Evening star., 1911-08-19

| Automobile owners and drivers, eques-
trians and lovers of out-of-doors life in
! general in the District will be much in
] terested in one of the most important OF
recent improvements in the roadways and
driveways of Rock Creek Park, which
| even now is nearing completion in at
| least one of its stages. This improvement
has to do primarily with the construction
| of series of three bridges, and these
| structures have been built during the
past few weeks after plans prepared by
the District engineer of bridges, L. G..
J. Baily, and under the supervision of the
| men of his department. These structures
| span three deep ravines and thus make
more easily and comfortably negotiable
| the grade of the roadways. The first sec
| ton of the improvement, which, it is
| expected, will be ready for use by Sep
| tember l. extends from 10th street extend
| cd just north of the reservoir, down into
the valley of Rock Creek Park and con-
| meets with Beach drive and the Military
| road
| The first of the three bridges, a struc-
| ture which made the new roadway pos
| Sible because it was built to span an
otherwise impossible deep ray1ne, Is about
| half way between the Sixteenth street
reservoir and the junction of Beach drive
| and Military road, and even on Its own
| account this bridge is very much worth
| while. because it was built to he both
! ornamental and useful. 1t is the only
park bridge Of it's type in the District. II
| is what is known as a rib-SkcW arch. al
| though to the lay observer IL has the
| appearance of Il series of small arches.
one in front of another. or In steps,
| so that All together go to make the com
| pIctc span of the large arch. This bridge
| which is known as No. 2ii on the list
of bridges in the District, has Il span OF
| twenty-four feet over its raVine, ana ~
| was built at q cost OF $3.50. To he III
| keepinc with the rough country of the
park i'm which II lies, this bridge as well
as the other two of the series. has been
| given a finish OF rubblc masonry.
Two Bridges in Beach Drive.
Bridges Nos cIs and 2l9 the other two
| of the new structures, lie along the line
Of Beach drive extended, which pcne-
tratcs the extreme northern end of Rock
Creek Park. This section of Beach drive
is now only 81 dirt road, but the project
ed plan of Improvement contemplate the
macada "A MIXING of the whole of this road
way, from the present end or the mae
adamiZiny on the drive to its intersection
| with Kaliuia street tFern street,. which
| enters the park only a short distance
from it's northern boundary. The new
driveway, from 18th street to its junction
with Beach drive and Military road. is
now being macadamiZed, and 1t is this
work which is to be finished and the road
thrown open to traffic by the first of next
month.
In dry weather the upper end of Beach
drive affords not unpleasant route for
automobiiists, though in rainy weather
the mud makes it altogether too heavy
for comfortable driving. But when the
lentire contract of macadamiZing is finish
ed, auto drivers will have opened to them
"a whole series Of new routes for short
| afternoon and evening trips.
Outlet From 10th Street.
| Until the present time the drive along
the broad smooth eApanse of 18th street
| extended has been favorite with auto
. | mobilists, though the criticism always
/, Law against it that it afforded no par
| ticuIar objective point. In other words, a
ride to the end of 10th street always has
| meant that drivers must make a turn
and return by the same route, because
there has been no outlet into the park
or into the adjacent section of the city.
With the opening of this new thorough
fare over the reservoir property and
thence into the park. however, automobil-
lists and travellers in general will find it
possible to plan their runs out 18th street
and thence into the driveWays of Rock
Creek Park, or vice versa. and the coia-
pletion of the macadamizinc OF Beach
larger territory with outlets from the
in one direction to Georgia avenue. and