PLAN OF NEW YORK AND ITS ENVIRONS
 

THEORETICAL DIAGRAM OF MAIN ROADS

AN effort is frequently made to reduce to a geometrical or, at least, a sym¬
metrical figure the street system of a city or the road system of a district.
Notwithstanding the complexity of the general highway plan of this
territory, such a theoretical diagram can be produced, although the main axis
is a curved line. There is very little distortion so far as the location of the
controlling points is concerned. Of course, the roads connecting them follow
neither the straight lines nor the symmetrical curves which are shown. The
broken lines indicate direct connections which do not exist but which would be
desirable. On the westerly side of the Hudson River there is a somewhat more
direct route, closely paralleling the main axis, but avoiding the ferries. This is
indicated by the straight line between Nyack and Metuchen. The plan shows
how intimately the different portions of this district can be, and in many cases
already are, connected with each other. It suggests the possibility of substitut¬
ing more direct lines than are afforded by the present roads. There are, in
many cases, very serious obstacles to the construction of such lines as, for
example, between Brewster and Fishkill, where a long detour is at present
necessary around the Fishkill Mountains.
 

16