Evening star., 1922-10-04
GREATER BRIDGE
FACILITIES URGED
Board of Trade Declares
Present Spans 0utgroWn
in Many Cases.
WANTS CONGRESS TO ACT
Replacing of Chain and Pennsyl-
vania Avenue Structures Rec
commended.
WANTS CONGRESS TO ACT

Washington has outgrown many of
it's available bridge facilities. accord
ing to the report of the bridge COM
mittee of the Washington Board of
Trade. of which George W. Offutt. jr.
is chairman. The board has Just made
public its report. and makes the
urgent recommendation that the
Pennsylvania avenue. southeast,
bridge and the Chain bridge be re-
tory from which the District draws
its supplies. and they will not carry
the present-day traffic loads.
Summing up the recommendation
contained in the report, the COM
mittee says: That Congress be urged
to make the following appropriations ::
For the Arlington Memorial Bridge
Commission. Il suitable sum to enable
1t to carry on its present work.
$500 for Chain Bridge.
For use in the preliminary work
on the replacement of the Chain
bridge, not less than $500.
For use in preliminary work in the
Improvement or replacement of the
Pennsylvania avenue bridge, not less
than $500.
sufficient amount to provide for
continuous work and the completion
of the Georgetown bridge.
That all balances of specific apprOpri-
ations for bridges be made available for
general use and repair Of bridges in the
District of Columbia.
That Congress appropriate a sufficient
sum to place in the Benning bridge a
draw of the kind and type sufficient to
permit the passage of the dredges to
complete reclamation work upon the
Anacostia river
For the repair and maintenance of
minor bridges, not less than $4,000.
Calvert Street Bridge Adequate.
After pointing out that the Calvert
street bridge will be adequate follow
ing completion OF repairs now going
on, the committee takes up the Chain
bridge and points out that it was con-
structed fifty years ago. BY reason of
the pronounced change in traffic condi-
tions, the report continues, it is now
wholly unsuitable for the purpose for
which it is used.
by reason of the number of houses
being built on the Virginia side and
by reason of the fact that the bridge
opens to the District of Columbia a
country which has been one of the
principal sources of supply for the
District of Columbia, both of market
materials and food for animal CON
portance cannot be overestimated
At the present time heavy trucks
cannot use this. bridge, and it Is a
hardship to compel them to make a
long detour to use the Highway
bridge. Your committee is advised
Congress appropriating the sum of
$500 for plans for new bridge, at
or near this point. Your committee
is strongly of the opinion that Con-
gress should be urged at the utmost
to pass this bill at the earliest pos
Sible moment"
Heavy Ipkeep Cost.
Then, taking up the Pennsylvania
Avenue bridge. the report points out
that it was constructed in 1890, and
has a plank floor designed to carry
only six-ton load. The flooring has
to he renewed every five years, and
the present one was put down in 1919
at q cost of $5.321.09. The annual
cost of upkeep. the report says, is be-
tween $400 and $500.
While the committees report says
that the committee was Rble to get
data on the exact amount of traffic
over this bridge, ''it does know that
leading to the Maryland highways
which are parallel with the Potomac
as far as Rock Point and Leonard
town. and to Upper Marlboro and
Annapolis, which are rapidly develop
ing outlying sections. The commit
tee recommends that instead of re.
pairing the present bridge it should
iceable and attractive structure.
which will meet the deman1s of
present-day traffic and enable the
citizens of the District Of Columbia
living on the other side to have an
adequate street car line extension
over the bridge, all of which will be
in harmony with the extensive park
Developments along the Anacostia
river" -
Wants Draw at Benning.
Particular attention is called by the
committee to the need of placing
draw in the Benning bridge, in order
that dredges may go above the bridge
for the purpose Of cutting drains for
the many stagnant pools there, which
are a menace to the health Of the
community.
The committee also concerned itself
with the, matter of handling traffic
in Georgetown adjacent to the
Georgetown bridge when that span