-New Width Avenue "G" 63,663 21,780 34 3 5 50' Utica Avenue 21,278 6,452 30 2 4 35' Kowenhoven Road 27,621 9,534 35 9 4 (not finished) Ralph Ave. & Ave. D. 30,83? 10,450 34 2 4 35' (not finished) Wyckoff Avenue 17,914 o,44o 60 2 4 O " f 60 Remsen Avenue 19,879 9,939 50 2 4 East 92nd Street 15,117 7,558 50 2 4 99' East 94th Street 15,471 5,213 34 2 4 35' Rockaway Avenue 24,266 9,102 37 2 4 42^' New Lots Road 34,019 12,475 36 2 5 6?' $778,919 ? 271,619 City's Share 35% R. R. Co's. Share 65% BRIDGES OX MANHATTAN BEACH BRANCH Avenue "J" $ 23,650 §11,825 50 2 3 57.5' Avenue "K" 13,776 6,888 50 2 2 40' Locust Avenue 11,92? 5,964 50 2 2 40' Chestnut Avenue 10,562 5,281 50 2 2 40' Elm Avenue 10,262 5,131 50 2 2 4(y Avenue "N" 12,540 6,270 50 2 2 47.8' Avenue "O" 12,090 6,045 50 2 2 41.5' Kings Highway 23,323 11,661 50 2 2 63.3' Avenue "R" 13,797 6,899 50 2 2 40.5" Avenue "S" 13,332 6,666 50 3 2 40' Avenue "T" 14,698 7,349 50 2 2 40' Avenue "U" 17,566 8,783 50' 2 2 40' Avenue "V" 10,779 5,389 50 2 2 40' Neck Road 13,943 6,971 50 2 2 40' B. R. T. Incline 6,524 3,262 50 2 Avenue "Y" 13,735 6,868 50 7 2 Yard Shore Road 22,662 11,333 50 q 2 60' Neptune Avenue 23,27 1 11,637 50 2 9 /V 60' $268,440 $134,220 City's Share 50% R. R. Co's. Share 50% 42 Bay Ridge Improvement During the years 1908-09, the "Joint Account" excavation was 184,968 cu. yds. "Joint Account" Concrete 24,766 " " Total "Joint" excavation to date 1,132,477 " " Total "Joint" Concrete 61,009 " " Total excavation including additions to Railroad 1,786,439 " " The above figures do not include the concrete placed in the bridge floors or the parapet walls. The work above mentioned does not mean that the entire amount was spent simply for the bridges at streets enumerated, but the final grade of the Railroad has been so fixed, that ad- ditional streets can be opened from time to time, as the City may require, either above or below the grade of the Railroad, as built by the Commission, without changing the grade of the same. This is outlined very clearly in report of December 31st, 1907. WORK REMAINING TO BE DONE Construction of Tunnel at East New York, and elevating railroad from Central Avenue to Borough Line, distance of about one (1) mile, estimated cost, $1,250,000. Finishing all work under way between East New York Avenue and New Lots Road, estimated at $480,000. Small amount of work on the Manhattan Beach Line ; widen- ing embankment ; retaining wall Avenue "J" and "K" ; con- nection to Race Track at Neck Road, and grading and paving streets. Certain proportion of work, between Eighth Avenue and Second Avenue, for which plans have not yet been fully decided upon. Of the fourteen miles total work of the Bay Ridge Improve- ment, practically twelve (12) miles of Railroad have been de- pressed or elevated, or nearly 90 per cent. Of the total number of bridges at streets, 75 per cent, are completed. In relation to the amount of money, there has only been about 40 per cent, of the City's appropriation expended to date. 43 Bay Ridge Improvement Ran r< ad Bridges Total City's City s Tracks K. Of W . Cost Share Per Ct. Orig.-New Width Avenue "G" 63,663 21,780 34 3 5 50' Utica Avenue 21,278 6,452 30 2 4 35' Kowenhoven Road 27,621 9,534 35 2 4 (not finished) Ralph Ave. & Ave. D. 30,837 10,450 34 2 4 35' (not finished) \\ yckoft Avenue 1 t ,u 14 K 1 A Q 0,-i-iO OK) 2 4 60 RpnKPii Avptiiip 19,879 9,939 50 uu 2 4 99' East 92nd Street 15,117 7,558 50 2 4 99' East 94th Street 15,471 5,213 34 2 4 35' Rockaway Avenue 24,266 9,102 37 2 4 42^' New Lots Road 34,019 12,475 36 2 5 67' $778,919 $271,619 City's Share 35% R. R. Co's. Share 65% BRIDGES ON MANHATTAN BEACH BRANCH Avenue "J" $ 23,650 $11,825 50 9 3 57.5' Avenue "K" 13,776 6,888 50 2 2 40' Locust Avenue 11,927 5,964 50 2 2 40' Chestnut Avenue 10,562 5,281 50 2 2 W Elm Avenue 10,262 5,131 50 2 2 40' Avenue "N" 12,540 6,270 50 2 2 47.8' Avenue "O" 12,090 6,045 50 2 2 41.5' Kings Highway 23,323 11,661 50 2 2 63.3' Avenue "R" 13,797 6,899 50 2 2 40.5" Avenue "S" 13,332 6,666 50 3 2 40' Avenue "T" 14,698 7,349 50 2 2 40' Avenue "U" 17,566 8,783 50' 2 2 40' Avenue "V" 10,779 5,389 50 2 2 40' Neck Road 13,943 6,971 50 2 2 40' B. R. T. Incline 6,524 3,262 50 2 Avenue "Y" 13,735 6.868 50 7 2 Yard Shore Road 38,662 11,333 50 2 2 60' Neptune Avenue 23,27 I 11,637 50 2 2 60' $268,440 $134,220 City's Share 50% R. R. Co's. Share 50% 12 Bay Ridge Improvement During the years 1908-09, the "Joint Account" excavation was 184,968 cu. yds. "Joint Account" Concrete 24,766 " " Total "Joint" excavation to date 1,132,477 " " Total "Joint" Concrete 61,009 " " Total excavation including additions to Railroad 1,786,439 " " The above figures do not include the concrete placed in the bridge floors or the parapet walls. The work above mentioned does not mean that the entire amount was spent simply for the bridges at streets enumerated, but the final grade of the Railroad has been so fixed, that ad- ditional streets can be opened from time to time, as the City may require, either above or below the grade of the Railroad, as built by the Commission, without changing the grade of the same. This is outlined very clearly in report of December 31st, 1907. WORK REMAINING TO BE DONE Construction of Tunnel at East New York, and elevating railroad from Central Avenue to Borough Line, distance of about one (1) mile, estimated cost, $1,250,000. Finishing all work under way between East New York Avenue and New Lots Road, estimated at $480,000. Small amount of work on the Manhattan Beach Line; widen- ing embankment ; retaining wall Avenue "J" and "K" ; con- nection to Race Track at Neck Road, and grading and paving streets. Certain proportion of work, between Eighth Avenue and Second Avenue, for which plans have not yet been fully decided upon. Of the fourteen miles total work of the Bay Ridge Improve- ment, practically twelve (12) miles of Railroad have been de- pressed or elevated, or nearly 90 per cent. Of the total number of bridges at streets, 75 per cent, are completed. In relation to the amount of money, there has only been about 40 per cent, of the City's appropriation expended to date. 43 BAY RIDGE IMPROVEMENT AND BRIGHTON BEACH IMPROVEMENT Third Progress Report 1910-1913 In submitting a report of the work of the Brooklyn Grade Crossing Commission, attention is called to the previous report of this Commission to the close of the year 1909, in which the work remaining to be done is outlined. This report comprises the work done since that time. BAY RIDGE IMPROVEMENT— LONG ISLAND RAILROAD The report of the work during the years 1910 to 1913, in- clusive, can be more readily followed if given under four head- ings. AVENUE "j" TO MANHATTAN REACH. Work on this division was practically completed during the year 1910. All tracks were removed from the surface and from Avenue "N" to Sheepshead Bay the tracks wore moved to the new location along the Easterly side of the Brighton Beach tracks and the Streets were paved where depressed under the new railroad bridges. The depression of Avenue "U" under the old Manhattan Beach Line was filled in and the street macadam- ized to its original grade. The principal work done on this section was the completion of the railroad bridges at Avenues "L" and "P." The Commission has been asked to provide a bridge at Voorhies Avenue, but this is not considered necessary until the Avenue is opened and graded West of the railroad to Coney Island Avenue. II Bay Ridge Improvement SECOND AVENUE TO NEW LOTS ROAD. The Seventh Avenue bridge was completed during the year 1910, and is the longest bridge erected under the direction of this Commission. It has a length of 272 feet, a total width of 70 feet, including a 44 foot roadway, two 10 foot sidewalks, and two 3 foot pipe galleries. It is built on a skew and on a 3 per cent, grade. During this year floors were also placed on the East 18th Street foot bridge and on the two railroad bridges at Kowen- hoven Road and at Avenue "D" and Ralph Avenue. The Railroad bridge at Sea Beach Crossing was erected and put into service in 1911. This now carries the two tracks of the Sea Beach Railway over the Long Island tracks on a lower grade so as to permit Eighth Avenue being carried over and above both railroads. The highway bridge at Second Avenue spanning the tracks of the Sea Beach Railway and the Long Island Railroad tracks was built during the latter part of 1911 and in 1912. This bridge is 22-1 feet in length and total width of 73 feet, also on a 3 per cent, grade. Itemized bids have been taken for the construction of a joint bridge to carry Eighth Avenue (a new street) over the tracks of the Sea Beach Railway (New York Municipal Railway Corporation) and of the Long Island Railroad at an estimated cost of about $46,000.00, of which 55 per cent, will be the share of this Improvement. All grade crossings are now abolished on this section, but additional highway bridges will probably be required at Sixth Avenue and at some street between Nostrand and Ocean Avenues, as the growth of these portions of the city has been rapid. The bridges at Fifth Avenue, Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue will also be rebuilt. NEW LOTS ROAD TO EAST NEW YORK. The depression of this section which was started during the year 1909 was completed in 1911, and crossings are now provided at all streets. Blake Avenue highway bridge, previously reported under construction, was put into service and highway bridges were 45 Bay Ridge Improvement erected to abolish the grade crossings at Sutter, Pitkin, Glenmore and Liberty Avenues. Foot bridges were erected, spanning the railroad yard, at Livonia Avenue and at Belmont Avenue. EAST NEW YORK AVENUE TO BOROUGH LINE. When completed this section of the railroad will consist of a four track tunnel from a point Southerly of East New York Avenue to a point Northerly from Granite Street, a distance of 3,530 feet. From this latter point the road will pass to an em- bankment crossing Central Avenue and continue on this embank- ment to the County Line, a distance of 2,250 feet. No streets are provided for this embankment section, except Central Avenue, as the property to the East of the railroad is practically occupied by the Cemetery of the Evergreens and the Cemetery of the Most Holy Trinity. The tunnel section is built on a straight line on a new right- of-way, provided by the Railroad Company, from the South portal at East New York Avenue to a point North of Bushwick Avenue and does away with the following grade crossings, which were on the old line : East New York Avenue. Atlantic Avenue and the tracks of the Atlantic Avenue Divis- ion, Long Island Railroad. Herkimer Street. Fulton Street with trolley tracks and Elevated Railroad thereon. Norman Place. Broadway with trolley tracks and Elevated Railroad thereon. Conway Street. Stewart Street. Eastern I 'arkway. DeSales Place. Bushwick Avenue. Aberdeen Street. Furman A\ enue. It also provides for the future opening of Granite Street, if the City Authorities so desire. From Last New York Avenue to Fulton Street the present railroad tracks are within the lines of Vesta Avenue, which Bay Ridge Improvement practically renders this street impassable for vehicular traffic. As soon as the tunnel is placed in service the old tracks will be removed from the surface and the Railroad Company will convey its rights in Vesta Avenue to the City of New York for street purposes. This section was started by Contractor W. H. Gahagan, Inc., in June, 1912, at Central Avenue, where a four track railroad bridge was erected and put in service and the street lowered and repaved under and adjacent thereto, the railroad being ele- vated from a point between Pilling Street and Central Avenue to the County Line. The four track tunnel is completed under East New York Avenue and from the South curb of Fulton Street to a point South of Herkimer Street, with two tubes completed under Atlantic Avenue and under Fulton Street. Two tubes are also completed near the North end for a distance of about 500 feet. The invert and sidewalls are considerably in advance of the roofed tunnel. 29,539 cu. yds. of concrete have been placed on this section, which is 3-1.8 per cent, of the total yardage; 214,875 cu. yds. of material has been excavated or about 48.3 per cent, of the contract; 281,747 lbs. of reinforcing rods have been used, and 5,400 lineal feet of conduits laid in the walls. East New York Avenue is repaved with a temporary block pavement and Herkimer Street will be refilled and opened to traffic early in the spring. Atlantic Avenue and Fulton Street are bridged for pedestrian and roadway travel. Bushwick Avenue and Aberdeen Street are diverted by tem- porary street construction. All other streets which crossed the railroad are undisturbed, except Furman Avenue, where there is nothing but vacant lots between the railroad and the cemetery fence. The roof construction of the tunnel has been modified at East New York Avenue and at Atlantic Avenue to support the three existing 48" water mains, which were raised to permit of the construction of the tunnel. The Railroad Company having planned to elevate its road- bed from the Borough Line to Fresh Pond Road, a distance of one and one-fifth miles, the contract was awarded for this work 47 Bay Ridge Improvement at the same time and to the same contractors, as the work under the jurisdiction of the Commission. The surplus material secured from excavation South of the Borough Line was thus provided to elevate the tracks North of the Borough Line as called for in their contract. GENERAL INFORMATION The work of the Bay Ridge Improvement extends a distance of fourteen miles of which one and one-half miles is still under construction. The most important items of completed construction are : Masonry of all classes 105,000 Cu. Yds. Foundation Excavation 117,000 " Ordinary Excavation 3,000,000 " Steel Superstructures 15,700,000 pounds (or over 7,500 tons) PERMANENT TRACK LAID Main Tracks 138,054 Lin. Ft. or 26 miles. Yard Tracks 104,310 " " " 19^ " All excavated material has been hauled and deposited in embankments for the elevated portions of the Improvement be- tween Avenue "G" and New Lots Road, Manhattan Beach Junc- tion and Manhattan Beach, and between Central Avenue and Fresh Pond Road, except a small amount for freight yards and industrial sidings. 63 bridges have been constructed under the supervision of this Commission and placed in service. 35 of these are railroad bridges; 3 are foot bridges and *35 highway bridges of which 8 carry double track trolleys. 19 of these were provided at streets and avenues not physically opened at the time of construction. The total expenditures from the beginning of the work to December 31st, 1913, divided equally between the Long Island Railroad Company and the City of New York, and exclusive of amounts for betterments and improvements paid wholly by the Long Island Railroad Company are as follows: Brighton Beach Improvement Construction work, including engineering and incidental expenses $2,933,292.30 Administration expenses chargeable to the Bay Ridge Improvement 145,310.96 $3,078,603.26 BRIGHTON BEACH IMPROVEMENT 1910-1913. The work unfinished on December 31st, 1909, and completed during the year 1910 consisted of erecting railroad bridges, with solid floors at Avenues L and P, regulating, grading and paving intersecting streets and other miscellaneous work made necessary by the Improvement. The cost of work done during 1910 chargeable one-half to the City of New York and one-half to the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company is as follows : — Permanent Steel Bridges at Avenues L and P 259 Tons Steel erected and painted : $17,330.00 966 Cu. Yds. Concrete Masonry 7,801.00 7,552 Cu. Yds. Earth removed from embank- ments 5,286.00 Reinforced Floors on bridges 6,800.00 Track work made necessary by the erection of bridges 5,002.00 Street work, grading and regulating 12,753.00 Total $54,972.00 Grading and regulating at other streets under Railroad Bridges 16,193.00 Repairing and resurfacing retaining walls 4,554.05 Trimming Slopes 711.44 49 Brighton Beach Improvement The Commissioners appointed by the Supreme Court to assess the damages to abutting prop- erty on Park Place on account of the change of grade of this street, due to the work of the Improvement, presented their report awarding damages chargeable to the Improvement. The amount, including the expenses of the Commissioners being 12,751.95 The work done during the year 1911 consisted of the erection of fences along the high sidewalks of Avenues K, X, O, U and V $625.65 Repairing and resurfacing retaining walls 5,349.76 Trimming and seeding slopes of the embankment 5,601.18 Repairing wood block pavement on Newkirk and Foster Avenue Bridges 90.91 The work of the Brighton Beach Improvement is practically completed, unless the Commission should decide that conditions in that locality require a bridge at Yoorhies Avenue. The total expenditures to date divided equally between the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company and the City of Xew York, and exclusive of amounts for betterments and improvements paid wholly by the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company are as fol- lows : — Construction work, including engineering and incidental expenses $1,652,822.69 Administration expenses chargeable to the Brighton Beach Improvement to Jan. 1st, 193 I 43,592.74 $1 .096,415.43 To this there will be added a portion of the amount awarded to Charles Cranford, the contractor for the Brighton Beach work from Church Avenue to Avenue () in his suit against the Brook- lyn Heights Railroad Company arising from this contract, when the same is settled on appeal. M BAY RIDGE IMPROVEMENT Fourth Progress Report 1914-1916 This report comprises the work done during the years of 1914 and 1915 and up to February 1st, 1916. In the report dated May 19th, 1914, under the heading "East New York Avenue to Borough Line" will be found details regarding the four track tunnel then under construction. At this writing the tunnel is completed and trains running through it under usual railroad operation. The work was done by the cut and cover method. The maximum depth from the original surface of the ground to the sub-grade under tunnel floor is 55 feet — this being at a point approximately at the intersection of the tunnel with Bush- wick Avenue. The tunnel is practically a monolithic reinforced concrete four tube structure — each tube oval in shape, 14 feet in width and a maximum height of IT l / 2 feet from top of rail to roof. Safety niches have been provided for trackmen, and open- ings to permit going from tube to tube provided at intervals of about 400 feet. The tunnel floor is "2 feet thick, roof 18 inches thick, parti- tion walls 2 feet thick, side walls 3^> feet — all measurements taken on axes of tubes. The first train to go through the tunnel was a special train carrying the Members of the Brooklyn Grade Crossing Commis- sion, Engineers and Long Island Railroad Officials, on October 27th, 1915. East bound Railroad traffic was transferred from the surface tracks in the tunnel on November 6th, 1915, and West bound 51 Bay Ridge Improvement traffic on November 24th, 1915, whereupon the old tracks on the surface were removed and the intersections of the old right-of- way with the streets were temporarily paved or planked. With the exception of Fulton Street and Broadway, the streets intersecting the cut made for the tunnel were closed dur- ing construction and traffic detoured over adjacent streets, or in the case of Bushwick Avenue over a temporary roadway. The most serious traffic problem was at Eastern Parkway, which being a main thoroughfare between Brooklyn and the out- lying parts of Long Island was used very largely by automobiles and auto trucks. This being a part of the parkway system, the Commission conferred with the Park Commissioner and it was decided to detour the traffic as it was thought inadvisable to attempt to maintain such heavy traffic by temporary bridge con- struction, especially in view of the fact that the surface tracks of the Railroad crossed the Parkway at grade within 120 feet of where the end of a temporary bridge would have to be. The bridge would have been 180 feet in length. For these reasons it was thought best to detour the travel via Xorman Place and Conway Street — large detour signs being placed for the guidance of drivers, with watchmen at each end of the detour. After May 24th, 191.*), a second detour was provided for the additional summer travel, via Somers Street and Stewart Street. The Parkway was closed February loth, 191."), and was reopened to travel for its full width on November 30th, 1915, over a temporary macadam roadway. The detouring method pro- vided gave complete satisfaction. Before starting work on the tunnel a permanent intercepting sewer was built on the West side of the cut. Sections of sewers crossing the cut at Herkimer Street, Atlantic Avenue and East New York Avenue were removed and the sewers connected with the intercepting sewer to permanently take the sewage flowing from the West. On the other streets temporary sewers were maintained where necessary during construction, and on com- pletion of the tunnel were rebuilt on the old line and grade. Except for the L8 inch mains referred to in our previous report, most water and gas mains, electric conduits, etc., were 52 Bay Ridge Improvement temporarily maintained or discontinued where possible and all replaced in their old location upon completion of the tunnel. The large gas main on Bushwick Avenue was temporarily replaced by line laid under the detour road. Temporary cinder sidewalks and macadam pavements are laid on all streets over the tunnel from Xorman Place to Bush- wick Avenue inclusive. These streets will be repaved in the spring with permanent asphalt or block pavements and permanent sidewalks provided. In the tunnel at the South end between Atlantic Avenue and East New York Avenue an island platform was constructed for passenger use. This platform and stairway were provided in place of the platform formerly existing on Yesta Avenue. The Railroad Company has planned a new station building at this point. During the progress of the work a field office was maintained at 196-i Broadway, Brooklyn, Xew York, on property immediately adjacent to the tunnel cut. The use of this office was discontinued August 1st, 1915, and a smaller place secured for the field men at Atlantic and Snediker Avenues. Before taking bids for this tunnel work it was estimated that the cost of the work as planned would be one and one-quarter million dollars — that of this amount 25 per cent, would be the cost of the additional construction required to give the Railroad the additional facilities it desired in the way of betterments. It was therefore decided that the Railroad Company should pay 25 per cent, of the actual cost of the construction in lieu of betterments and the balance of 75 per cent, should be divided as the Special Act of the Legislature creating the Commission provides, one-half to the City and one-half to the Railroad Com- pany. This made the total proportion of the Railroad Company §V/ 2 per cent, and the City's 37^ per cent. The cost of the Tunnel construction work was $1,203,760.00, apportioned as above stated. The Railroad Company in addition furnished necessary right-of-way, paying for all property and removing all buildings thereon. 53 Bay Ridge Improvement The principal items of construction for tunnel and ap- proaches were : This Commission is pleased to report that notwithstanding the great depth of the cut necessary, the very large amount of earth excavated and hauled away on surface tracks, the large amount of construction material brought in on the surface tracks, and notwithstanding the many streets crossed by the tunnel at various points, some of them containing elevated roads and trolley lines, the entire work was carried on and completed in a manner satisfactory to the various City Departments, to the traveling public and to the adjacent residents and property own- ers. The Commission desires to avail itself in this report of the opportunity to express its appreciation of the efforts made by the members of the Engineering Force and the Contractor in accom- plishing this result. When the Railroad between Xostrand Avenue and Ocean Avenue was re-constructed by this Commission this section of the City was entirely undeveloped, being cultivated farm lands, consequently a bridge between these points was not provided for in the initial layout of the work. Since then the rapid progress of building in this section has entirely altered the conditions, and in response to a petition by the adjoining property owners and residents supplemented by a request of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, the Com- mission has authorized a bridge erected at Bedford Avenue (East 25th Street ). Plans for this bridge were adopted September 7th, 1915, and contract awarded October 5th, 1915, to Merrill Ruckgabcr Com- pany, at a cost of $19,135.00. The Contractor has placed all the concrete for the column Concrete Excavation Structural Steel Steel Reinforcing Rods ... Five-ply W aterproofing ... Three-ply Waterproofing 441,016 " " 328 tons 4,576,872 pounds 225,517 sq. ft. 26,488 " " 85,467 cu. yds. r>4 Bay Ridge Improvement foundations and for the South abutment and is now awaiting delivery of steel in the early spring. It is expected that this bridge will be completed ready for service by June 15th, 1916. The Eighth Avenue Bridge noted in our previous report was completed and put in service in 1914. The original plans and specifications for the elimination of grade crossings in the Bay Ridge vicinity provided for a depres- sion of tracks at First Avenue, with the building of a viaduct to carry First Avenue above the tracks. It was expected that this Commission would provide for the building of the First Avenue viaduct in accordance with the provisions of the Law, but the Railroad Company, in developing its yard and increased facilities at the Xew York Bay terminus of its road, entered into negotiations with the City for the closing of 64th and 65th Streets, between Second Avenue and the Bay, and as a result of these negotiations paid the City for the closing of the two streets and agreed to assume all the cost of the viaduct carrying First Avenue above its tracks and enlarged yard. A slight depression of the old tracks at First Avenue was necessary in order to carry the First Avenue viaduct over the tracks at a proper clearance height. It was therefore determined by this Commission that the amount which the City should con- tribute towards the reconstruction ^'est of Fifth Avenue would be one-half of the estimated cost of depressing the railroad from Fifth Avenue to First Avenue — a depression equal to the change of grade at First Avenue (i. e., 3.68 feet) with a corresponding underpinning of the arches at Second, Third and Fourth Avenues, and the Fifth Avenue Bridge. The Railroad Company pays for all construction at and West of Fifth Avenue, except the amount of $42,123.82, which was determined as the share to be contributed by the City- as per preceding paragraph. The new bridge at Fifth Avenue over the Long Island tracks was built under the supervision of this Commission at the same time as the Xew York Municipal Railway Corporation built the Fifth Avenue Bridge over the Sea Beach Railroad. o5 Bay Ridge Improvement These bridges are practically one continuous structure as they meet on a common centre pier. Trolley, wagon travel and pedestrians were detoured over a temporary trestle erected East of and adjacent to the avenue in August, 1914. The new bridge was completed and placed in service in March, 1915. The new bridge at Fourth Avenue is a two story structure, built under the supervision of the Public Service Commission by agreement with the Long Island Railroad Company. The first story of the bridge carries the Fourth Avenue subway over the tracks of the Long Island Railroad — while the second story of the bridge becomes the surface of Fourth Avenue. Plans are now preparing for a bridge at Third Avenue. It is expected that contract for this work will be let in the near future. The Second Avenue Bridge was built in 1910. The Commission believes that a highway bridge should be built to carry Sixth Avenue over the tracks of the Long Island Railroad and as previously reported has built the South abutment for this bridge. As this Commission has no jurisdiction over the Sea Beach Railroad (New York Municipal Railway Corporation) immediately adjoining the Long Island Railroad, this bridge should only be built when a similar structure over the Sea Beach road is authorized. Total disbursements to January 1st, 1916, divided equally between the Long Island Railroad Company and the City of New York, and exclusive of amounts for betterments and im- provements paid wholly by the Long Island Railroad Company are as follows : — Construction work, including engineering and incidental expenses $3,889,048.20 Administration expenses chargeable to the Bay Ridge Improvement 171,071.33 $4,060,119.53 Amount paid by the City $2,030,059.76 5(5 BAY RIDGE IMPROVEMENT AND BRIGHTON BEACH IMPROVEMENT Fifth Progress Report 1916-1918 The work done under the supervision of this Commission since February 1st, 1916 (the end of the last progress report) was the replacement of street surfaces disturbed by the construc- tion of the East Xew York Tunnel ; the completion of the Bed- ford Avenue (East 25th Street) Bridge; and the construction of a bridge at Third Avenue, all as outlined in our report dated February 29th, 1916 — in addition to which the Board decided to build a parapet wall at the North Tunnel Portal and across the dead end of Pilling Street, and a parapet wall along the Southerly court yard line of Sixty-first Street extending from Fourteenth Avenue to Eighth Avenue with returns extending from said court yard line to the parapet walls of the Eleventh, Ft. Hamilton and Eighth Avenue Bridges. This parapet wall was a safety require- ment, especially necessary in view of the fact that several of the intersecting avenues stopped at Sixty-first Street and that the railroad cut immediately adjacent on the Southerly side of the street is at a considerable depth below the surface of the street. Bedford Avenue Bridge, which was completed in June, 1916, is a typical highway bridge carrying Bedford Avenue over the depressed four track roadway of the railroad. Its construction involved no particular difficulties as there was no travel to be taken care of — the bridge being erected to provide for a new street crossing, at the request of adjacent residents and property owners and of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. The principal work during the period of this report has been the construction of the new bridge carrying Third Avenue across the right-of-way of the Long Island Railroad. The length of this bridge is 162 feet and of the full width of Third Avenue — eighty feet. Provision is made for nine railroad tracks underneath and 5 57 Bay Ridge Improvement room for three additional tracks can be provided by the con- struction of abutment and wing walls at the Southerly end. The total cost of this bridge was about $90,000.00 of which the City contributed $2,700.00, which was one-half the estimated cost for underpinning the old arch to permit lowering the track 3.68 feet as was done at First Avenue. During the construction of this new bridge travel was not interrupted, except for short periods during the day when the roadway was temporarily blocked for a few minutes by the mov- ing of material across the same. A temporary roadway was maintained at all times sufficient to permit the operation of a double track trolley and the usual vehicular travel. The pedestrian travel was confined to the tem- porary sidewalk on the Westerly side of this structure. The operation of the elevated railroad on Third Avenue was not interfered with and its structure is now permanently sup- ported by the new bridge. All construction work on both Improvements required by Chapter 507 of the Laws of 1903, and amendments thereto, under w hich this Commission is working, has been completed — so that there remains practically nothing but the final adjustment by the Commission of accounts between the Long Island Railroad Com- pany, the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company and the City of New York. On December 1st, 1916, the Commission notified the City Authorities of these conditions and of its intention to complete the work on or about May 1st, 1917, and at the same time directed the Long tsland Railroad Company and the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company to file on or before January 1st, 191?, all claims against their respective Improvements. The construction work was practically completed by May 1st, 1917. In response the Long Island Railroad Company filed its claims under date of December 30th, 1916, amplified under date of February 28th, 1918, as follows: "First: Land for slopes from Manhattan Beach Junction to Neptune Avenue; Liberty Avenue to Last New York Avenue, and between Central Avenue and the Borough Line. The exact Bay Ridge Improvement amount cannot be determined upon until your Board finally ap- proves the various bills for purchases and apportions the expense. Second : The cost of embankment on the line to Manhattan Beach. The arrangement with the Board was at cost not to ex- ceed 20 cents per cubic yard. The Company's bills were paid upon a basis of 18 cents per cubic yard, and as the construction expense for this work amounted to more than .20 cents per cubic yard, the Company claims the difference or 499,663 cubic yards at 2 cents— $9,193.26. Third : When the land for slopes from Eighth Avenue to New Lots Road was in the process of settlement, the Special Committee appointed by your Board temporarily excluded the value of the buildings on the properties which amounts to over $15,000. Your Board is requested to adjust this matter as the Railroad Company feels that it should be included in Joint Ac- count expenses, and is, therefore, a proper claim. Fourth : The right of way and tracks of the Canarsie Rail- road, extending from East New York to New Lots Road, parallel and adjacent to the right of way of the Manhattan Beach, and occupying the surface of the street and the ground, prevented the elimination of the grade crossings through that section, as the Grade Crossing Law did not extend to or cover the property of that Company. In order that the work might go on, The Long Island Railroad Company entered into an agreement with the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company, by which the latter should acquire the Canarsie Railroad and should elevate that portion of the tracks extending from Pitkin Avenue to a point below New Lots Road, and giving its consent to the depression of the tracks of the Manhattan Beach, and the placing of supporting walls upon the right of way of the Canarsie, and also surrendering to the Long Island that part of the right of way of the Canarsie extending from Pitkin Avenue to Atlantic Avenue, and any inter- est that the Canarsie might have in the old right of way north of Atlantic Avenue. To enable the Brooklyn Rapid Transit in- terest to carry out this arrangement, the Long Island contributed the sum of $136,000, and the company thinks that some portion of this amount should be chargeable to Joint Account, and is 59 Bay Ridge Improvement therefore a proper claim, especially since the work could not be carried on until the Canarsie Railroad tracks had been removed from the surface of the street." Details of these items were later presented and a Committee of the Board is now considering the first and fourth items. A portion of the second was disallowed in accordance with an opinion of the Corporation Counsel denying the legal liability of the City. The third item has not yet been finally concluded. Total disbursements to March 1st, 1918, divided equally be- tween the Long Island Railroad Company and the City of Xew York, and exclusive of amounts for betterments and improve- ments paid wholly by the Long Island Railroad Company are as follows : — Construction work, including engineering and incidental expenses $4,084,732.02 Administration expenses chargeable to the Bay Ridge Improvement '.. 193,974.18 $4,278,706.20 Amount paid by the City $2,139,353.10 The limit of the City's share of the work of the Bay Ridge Improvement was fixed at one-half the cost of the work, not including betterments and not to "exceed the sum of two and one-half million dollars, except that such limit of cost shall be increased if necessary so as to include one-half the cost of viaducts or bridges constructed across streets or avenues not yet legally opened, intersecting the right-of-way of the railroads affected by the Bay Ridge Improvement as now or hereafter located." It is noted that the aggregate of all disbursements made by the Commission on this account, together with one-half of all claims presented by the Railroad Company, whether they may be hereafter approved or rejected, will be considerably within the limit of two and one-half million dollars. In the above stated account is included the cost of bridges built to take care of the then future opening of twenty-eight streets or avenues, in addition to abolishing the then grade cross- ings, forty-one in number. no Brighton Beach Improvement At three of these streets foot bridges only were provided — at nine highway bridges were built carrying those streets over the depressed railroad, and sixteen railroad bridges were built that streets could be later opened through those sections where the railroad was elevated on an embankment. BRIGHTON BEACH IMPROVEMENT The construction work on the Brighton Beach Improvement has been completed for several years — but during the past year vouchers have been passed covering the cost of certain work done by Charles Cranford. These payments were not made at the time of construction on account of pending litigation between Charles Cranford and the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company arising out of their contract. The matter has not been fully settled — but payments were made on the basis of a decision of the Appellate Division — Charles Cranford continuing his appeal to the Court of Appeals, claiming additional moneys. On December 23rd, 1916, the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company notified the Commission that its Comptroller "has (or will prior to January 1st) filed any bills or claims which we may have against the Brighton Beach Improvement' except bills for land slopes. The claims filed were : — For interest on the Cranford judgment $26,199.59 For costs, disbursements and services of Attorneys and Witnesses in Cranford suit 6,235.46 which claims had already been disallowed by the Commission in accordance with an opinion of the Corporation Counsel, saying they could not be legally charged to the Improvement. There were also claims For Pilots, etc $ 292.50 For patrolling tracks 1,894.20 For constructing wooden curb 2,089.91 which items the General Superintendent of the Commission had reported were not proper Improvement charges. On or about June 18th, 1917, the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company served summons and complaint on members of the 61 Brighton Beach Improvement Commission in a suit brought to compel audit by the Commission of the above five claims and payment by the City Authorities of one-half of said amounts with interest. The papers have been referred to the Corporation Counsel for such action as he deems proper. In addition to those claims the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company on March 31st, 1917, presented bill in detail for land for slopes, aggregating $96,183.13 and on April 23rd, 191 7, the Railroad Company's Comptroller wrote a letter withdrawing said bill and offering one for $121,332.04 to supersede the prior bill. The Commission has no knowledge of any further claims to be presented against either Improvement, other than expenses of the Commission. Total disbursements to March 1st, 1918, divided equally between the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company and the City of Xew York, and exclusive of amounts for betterments and improvements paid wholly by the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company are as follows : Construction work, including engineering and incidental expenses $1,698,552.43 Administration expenses chargeable to the Brighton Beach Improvement 58,214.35 $1,756,766.78 Amount paid by the City $ 878,383.39 The limit of the City's share of the work of the Brighton Beach Improvement was fixed at one-half the cost of the work, not including betterments and not to exceed the sum of one mil- lion dollars. 62 BAY RIDGE IMPROVEMENT Final Report 1918 Supplementing the report of March 1st, 1918, the Com- mission decided on the first item of the pending claims of the Long Island Railroad by approving all the items of the bill for land for slopes, as presented, except seventeen items. For these items the Commission allowed $37,136.05 as the proper joint account charge, while the bill of the Railroad Company was for $61,674.96. This allowance was protested by the Long Island Railroad Company, the Company reserving its legal rights to the amount not allowed by the Commis- sion. The third item of the pending claims was not allowed. On the fourth item of the claim, the Commission al- lowed the first two items of the bill presented but refused to approve the third item of this bill, amounting to $65,863.52, as in its opinion there w T as no legal claim for this item. Total disbursements to April 30th, 1918, divided equally between the Long Island Railroad Company and The City of New York, and exclusive of amounts for betterments and improvements paid wholly by the Long Island Railroad Com- pany are as follows : — Construction work, including engineering and Incidental expenses $4,249,324.37 Administration expenses chargeable to the Bay Ridge Improvement 196,222.64 $4,445,477.01 Amount paid by the City $2,222,738.50 A few small bills for current expenses will be incurred subsequent to the printing of this report. In addition to removing all grade crossings (and pro- viding for the future opening of streets without grade cross- ings) along about twenty-one (21) miles of double track railroad many permanent inprovements of great public ad- vantage have resulted. 63 Bay Ridge Improvement Among these may be mentioned in particular the laying out of new and enlarged local freight delivery yards pro- viding adequate freight deliveries for the future, — the con- struction of the large terminal freight yard at Bay Ridge with float bridges enabling car load freight to be put on car floats for transfer to other terminals, — also enabling this branch of the Long Island Railroad to become a through freight line in connection with the New York Connecting Railroad, between New England and the South and West. In this connection the following extract from a letter of President Ralph Peters of the Long Island Railroad is of interest : "I desire to report for the information of the Commis- sion, that the Bay Ridge Line, upon which the grade cross- ings have been removed under the direction of the Com- mission, has been put in operation under a trackage arrange- ment between the Long Island, New York Connecting, and New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Companies, by which the line is used as a part of the system for inter- changing freight between the New Haven and the Penn- sylvania Railroads via Hell Gate Bridge and the Bay Ridge float bridges. The service was inaugurated on January 17, 1918, and has continued uninterruptedly since, being gradu- ally increased each month. "The development of this road under the direction of the Grade Crossing Commission, has added another great trans- portation facility to Brooklyn and Greater New York, one that will give large service in the distribution of fuel, build- ing material, supplies, and general freight traffic of the City, as well as for the interchange of traffic between the two great Trunk Lines. This was only made possible as a result of the work of the Grade Crossing Commission in eliminating the crossings on this road." These improvements were paid for wholly by the Rail- road Company at an expense of about six million dollars. This amount is in addition to the Railroad's share of the ex- pense of the grade crossing elimination, making a total cost to the Railroad of over eight million dollars for the work- done in the Borough of Brooklyn. 64 BRIGHTON BEACH IMPROVEMENT Final Report 1918 In reference to the claim of the Brooklyn Heights Rail- road Company for land for slopes, the Railroad Company's Comptroller withdrew said bill, substituting a bill dated April 23, 1918, for $109,583.13 to supersede the prior bill. The Commission allowed all the items on this bill as presented except ten. For these items the Commission allowed $22,458.36 instead of $39,848.99 as billed. This allowance was protested, the Company reserving its legal rights for the amount not allowed by the Com- mission. Total disbursements to April 30th, 1918, divided equally between the Brooklyn Heiglits Railroad Company and The City of Xew York, and exclusive of amounts for better- ments and improvements paid wholly by the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company are as follows: Construction work, including engineering and incidental expenses $1,790,724.93 Administration expenses chargeable to the Brighton Beach Improvement 58,872.40 $1,849,597.33 Amount paid by the City $924,798.66 A few small bills for current expenses will be incurred subsequent to the printing of this report. In addition to removing all grade crossings (and pro- viding for the future opening of streets without grade cross- ings) the Railroad Company increased its trackage — pro- viding for express as well as local service — and built new and commodious stations. All of these improvements were paid for wholly by the Railroad Company at an expense of over $820,000. This amount is in addition to the Company's share of the expense of the grade crossing elimination, making a total cost to the Brooklyn Heights Railroad of over $1,744,000. 65 The photo reproductions given on the following pages show a few of the changes made on the Long Island Railroad. 67 69 70 71 6 78 74 76 78 79 so r. 81 83 85 Sfi 87 ss 91 92 94 99 LOO 101 The photo reproductions given on the following pages show a few of the changes made on the Brighton Beach Railroad. 103 105 107 108 109 Ill 113 in 115 \ 2 CLM0CI ■