Evening star., 1926-10-03
FEEDER HIGHWAYS
TO Be MODERN|zED
Street Department of City to
Go Forward as Main
Arteries Are Covered.


Ncles dealing 1cfth the treatment of
feeder streets ledftuo into the main
avenues Of approach IN the National
Capitol The second article riH foliotr
tomorrow.
With the srterial entrs noes to the
National Capita rapidly heinE cover
ed by permanent smooth surfaces to
the District line, G. p. Hunt. engi
neer Of highways. IS looking forward
to q similar program for the improve
nent OF The feeders along which
traffic flows naturally to and from the
main boulevsr4e.
While waiting for appropria tions
for the laying Of modern concrete or
asphalt pavementS on these second
airy streets, Mr.. Hunt said repa ir
gangs will pay special attention 70
patching holes and ruts in the old
nacadam that now covers many of
these feeders.
In this connection. the engineer
stated that suburban repair gangs en-
gagged regularly in patching nacada m
roadways have heen retarded to the
extent OF several weeks in their usual
schedule Of maintenance work this
wear. but he explained that before
Winter sets in all Of the more i'm
portart suburban roads "i'l ne then
roughly gone over. to iron ont rutS
and holes IN preparation fer the SO
we're service n which these rhacadam
highways are put when no snow he
gins to fall.
Cause Of Delay.
The delaying of this annual sub
urban mairtens nee this year has not
been due to lack Of funds. hut To the
following factor, .s described by Mr.
Hunt
"As has been apparent, we have
done an unusual amount of resur-
facing in the heart of the city and
downtown this Summer. This meant
the taking up Of large quantities OF
old asphalt on the streets being re-
surfaced We use this broken asphalt
70 put temporary surfaces on newly
graded residential streets that have
nothing but the clay top. As this
old asphalt was torn up downtown it
was hauled directly to the newly cut
streets and dumped The suburban
road gangs have been busy receiving
this old material. crushing ii and
rolling il into place on the new streets
"R,It they viii I've able he weeu now
and Winter Gather 10 go over exist
Ing maca6am roadwaTs. There is some
advantage in giving maintenance at
tention 10 the suburban roads jmme-
diately tefore the time for snow
The outlying areas covered ny these
nacadam ri<eIs include most of the So
called secnnda y trafTic streets which
Mr. Huut hopes 10 improve with con-
crete and asphalt within the next two
o. three years now that there Is COM
parauvelv little paving :" he done on
the main approaches "a The ciiH.
Remaining Projects.
Before going into a disoussi Of the
plans OF the engineer department for
improving thee fAeder sfree.s that
branch off from the main houleve rds.
an outline Of what remains to he done
on the bouevarGs timely
There is one gateway 10 he city
Highway BridGe--thAt needs resurfac-
inc. |, carries a large volume of the
traffic from Virginia. and Nj. Hunt ls
aware tina; il needs new pavement,
but Is reluctant 10 put new coating
Of aspnalt on il until funds can no oh
tanned TO reconstruct the hoorjng be-
meath the surface.
AccorGlnx 10 or Haunt. ;he bridge
has q steel floor cons $ 49, al many
buckle putes laid ahnu' "a years
ago. before the heavy motor truck
began to displace the cuuntieSs num-
her Of small wagons. This buckle
plate foor. win its convex shape he
meath the asphalt. Will nor stand up
under the heavy traffic of today.
the engineer Of highways de-
clares. aiding that = new asphalt
surface Would not last ana would
prove a poor investment.
Modern Traffic Requirements.
Mr. Hunt wants To set the larger
Appropriation necessary 10 lay a new
creosoted wood floor. four or more
inches thiCk, aGG covered Wth new
asphalt, as WAS done on the Cal
vert Street Bridge. Such treatment
Of the bridge would n"id NJ under
modern traff1c. ir. hunt declares.
Wisconsin avenue. iNlr,H Concreted
from River road % massachusetts
avenue. will have the same treat
enth street, in the Sprins. At A cost
of S65.000. The sreet car tracks
within these limits will ne moved
from the side to the center Of the
avenue, as was done when the paw
ing was laId uorGh of .,tassachusettS
avenue.
A portion of the avenue as it
enters Georgetown Is being resurfaced
now. and after the contemplated
Spring project is completed there Will
remain only one more stretch of Wis
consin avenue, At the northern end,
to he paved.
On Georgia avenue there are two
comparatively short str,A chez still to
he paved-namely. between Rock
Creek Church road and Buchanan
street and from Fern street north
ward.
Connecticut and Rhode ISle nj ave
nues have been taken care of to the
District line. Sixteenth street is still
nacadm northward from Columbia
Heights section. but is in good condi-
ton, in the opinion of highway on
cials. Massachusetts avenue Is An.
other artery that still has macadam
from T street out. but is generally in
good condition.
Bladensburg road. the main gate
way from the East, is permanently