Evening star., 1917-11-28
ROADS TO CONNECT
BOTH SIDES OF PARK
District Heads Consider High
ways to Bring Commune
ties Closer Together.
EXPERT STUDIES SUBJECT

To permit of better traffic communica-
ton between those rapidly growing sec
tions of the District lying on both sides
of Rock Creek Park, now practically
shut off from each other, the authorities
in charge of the park are considering the
construction of at least two thorough
fares directly across the reservation
from east to west, on the most favorable
lines between the southern boundary at
Klingle road and Military road, running
west from Brightwood.
That important question has come to
the front in connection with studies
now being made by Gen. Black, chief
of engineers of the Army, and District
Comm issionerS Brownlow, knight and
Gardiner. comprising the statutory
commission in charge of the park. as
to the best and most feasible method
of enhancing the natural beauty of the
park and increasing it's facilities for
recreation and utility.
Last spring they engaged lne .serv-
ices of Frederick Law OlmSted, the
eminent landscape architect of New
York, to assist them in the considera-
ton of the subject. Mr.. Olmsted made
personal examination and study of
and has Just submitted the result of
his observations in the form of tenta-
tive conclusions. He says that they
are not his final recommendations and
are subject to such notifications as
further investigation and study may
require.
Plans of Landscape Architect.
Speaking generally. Mr.. Olmsted says
his study was based on three funda-
mental considerations:
Ito save intact and where possible
enhance landscape.
ITO open up the park to the driv-
ing. riding and walking public. and to
locate roads and walks as to min
imize sacrifice of landscape beauty.
$40 provide adequate transportation
to and into the park for people de-
pendent on street car service.
To meet those ends he urges the de-
velopment of open woodlands and tree
growth. the thinning out of the dense
growths along the creek bottom. and
with woodland 80 that they would
have a recreative value. where one could
feel and enjoy openness." He advo-
Gated. especially, a clearing Of about
fifty acres in the northern end of the
park north of the creek.
For general treatment, using the val
ley of the creek as a backbone, he de-
scribes the main features of the park,
as follows:
J, l. Plateau land adapted to more or
less intensive recreation.
2. A forest unit of about 800 acres.
3. An open-land tract of $50 acres
North Of the last two areas, where
the country is wild and rugged, Mr..
about $50 acres. mostly forest, which
should be made riding and driving
unit. The northernmost unit. he says.
might be usful for polo. cricket or
scrub ball.
The question of roads will be studied
later. says Mr.. Olmstead. and is only
considered by him in his present report
in relation to landscape development.
That question, he says. involves two
main requirements. one to carry traffic
across the park with minimum obtru-
sion into landscape, and the other to
locate the thoroughfares SO as to give
the maximum of service as approaches
to and into the park and to make con-
trict lying east and west of the park
For roads across the park area. he IA
vors high-level crossings in preference
to grade or viaduct crossings.
One of these crossings, he thinks,
should be along the ridge just south
of the Military road and. he says, that
should be the first cross road built.
Another of these cross roads should
park area is narrow. For that road ne
suggested the extension of TAYLOR
street on the east ridge to connect
with the west side Of the park at Yuma
street and Linnean avenue Mr.. Ohm
sted said he had not reached a final
conclusion as to the best location for
the southern cross road and would give
the matter further consideration.
There were fundamental reasons he
said, for the rectification of the
boundaries of the park at certain
places for the preservation of the park
scenery from intruding private prop
erty development, but the details OF
his recommendations on that point are
withheld for the present Additional
takings and boundary adjustments
recommended by the park Commission
in 1911 are still desirable" in the
opinion of Mr.. Olmsted but later de-
velopments. he says. have rendered
some of them impracticable now and
some of the others, though desirahIe
can hardly be considered essential tn
the value of the park and might well
be modified. The report is very long
and is accompanied by maps and draw.
ings.
The park. commission has taken no
action in the matter and will not do
so until Mr.. Olmsted completes his
studies of the park.