The Washington times., 1916-06-03
Connecticut AVENUE
BRIDGE TO REOPEN
Span will Be Ready for vehicu-
lar Traffic on or Before June
IS, Is Announcement.

Because OF complaints made by au-
tomobilists and others over the delay
in reopening the Connecticut avenue
bridge. officials in the Engineer Depart
ment OF the District. stated today that
every effort would be made to speed
work on the structure.
It, was announced that the bridge
probably would he reopened for We
because Of the speed-up orders issued:
The bridge has already been closed
about twelve days for resurfacing.
The engineer commissioner and super
fair weather the resurfacing can be
finished before the elapse of two more
weeks.
c. B. Hunt. former superintendent of
partment. said today the resurfac icing
would have been almost completed by
this time. but for Interruptions due TO
inclement weather which preciuded
working with concrete.
Considerable complaint has been
voiced by automobilists because Of the
closing of the bridge and the length
of time the Restricting has taken. The
living in Cleveland Park and the thick.
ly settled section along Connecticut
avenue and northwestern territory. as
well as residents OF Chevy Chase and
members of the club there and or the
Columbia Country Club.
lNCOHNCuicHCC SdubCus
The closing of the bridge has caused
them some inconvenience and delay
in reaching their destination. as a de-
tour of several blocks Is necessary to
reach the Calvert street bridg e.
Although the Calvert street structure
has teen reported unsafe at hearings
before Congressional committees and
the District Commissioners Superin
tendent OF Bridges McComb and for
mer Superintendent Hunt said today
the bridge Is not unsnfe.
Everything said at hearings Is not
necessarily go" said Mr.. Hunt. II nm
personally familiar with every detail
of the Calvert street bridge as q re-
suit OF having inspected II many
times ind / know of my own knewl-
edge that II Is absolutely safe and
capable of bearing all the traffic
| that goes across 1t as result Of the
temporary closing OF the Connecticut
aysnue bridge"
Officials in the engineering depart
inent said they wers rushing the re-
OF the Connecticut avenue
bridge and expected to pave two
thirds Of the structure.
THE automobillsts complained OF
the rough broken stone surface on
the bridge said Mr. Hunt land now
they complain OF short detour
caused by repaving the bridge, Thi.
Inconvenience had to como some time
and II might rs well he now as later
We have got rhe money to do the re-
surfacing with now and We might not
have 1t later. The r"surfacing could
not have been done before because VIC
had to allow a long time for the clay
filling to settle.'
Won't Open for Two Months.
Inquiry In the engineering department
concerning the bridge at Twenty-sixtf,
street and Pennsylvania avenue devei-
oped the fact that this structure would
not be opened for vehicular traffic for
at least two months.
Delay in opening the structure, which
has been used by pedestrians since early
In Nav. was said to be due to the In
| ability of the Capital Traction Company
| to get the structural iron necessary ia
| lay its tracks. The trolley slots for the
bridge tracks have not yet reached
Washington. After the slots and rails
have been received. II Is said. six
weeks time will be required to properly
lay them.
| The District cannot begin the paving
| of the bridge until the tracks have beer
| laid This means the paving work will
not begin until six weeks hence, and al
least two weeks more will be needed 10
pave the structure.