Evening star., 1925-02-08
CITY PLAN VITAL,
KING TELLS SENATE
Submits Report With Bill
Urging Commission to
Govern Development.

The necessity of preparing COM
prehcnsive plan. for the orderly de-
velopment of the National Capital Is
strongly emphasized in a written re-
port submitted to the Senate yester
day by Senator King of Utah to ac-
company his bill providing for Fed
oral city planning commission. The
commission proposed is to be ap-
pointed by the President and to
consist of seven members. The Dis
trict committee ordered a favorable
report on the measure and 1t is now
on the Senate calendar.
In his report Senator King said:
The effectiveness of modern city
planning comes from the co-ordina-
ton of the different factors in city
development-the street system, the
parks, Fairgrounds, school sites, zon
ing districts, bridge locations and
waterfront improvements. II these
elements are developed without
proper correlation we have a scram-
bling. inconvenient and poorly in
tegrated city.
Original Plan Outgrown.
Washington was fortunate in hav-
ing been established on the L'Enfant
plan. but this original plan covered
but about one-sixth of the area Of the
present District of Columbia.
The park plan of 1901 caused the
revival of the LEnfant plan, partlcu-
larly as to the park system. but or Do
areas recommended at that time for
acquisition as park sites. but 6 have
been acquired in the intervening "a
years.
During this period the population
OF the District of Columbia has
doubled. 1t is reasonably to be antic-
ipated that in the next 20 years the
undeveloped area within the District
of Columbia will be occupied. No one
can observe the awkward and
scrambling street system which is be-
ing extended over the hills surround
ing the area covered by the L'Enfant
plan, without being impressed with
the imperative need of an intelligent
and rational scheme in conformity TO
which both public and private i'm
provements in the District of Colum-
bia and environs shall be projected
and constructed. The highway sys
tenn especially demands intelligent
study. Motor traffic has brought new
problems, which must be accommo-
dated.
Says Street syAtem Obsolete.
Ine ola highway plan Is obsolete
and the park plan has never been CO.
ordinated with an adequate highway
plan. Many things have been done
and are being done which are incon-
sistent with the accepted principles
OF modern city planning. Flagrant
errors have been made which require
correction. The Key Bridge, for ex-
ample. was projected and constructed
without provisions for adequate ap-
proaches and connections. Other
cities of less Importance than the
Capital OF the country are expending
large sums to correct the mistakes
OF the past and to establish plans for
potential improvements and develop
ment.
The great Federal city, established
as the seat of Government, should
become the most beautiful and well
arranged Capital in the world The
physical development and improve
inents of the city are under the d.
rection OF a number of distinct de-
partments which pursue distinct
policies. There Is no planning COM
mission to lay down practical lines
for orderly Improvement. to prevent
the overlapping Of functions and to
forestall the recurrence of mistakes
which have been made in the past
because OF lack of foresight and
proper city planning"