Evening star., 1916-11-23
MOD|F|ES PLANS
FOR KEY BRIDGE
Col. FIagIer Will Submit Design
to Fine Arts Commission
Tomorrow.
SUBSTITUTE FOR AQUEDUCT

Important notifications have been
| made by Col. c. A. F. FlagIer, Crops
of Engineers. and his assistants. in
| the plans for the Key bridge, which is
to replace the condemned Aqueduct
structure across the Potomac river at
Georgetown. They are subject to the
approval of the national commission
of fine arts and will be submitted to
that body at a meeting to be held in
New York tomorrow. Inasmuch the
main features of the plans of the
bridge already have received the ap-
proval of individual members of the
| commission there is not much doubt
that they will receive the official in
dorsement of that body.
According to the plans agreed upon
by the engineers and architects the
entire structure will be made OF re-
inforced concrete and will cross the
river al a high elevation in hVe para
bolic ribbed arches, with smaller
arches on the shore approaches. Ihe
middle river arch will have span Oh
244 feet, the other spans beng Oh Tess
length. The length of the bridge from
shore to shore will be about 1.o2o rect.
1t will be about 60 feet wide and under
the central span will have d clearance
of about rs feet above the surface Oh
the river. 1t will have lohsi st,i ,iiaa
Gambler, which means that it Will rise
with gentle slopes from each END with
it's highest elevation at the center
Location of the Structure.
The new bridge will be located just
east of the existing Aqueduct bridge.
but will cross the river at a different
angle The Virginia approach Will be
near the southern end of the present
bridge on a line near where the sta
tion of the Washington, Arlington and
Falls Church railway is located. Inc
bridge end at the Washington side OF
the river will be point just west OF
35th street whence the structure Will
follow a curved tangent to the point OF
exit at the intersection of 34th ana M
streets, Water or street ana the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal VIII be
crossed on high arches. There also ~
end. Masonry retaining walls Will be
provided on the curved line from the
north side of the Chesapeake and ONO
canal to 34th and NJ streets.
The idea of carrying the or.ase
etreet to y, with viaduct over M
street. has been abandoned for the pres
cnt, owing to the extra expense in.olN
ed and the limited approprla tlons
available The approved plans, now
ever. it is stated. will permit of that
extension at any time in the future
Whenever the funds become av2llapie;
The extension. it is explained, Wouiu
provide an additional approach TO tie
bridge from the heights of Georgetown,
and also provide means of connection
with the tracks of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company at 51th
and streets
Provision for Two Decks.
.o.hor ;nnportant change in the
original plans is the provision for two
decks in the bridge. instead of one, IN
order to separate the trolley trafhc
from the ordinary commercial ana
Measure traffic across the bridge. Ihe
upper deck will have highway forty
feet wide. lanked by sidewalks each
ten feet in width. inclosed on the outer
sides with concrete parapets similar
to those on the Connecticut avenue
bridge, except that on the new pridge
recesses or places or refuge VIII pe
provided in the parapets over each pier,
u,bare nersons can stop for rest or TO
view the river and surrounding couh-
The lower deck is designed for track
age for trolley cars using me pf,u .t.h
1t will be of open construction, win
spandrel arches affording ample l1ght;
view and ventilation, so as 10 aVold
the disadvantages of tunnel AZ lhe
beginning of the curve on the I0pi 49,
town side the trolley cars on the lower
deck will leave the bridge on
straight line until they reach NJ street,
yhere they will either continue on
the Il @ tracks of the Capital Traction
Company or proceed to their stations
in the vicinity. The plans of the Great
Fails and Old Dominion Company.
which company undoubtedly will use
the II eie bridge. have not been announced.
provision also will be made on the
lower deck for the installation OF large
galleries for gas mains, electric con-
duits, etc.
r.1x E,,hrocad in Plans