Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-07
HIGHWAY CHANGES
COMING UP MONDAY
Most important Proposal Is
That to Make Conduit
Road 12O Feet Wide.

Six important changes in the high.
way plan of the District will be con-
sidered by the Commissioners at
public hearing in the board room OF
the District Building Monday morn
ing at 10 o'clock. Two of them are
road widening projects. The others
are designed to preserve the natural
contours of the outlying sections.
The proposed widening of Conduit
road between Foxhall road and the
District line to a magnificent 120.foot
wide boulevard with a parkway ~
feet wide in the center Is the most
important item for consideration. The
change also will allow for sidewalks
with parkings on either side of the
boulevard, which the Conduit road
section has lacked since it's develop
ment because OF the Federal jurisdic-
ton over road. A recent act of Con-
gress placed control of the road in the
hands of the District Commissioners.
Width Now Irregular.
Conduit road now is of an irregular
width. The widening plans provide
for a standard width of 120 feet the
entire distance from Foxhall road TO
the District boundary. The center
parkway will be over the old water
conduit, flanked on both sides by
2l-foot roadway.
The other widening project pro-
vides for making Blair road from
Oglethorpe to Underwood streets a
9O.foot boulevard. 1t is now 50 feet
wide. The plans also contemplate
making all property between Blair
road and the Metropolitan branch of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad free
of streets so that it may be developed
commercially.
Another change provides for shift.
ing the lines of streets in north
Brookland and the absorption OF Ser
geant road by Michigan avenue. The
present highway plan calls for the
abolition of Sergeant road.
Preservation of the famous grove
of old oak trees in Wilson Park south
east as well as the surrounding nat
ural contours and topography is pro-
vided in a plan to be considered Tor
changing the highway arrangement
south of st. Elizabeth's Hospital be-
tween Nichols avenue and Boiling
Field.
Under the present highway plan
rectangular streets would be cut
through this section with the result
that many old trees would have to
be felled.
Another proposed change involves
the property on the south side of
Benning road just west of Anacostia
Park, The new plan for highway de-
velopment in this section will follow
the property lines. The present plan,
according to Melvin c. Hazen, Dis
trict surveyor, probably will never be
carried out because it provides for
cutting diagonally through improve
ments.
The final proposed change provides
for the curving of the streets In the
section bordering Southern avenue
from the District line to Branch ave-
nue.. The rugged topography of this
territory makes such a highway plan
IDEAL. Mr.. Hazen pointed out.
The co-ordinating committee of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission already has approved the
proposed changes. If they ere in
t1orsed by the Commissioners following
the public hearing, the National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commission
will be required to put on the final
stamp of approval before they are
carried out.
All of the proposed changes accord
inr 10 Mr.. Hazen, involve considerable
condemnation and dedication of prop
erty.