Evening star., 1897-07-26
STREET EXTENSION
Commissioner Blacks Plans for the
Third Section.
SETTLED AREA as NUCLEUS
Makes a Compromise With Rec
tanguIar System.
T II E M AIN AV VEN UE S

plans filed for the extension of the streets
and avenues in the third section of the
highway extension plans.
1t will be recalled that set of plans con-
templating the area embraced in the third
section were made by the former Engine eer
Commissioner, but We're never filed. These
plans perhaps. invoked more discussion
than those of any other section because CT
the fact that embraced within its limits
was a large area of country the topogra-
ply of which was badly adapted to the
straight extension of streets. When CON-
missioner Black came into Office his atter-
ton was directed to this matter, and he
immedia. ely decided that it would be neces-
sary to have an entire change of plans. He
directed the engineers to confer, and the
result was the submission this afternoon
of the tentative plans Of this new third
section.
The plans were submitted this afternoon
to make it possible for Mr.. J. c. Omsted,
the landscape engineer whose services are
required by law in connection with the
general subject of street extension, to go
over them and make any suggestion which
he deemed proper.
Assistant Engineer William p Richards
who is in direct charge of the new plan.
submitted the following report with the
map, which fully explained the changes
made
pleted maps of a tentative plan for a per-
E1anent system of highways covering the
rural parts of the District west of Rock
creek. The work is spread on contour
sheets drawn to a scale of one inch 20 300
ieet, the street and block distances being
lad down from the actual measurement
by this department and the Topography hav-
ing been enlarged from the coast survey
nthcgraph sheets of the District AS the
geographical portions of the streets in the
northwest nave been accurately determined
their relation to the coast survey data can
he well defined. The final study Of grade
elevations is noted in the usual form. and
the cut or fill at any point can be ~eadfiy
found.
Conforming to the Section.
In our study of the plan certain imposed
conditions as we'll the Typographical fea-
lures of the section shaped our system.
The law directs the general plan of the
city OF Washington to be conformed to as
tar as possihle; that public convenience be
harmonlzed with economy of expenditure
and that subdivisions recorded under the
law of 1883 be adopted and conformed to-
The extent to which a rectangular system
shall be applied to a rough section is gov
erned by SO many physical conditions as
to leave room for a wide difference in opin-
ION. Some sense or judgment of the future
must be admitted in dealing with this prob
lem, and some idea of the citys growth is
a most essential guide. The final plan for
these undeveloped parts must be made for
the use and convenience of future popula-
tion more than for any need of the present
If the city's system be rigidly applied
TO the rough portions of the northwest it
will entail cuts and fills of sixty or more
feet, and cost millions of dollars for grad
ing alone. In direct opposition to this is
strict adherence of street lines to the con-
tours or lines of easy grade which mean
the abandonment of any attempt ar a sys-
tenn of highways. 1t is plain. therefore,
that the first method insures a paralysis in
the development of these extremely rug
ged localities. and that the second method
is more applicable to parks and villas and
hardly fitted for the plan of a future city
The interests of all seemed to be served
the best by a combination of the two meth
DDS, which will allow of suburban occupa-
ton without disturbing greatly the natural
features of the section, and provide at the
same time for future city development
The limits of cut or fill and the extent to
which grading may be done are matters
difficult to determine, and may be desig-
hangs.
I'm the treatment of the different parts of
this section this office has accepted the
following broad regulations, which are in
keeping with the provisions of the highway
act: To lay down liens strictly after the
city plan over all level or gently rolling
parts of the section; to allow for rather
heavy grading in localities adjacent to
the city and which are very likely to be
tbickly settled; to deviate from the city's
plan along the Conduit and Ridge roads;
to abandon the right line extensions in the
very rough tracts lying between Connecti-
cut avenue and the Rock Creek Park
Main Avenues.
I'm order to embody the best ideas of our
office force in one plan, three assistants
and myself each prepared an independent
plan showing grades and topography, and
these when completed were used in adjust
ing combined or final plan. This combin-
ed plan Is now submitted as the best that
can be offered at present by this Office
AT the beginning of our studies 1t was well
understood that such well-esta blished lines
as Massachusetts, Connecticut Wisconsin
and Nebraska avenues. and the Conduit
Ridge and Woodley roads must be incorpor-
ated in our plans without change, and also
that the subdivisions of Oak View, Cleve-
land Heights Wesley Heights, Arnsleigh
Park ETC., which were laid out in conform
ity to each other, should form a nucleus
around which the whole plan should be
built.
These Subdivisions lie in a wide ridge.
which runs toward a steep and broken
country at the Conduit road, and on the
Rock creek side drains into a section filed
with sharp ridges and deep, narrow ra-
vines. The following is special explana-
tion Of the special features and the rea-
sons for their Incorporation in the plans:
LAS the best means of advancing our
work, the plan was divided into four d.
visions bounded thus: Between George
town, Potomac river. Wesley Heights and
DlSIrlct OF COiumDla Hn9; between W1Sc0n-
sin avenue. District of Columbia line and
Wesley Heights; between Wisconsin ave-
nue., Grant road and Rock creek and city;
between Wisconsin avenue, District Of Co.
lumbia line and Rock creek.
First Is termed road division: second,
Massachusetts avenue division; third, Con-
Eecticut avenue division. and fourth, Broad
Branch division.
''In the Conduit division the prominent
Typographical features are shelf or bern
bordering the banks of the Potomac; two
main ridges. with steep AMI long slopes;
two long and narrow valleys.
at the end of these ridges are promi-
nent points of exceptional outlook, end
these were selected as places for parks of
several acres in extent beiag connected
by an avenue following Lhe very tops Of
the ridges.
Another avenue touching one of these
parks has been located from point on
Arizona avenue Foundry branch and
running northwest parallel to Massachu-
setts avenue and extending to the bound
ary of the Dalecarlia reservoir. It offers
for this section the easiest grade and most
direct line for crossing these high ridges.
THE New Cut and Ridge roads are re-
tanned with slight changes. as they are
judged to be trunk lines OF travel for the
CONTINUED on Second Page.)