Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-19
BRIDGE PAVING COST
NEW LAW FOR HIGHWAY STRUc.
TURE IS SUGGESTED.
Uaj. Cosby Thinks Railway Company
Should Pay for Maintenance
Of Right Of Way.

MAJ Spencer Cosby. the engineer officer
| IN charge of the improvement of the po.
.oiiiac river. has made a special report tn
| Heii' Mackenzie In regard to the Highway
oiiuse across the Potomac, which was built
| at cost Of 81 1876 600 in which he saws that
| aii items IN connection with the bridge and
| It's approaches are practically completed
with the exception of the work remaining
TO be done by the Washington, Alexandria
and Mount Vernon Railway Company. II
| Is recommended that the bridge and its
approaches from the north abutment Of
the Washington Channel bridge to tina
southern limit Of the Virginia approach, be-
transferred to the charge OF the superin-
tendent Of public buildings and grounds. as
part or the park system.
section IL OF the act OF Congress ap.
proved February II, 1901 authorizing the
construction of the Highway bridge and
approaches, provided that the cost Of tho
paving between the tracks OF the Washing
ton, Alexandria and Mount Vernon Railway
Company and two feet outside thereof on
the Washington approach shall be paid by
the company. The District of Columbia ap-
preparation act for the fiscal year ended
June 80, 1903 provided that the cost of
maintaining the pavement of the corre-
spending space on the Highway bridge shall
be paid by the street railway company or
companies using the same under such reg
ulatfons as the Commissioners OF the Dis
tl1ct of Columbia shall prescribe
Maj. Cosby says there ia no law requir-
ing the street railway company to pave or
maintain the space between its tracks on
the Virginia approach, and that the cost Of
this is now paid by the government.
Seeks New Legislation.
I'm order,' he says, that the law may be
the same for all portions Of the bridge and
approaches. 1t is recommended that Com
gress be asked to pass a law requiring the
street railway company companies using
the Highway bridge and Its approaches, to
pay for and maintain at all times in good
condition the paving between the tracks
and two feet outside thereof on the section
or sections used; the paving to be of
suitable kind approved by the department.
of the government or District Of Columbia
under whose jurisdiction each section
comes
During the fiscal year ended June 80 last
the draw of the bridge opened 5,l38
times for the passage of $3.50 vessels, or
an average Of approximately laos openings
per day. The average cost for current was
$50 cents per opening. Maj. Cosby says
that the machinery of the draw span con-
tinues to operate satisfactorily, and but
few repairs have been necessary. Since
December 10 last all the traffic formerly
using the old Long bridge has crossed the
river by way of the Highway bridge and
it's approaches. Maj. Cosby says that the
CUHCiele IoduWdyS VI lIe dppiodS eHoW
some signs of surface wear but that most
of this occurred during the first month or
so of use, and he thinks that as the con-
crete becomes older the rate of wear VIII
decrease still further
ION the whole" says Maj. Cosby, the
paving has proved very satisfactory, being
smooth enough to allow it to be cleaned
easily and at the same time giving a good
foothold to horses. The average daily
travel during the latter part of June 1907,
was as follows: Single cars. 400; trains Of
two cars, 2134; automobiles, 3; double
teams, 9794; single teams. 1927; pedes-
TRANS, 502.7; equestrians, 81. The bulk OF
the vehicular traffic consists of the two
yards in Virginia. There is comparatively
little business traffic on Sundays or hofi-
days during bad weather. An estimate of
$4,000 is submitted for maintenance and
operation Of the bridge and approaches for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1909"