South of the Woodlawn Road Entrance the construction of the 

 west-side through-route may be quite remote, but we believe it 

 would be most unwise to proceed except upon the assumption 

 that it will ultimately be constructed. Its precise location and 

 grades and the eastern limits of the regrading necessary in con- 

 nection with it we have not attempted to determine. Obviously 

 the operation as a whole should be so designed as to minimize the 

 disturbance to the Garden to the utmost degree consistent with 

 securing (a) satisfactory grades, alignment and width for the 

 through-road, (b) the best possible permanent bordering planta- 

 tion for the landscapes of the Botanical Garden, and (c) inciden- 

 tally attractive park-like qualities for the enjoyment of users of 

 the through-road, including pleasant views over the Garden while 

 maintaining an effective barrier, for police purposes, between this 

 road and the interior of the Garden. Our impression is that a con- 

 tinuous, dense, high, but narrow screen of trees and under- 

 growth should be provided between the road and the railroad; 

 that the slope toward the Garden should be more openly and 

 intermittently planted; and that the permanent fence between 

 the road and the Garden might in many places take the form of a 

 mere parapet supported by a high retaining-wall so as to permit 

 unobstructed views of the Garden without facilitating trespass 

 and at the same time minimize the encroachment of the slope- 

 grading on the present plantations of the Garden. 



We assume, then, such a west-side through-traffic road, as a 

 fundamental part of a comprehensive plan for the Botanical 

 Garden. 



With this new through-traffic line and the complete improve- 

 ment of Bronx Park East, the interior roads can be wholly or 

 almost wholly relieved of the burden of through-traffic, and some 

 of them could advantageously be eliminated. One road in par- 

 ticular seems to us unnecessary and undesirable under such con- 

 ditions. This is the one which extends past the easterly corner 

 of the Museum and across the Water Gardens. As long as it 

 remains, it will offer a temptation to high-speed through-travel 

 by automobiles and motor cycles between the Southern Boulevard 

 Entrance and Bronx River Parkway. It will also interpose a 

 very objectionable traffic-line between the Museum, with other 

 features yet to be developed in its vicinity, and the entire area 

 of the Garden to the east of it. Incidentally it constitutes a 

 strongly marked line in the landscape composition, having a very 

 awkward and unpleasant relation to the orientation of the large 

 and dominating architectural mass of the Museum itself. 



We are inclined to think that the steep road which now runs 



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