Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-02-10

MATTER VITAL TO CITY
All Agencies Should Unite in Effort
to Bring Highway Through City
Rather Than Let Travel be Diverted
(Editorial}

! |
: T. will be very wise for our City
70 fully realize the Importance of the
present program for road constrcc-
lion now being mapped out by our
| State Highway officials, as the money
appropriated by Congress for road
building which is to be used in cen
junction with that provided by thc
different States is only available for
4 little over two years from this time
and we understand the plans for the
expenditure Of this fund is being
finally decided on now.
At special session of the Leg:sla-
ture last summer, the state of Vir-
ginia made proper provision to raisc
such funds as were necessary to meet
the Federal aid for roads and this
work was turned over to the State
Highway Commissioner who is now
acting with the State Highway Gem
mission, body authorized at tina.
session and recently appointed by the
Governor.
From. our understanding of the
present plan, Alexandria is directly
interested in a good highway fror'
Washington to Richmond and in the
proposed highway from GsAlexandria
thru Fairfax, Loudoun asA Fauqu:er
counties via Middleburg, which read
connects with the Valley Pike near
| Winchester.
| The road from Washington to Rich
moEd seems to be assured, but aS
Alexandria and. Fairfax counties, II
conjunction with the Government.
have already provided that part Of
this road running from Washington
to Camp Humphreys, the only new
! road construction in this immediate
vicinity which 1T now seems we could
nope to secure is that part which
would properly connect us with the
Valley Pike.
From such information as we are
able to secure it seems that, the pr:-
sent plans contemplate the construc-
Son Of state highways from Fairfa';
on thru to- the Valley, but docs not
contemplate construction Of state
highway from Alexandra to Fairfax.
If our understanding should be
correct. it can readily be seen what
great disadvantage il; would be t
Alexandria to have The richest seq
tons of Northern Virginia practical
" at our door and Lot accessible to
our City. for the want of a good real
to Fairfax. but at the same time this
section would be accessible to Wash
ington on account of good road from
Fairfax to that city.
at this time when automobile trave!
and the handling of freight by trucks
is becoming such. tremendous factc:
IN the transportation problem OF 4
community, it would be a very great
handicap to our city if that part Ct
the highway connecting us with the
Valley does not come all the way TO
Alexandria, and it should be borne
in mind that if this link is not bull:
there will not be single dollar spen:
within seven or eight miles OF our
| CITY for new road construction under
a program which some figure VIII
total three to four thousand miles OF
highways and which will undoubtedly
cost many millions Of dollars.
1t hardly seems possible that any
of the officials of the State OF Vlr-
r;nia would be willing to permit suc'
splendid section Of the State to hs
cut off from out City and at the sam:
time made accessible to Washing
ton, when there is so little road build
ing involved, but we fee! ehat I'M
matter is of such vital Importance t
the future of this community that ":
, strongly recommend to the City CouE
! ell, Chamber of Commerce and otner
; interested in our welfare. the imme
diate Importance of using every ef
: fort at their command to bring thl
! whole subject forcibly to the after
f ton of the proper State officials wit,
the idea of urging them to take sue
: action as may be necessary 10 0r'h'
this highway thru our city.