This Day in History: 1952-01-15

Governor Alfred Driscoll, described as the Father of the highway, cut the ribbon opening the last nine mile section of the New Jersey Turnpike.  Among the 1,000 people were manyBergen County officials, including Freeholder Chester Smeltzer of Ramsey.  Bergen Assemblyman Cavinato, the Speaker of the House, called it “the best and most modern highway ever built” and marveled at its having been completed in less than twenty-three months.  As part of the opening ceremonies the two major bridges in the section were dedicated to heroes of World War II.  The passaic River bridge to Chaplain Washington of the Dorchester, and the Hackensack River Bridge to the Lewandowski Brother of Lyndhurst both of whom were killed in action.  At the 1,000 plate dinner which followed it was announced that $500 in tolls had been collected in the first two hours of operation.  In the Governor’s remarks he said that the next goal of the Turnpike Officials should be the building of connections with the New Your State Thruway and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

(Bristow)