Evening star., 1924-09-05
OPINIONS DIFFER
ON STREET PLANS
Commissioners Hearing Argu-
ments on Widening Thor
fares in Congested Areas.

division of sentiment on the
! merits of the proposal to widen five
| of the main streets of the city as a
! means of improving traffic conditions
developed at the public hearing in the
boardroom of the District Building
today.
There was practically unanimous
| approval of the widening of VI street
| IN Georgetown. between 29th and 35th
streets, from so to 90 feet, because
! of the volume of traffic flowing
through that artery to and from Key
| Bridge.
Opinions differed as to the ad-
Visablllty of widening 10th street
from + street to Massachusetts ave
nue. in the downtown section.
| On the suggestion that 11th street
| De Wldened between and G streets
there was strong opposition, with
only only one business house appear
| ing in favor of the project.
AT noon the Commissioners had not
| reached the taking of testimony on
the widening of Bladensburg road
and h street from 18th to 10Th
| streets northwest.
Discuss Tree Status.
| The question of whether shade
| tres should be encouraged or re-
moved on business thoroughfares en-
tered largely into discussion, and the
| relation of automobile parking to
the width of streets also cropped up.
B. A. Bowles, speaking for the
! traff1c committee of the Georgetown
| Citizens Association, not only urged
the immediate widening of III street
and its resurfacing, but declared that
even such widening will afford only
| temporary relief.
Mr.. Bowles expressed the belief
that eventually NJ street from 29th
| street westward should be made an
| extension of Pennsylvania avenue
| and given the same width as that
| thoroughfare. Such a project, to be
sought in the future he said. would
! necessitate taking part of the private
| property on the south side OF NJ
street.
| The present widening program,
| however, to 60 feet will not disturb
the existing building lines, but will
necessitate reducing the side walk
| spaces from approximately 10 TO IL
| feet.
! Georgetown Folk Favor Widening.
j. A. Oliver, president of the
Georgetown Citizens Association; NJ.
| A Baer, president of the Georgetown
Business Mems Association, and a
number of individuals also spoke in
| favor of the widening to so feet.
John L. Weaver said he did not
| appear in opposition to the widening,
but urged the Commissioners to con-
slider carefully whether the scheme
would leave ample sidewalk space
| for pedestrians. He said he thought
counts should be taken and studied
to determine whether a sufficient side
i walk would be left after widening.
| MT. Oliver replied he though there
! would be ample sidewalk room for the
| walkers.
Plea for shade Trees.
| 4. j. Driscoll. president of the Mid
| City Citizens Association, appeared
| in general opposition to the widening
of any of the downtown streets as d
| traffic solution. He made a strong
| plea for the preservation of shade
| trees as one of the attractions of the
Nations Capital, and declared that
widening streets would not solve the
parking problem. He argued that the
| streets of Washington. a general
| rule. are wide enough for moving
/ traffic. and that the parking problem
| should be solved by strict enforcement
| of the time limit regulation.
! In the case of NJ street he said that
| if it should be widened provision
should be made for trees there. N.
! o. Eldridge Of the American Auto
| mobile Association spoke in favor of
/ widening NJ street, which he regard
| ed as an arterial highway of the city.
Tenth Street Objections.
| Discussion of the widening of
/ Tenth street from + to Massachusetts
| avenue to a width of As feet brought
| forth a wide range of views. MIR.
| Driscoll began by opposing it. He
was followed by NJ NJ. Doyle. who
| expressed the opposition of the Tudor
| Hall apartment house. B. W. Parker
| told the Commissioners he spoke IN
| opposition to widening Tor Wood
| ward & Lothrop.
| Among those who advocated the
widening of Tenth street were l.: P.
| McLachlen of the McLachlen Banking
Corporation: A. c. Case, representing
| Palais Royal; Fries, Beall & Sharpe
| Co; Sears, Roebuck & Co; Charles J.
Columbus of the Merchants and Manu-
| facturers' Association, and DIR. Starr
| Parsons. representing the Thomas
Circle Citizens Association.
In the case of Tenth street there
also were a number of residents living
northward who spoke both for and
against the widening.
Oppose Eleventh Street Plan.
When the proposed widening of
Eleventh street from r to G was
| brought up William J. Eynon spoke
| in behalf of Byron s. Adams. Berry
& Whitmore. National Capital Press.
w. B. Moses & Sons and Woodward
e. Lothrop, opposing the change in
width for a number of reasons He
declared widening of the street
would not aid automobile parking,
which. he said. will have to be pro-
vided for by the erection of garages
for all-day parkers.
Mr.. Eynon emphasized the point that
Eleventh street should be resurfaced
from f. to q, but that it should not he
widened. He declared that if the wild
ening is to be considered it should run
| fRm Pennsylvania to Massachusetts
avenues and not be applied to only two
| squares. Harry Blake, representing
Barber & Ross. appeared in favor of
widening Eleventh street.
The proposed widening of X street
| from Fourteenth to Sixteenth was Wig
orously opposed by II. p. Galley. rep
resenting a number of property owners
and by George G.. Hoover. who declared
| the proposed plan would merely turn
| the street into public garage.