Evening star., 1926-08-15
TASK REPLACEMENT
| OF NJ ST. BRIDGE
Fire and Hospital Officials
and Citizens Renew Pleas
for Early Action.

Early replacement of the defunct
NJ Street Bridge across Rock Greek
in Georgetown. on grounds not alone
of economic necessity, but of public
safety. is being advocated with re-
newed vigor by citizens of the viCin.
ity as a result Of the ever-increasing
complaints by harassed fire and hos
pital authorities.
Lack of a bridge directly connect
ing West Washington with George
town by way of VI street greatly
hampers the facile movement of fire
apparatus under stress of emergen-
cies. it is claimed. besides creating a
traffic nuisance IN the quiet zone" of
the Columbia Hospital for Women.
Tentative plans for a $250.000 ma
Sonry bridge to replace the condemn
ed steel-and-wood structure. which
has been out Of commission since May
20, 1925, have been drawn by the
District Engineers office and an ap-
preparation for the project will be
asked in 1928.
Congestion Is Increased.
Meanwhile all traffic over NJ street
must be abruptly detoured to the
Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge, between
Twenty sixth and Twenty-seventh
streets, greatly increasing the con-
gestion over that much-uSed struc-
ture, already carrying a heavy street
car, bus and truck traffic.
The present plans call for a bridge
225 feet long, divided into three spans,
with a 40-foot roadway and 9-foot side
walks on each side. The spans will
be of reinforced concrete, designed to
carry load imposed by trucks of IS
ton capacity. Artistic iron ratings
will line the sides of the bridge.
Recent improvement of Wisconsin
avenue. making it an arterial high
way into Georgetown, has greatly in
creased vehicular traffic into that sec
ton of the city and made necessary
more than ever, adequate outlets
across Rock Creek. citizens explain
This flow of passenger vehicles is aug
mented by the regular daily water.
front commercial traffic, supplying
Washington with sand, gravel and
other trucking material.
Sees Chance for Saving.
b. A. Bowles. past president of the
Georgetown Citizens Association calls
attention to the roundabout course
confronting fire apparatus and other
emergency vehicles responding to calls
from territory served by M street. A
scene of fire or other disturbance may
be the saving of a life or of thousands
of dollars in property. he points out
DR.. w. =. Morrill,, superintendent of
Columbia Hospital. declares that lack
of the NJ Street Bridge creates a seri
Gus noise problem at the hospital
DaShing fire engines and sputtering
trucks now, are routed through the
quiet zone, to the disturbance of pa.
tients to whom quiet and rest often is
essential to quick recovery. The stu
alton. fortunately. is relieved by the
fact that the hospital building is
placed some distance back from the
adjoining thOrouEhfares.
Old Bridge an EyesOre.
The old bridge is an eyesore to the
community. citizens declare, with
many of the boards formerly Compris
ing the floor torn up and left so by
bridge inspectors and Workmen at the
| time of the structures closing more
than a year ago.
The proposed new bridge would con
form to the parkway development
plans for Rock Creek. providing space
beneath for a connecting driveway
between Rock Creek and Potomac
Parks. The old p Street Bridge un.
doubtedly will be replaced by new
structure also before the driveway is
completed, some five years or so hence