The Washington herald., 1908-04-28

open treatment for Rock Creek Valley.
from Massachusetts avenue to Potomac
Park, has been recommended to the
Commissioners by Engineer Commission
eer MoFroW IN a report made yesterday.
Outlined. briefly, the project, as rec
commended by Commissioner Morrow. is
as follows:
Main read TO be constructed in the
valley of the park. extending from Mas
sachusetts avenue TO the river. main
path, extending the same distance In a
general way. parallel 10 the main road
all in the valley of the creek and
wherever possible, additional driveways
and paths are provided.
It is planned TO develop the entire area
as a city park with the exception Of the
section between L street and Potomac
Park, which will be treated as a more o..
less formal parkway and park connec-
ton.
The section north Of 0 street could easily
be developed into a beautiful informal
city park, having a maximum width Of
500 feet. and a minimum width Of 400
feet.
At Massachusetts avenue the main
drive is planned to be carried through
the embankment now crossing the valley
at that point, a subway being provided
with q width of cairty-six feet and a
heighth of twenty-four feet, having the
form of a single arch.
Border ROadways Planned.
In addition 10 the main drive in the
bottom of the valley. bordering road
ways are contemplated on both sides,
with a view 10 having the park almost
entirely surrounded by trees so that the
backs of buildings could not be presented
to view from the park. Main driveway
! entrances TO the park are provided from
! Massachusetts avenue just south Of the
valley, by the road now known as Water
side drive. and from Q street by the same
road; also from Twenty-hfth street, just
north Of \ street. and from Twenty-slxth
and L streets. and from the formal drive
way which leads from Potomac Park
along the banks Of the Potomac River
| and Rock Greek, 10 this aforementioned
/ entrance.
/ Entrances at the west are provided at a
/ -
and from a point near Twenty-siXth and
/ Q streets. and by way OF the old Lovers
/ Lane valley. and from T street, as far as
/ the street Will ultimately be completed.
/ In addition 10 these carriage way er-
/ frances. pathway entrances are provided
at nearly every point where the bounding
/ streets are intersected by lateral streets.
/ Crossings are provided as follows: 4
/ bridge is proposed from the intersection
I Of Twenty-eighth and K streets 20 ths
/ intersection Of Massachusetts, avenue and
/ 5 street. A bridge is provided at .
/ street a new bridge al p street. a bridge
at y street a new bridge at " street,
and a new bridge at Pennsylvania ave-
nue The X street bridge. proposed 10
be maintained at its present grade, VIII
/ be crossed above grade by the elevated
I driveway along the quay. \ low drive
/ way crosses the creek at four points, by
small bridges, namely, just south Of
/ Pennsylvania avenue. just south Of P
street. also at a point near the old
/ Lyons MIL. and az a point near the
pumping station south Of Massachusetts
/ avenue.
Would Cost S4,75O,OOO.
| Commissioner Morrow's plan involves
! the condemnation OF about from 3,O000O)
TO 3.750.000 square feet Of land, including
/ improvements. and involves a consider
able amount OF grading in the section
between N and o street, and from the
point of the hill near the present P street
/ bridge.
The estimated cost Of the whole plan
/ is $4750.Oc0. a closed treatment would
/ cost from $4,000 TO S7,23oooo.
! Commissioner Morrow has adopted this
! open treatment plan as the most advisa-
/ bic one after an exhaustive and thorough
study of the land. and the reports Of the
/ surveys made under the direction Of Capt.
! NJ. f. Markham. Assistant Engineer Com
missioner, and ". J. Douglas, engineer Of
| bridges.
It is believed that authority 10 pur-
chase. OF condemn the necessary land.
which viii involve an estimated cost Of
about 8. .s20O00, with the improvements,
should be granted by Congress at as
early date as possible, for the double rea-
son OF making the ultimate development
of this park connection an assured fact
/ and also to prevent the perpetuation Of
/ the dumping nuisance which has already
assumed such large proportions, and which
/ is largely beyond the control Of the Dis
! trfct officers, as the dumping is not on
public space.
/ The passage OF time and the continuance
| Of these conditions necessarily adds TO the
/ cost and difficulty Of the construction
work
| 1t Is believed that the purchase OF this
| land Will be Of sufficient local benefit 70
| justify assessments for benefits. but it is
not believed advisable 70 suggest any def
mite amount that the assessments should
reach, nor any proportion Of the total
cost unless the completion Of the work
| could be guaranteed within reasonable
period after the commencement.