Evening star., 1925-09-02

PROGRAM IS URGED
Bell and Rudolph for Taking
Up Problem of Costs as
Soon as Possible.

The opening and extension OF main
highways in the undeveloped outskirts
of Washington is regarded by Engi
,neer Commissioner Bell and Commits
sioner Rudolph as an important mu
picipal problem worthy OF considera
tion as soon as other essentia projects
will permit.
They voiced this belief today in com
manting upon the annual report OF
District Surveyor Melvin G.. Hazen
in which he declared many of these
principal thoroughfares can never be
extended beyond their present limits
under the existing law, which provides
that condemnation juries must find
benefits to cover the entire cost.
The surveyor suggested that the
Commission ers d eVise some new meth
cd of handling assessments for these
important street openings that would
make it possible to proceed with the
carrying out of the highway plan.
Much Money Needed
II look upon that question as one
OF the eityS important development
problems, Col. Bell said. but 1t il
going to require considerable sums OF
money and will have to be considered
in reIa ation to all of the city's unmet
needs
was no chance of acting on the sug
gestion of Mr.. Hazen that part of the
city's accumulat ted surplus be devoted
to importa mt street extension Projects
Congress already has decreed the sur
plus shall he used for school buildings
and grounds and for park and play
ground purchases.
Mr. Hazen explained that there are
only two waVs of acquiring a new
street: first, when the owners dedica u
the necessary land. and. second. by
condemna ton. And in condem ma tior
proceedings the law requires the jury
to find benefits To Offset the entire
cost
There are, OF course, very substan
tial rea sons why these streets cannot
be acquired under the existing law,
Mr.. Hazen continued. In many eases
small holdings would be entirely wipe6
out. and substa ntial improvements
destroyed. creating a cost that ca nnot
in equity be assessed against the prop
erty benefited. No jury under exist
ing law could find benefits 10 offset
the entire cost. as required.
Needed Street List Made.
This once has prepared tentative
list Of streets that should be opened
many of which will never be acquired
under existing law on account of he
impossibiIity OF finding benefits equaI
TO the damage and court costs. This
list comprises more than 40 streets and
avenues. with approximately totaI
of 10000 600 square feet OF land Al
an estimated cost of $1,000 900. Much
Of this. however. could he assessed
hack on the land benefited. thereby re
ducing this cost very materially
Some of the principal streets which
should he acquired are Nebraska ave
nue.. Reno road, F'oXall road. Potomac
avenue. Reservoir road, Eutsw, Colo
rado and Concord avenues, Thirteenth
and Fourteenth streets. South Dakota,
Kansas. Maryland and New York ave
nues, East Capitol street. Minnesota
Alabama, Southern. Eastern and
Western avenues and many others OF
lsss Importance.
The surveyor told the Commissioners
some method should be devised To
provide very substantial fund te
inausurate a policy for the acquisition
of all important streets. This might be
done. he suggested: by direct appro
pria ton or by authority to utilize a
part OF the surplus now in the Urea $.
ury 10 the credit of the District Gov.
ernment.
Mr.. Hszen reported that the author.
ity given the Commissioners by the last
Congress TO close streets rendered use
less by the opening OF new thoroug
fares has been exercised to adva n
tage i'm several cases
The surveyor also voices the belief
that the proper location of highways
for the orderly development of private
property and so as to make adequate
provision for future trafic Is an i'm
portant question.