Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-01
BOULEVARD ROUTE
ADVANTAGES seen
Maj. Brown, in Tour, Shows
Beauty, Convenience and
Engineering Facilities.

ton County Immediately following an
nouncement of the route that had
been designated by the Lee Highway
Association and it's conferees for the
new Lee boulevard to the ShenaH
doah National Park, reporter for
The Evening Star accompanied Maj.
Carey H.. Brown, Corps of Engineers
of the United States Army, and engi-
neer of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, on tour OF
the proposed site.
Contrary to general belief, 1t de-
veloped that the route, which has
aroused to much resentment in GER
tain towns in Arlington County, was
secuted out by Maj. Brown, who as
sisted the Lee Highway Association
with the consent of his superiors. In
authorizing publication Of this fact,
Mai U. S. Grant, Sd, director of pub
lie buildings and parks, added that he
had reviewed the results of the sur
vey and that he had fully approved
the conclusions of Maj. Brown.
The plans for the boulevard as out
lined by Mai Brown have not, how
ever, been submitted to the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion in an official manner. This, IL
is expected, will be done within
short time IN order to determine
the Lee boulevard fits in with the
commissions other extensive plans
for consistent development of these
sections of Maryland and Virginia
which are adjacent to Washington.
Southern Route Chosen.
At the outset, Mai. Brown explain
ed, the so-called southern route" was
selected not only because it avoided
the congested and narrow main
streets of town, where traffic would
be bottled up at frequent intervals,
but also because the construction of
short road up the south side of Ar
lington National Cemetery would con-
meet the Lee boulevard with the pro-
posed new highway to Mount Vernon.
The. mere widening of the present
road along the cemetery, he said.
would suffice to complete the link be
tween two great highways of the fu'
ture.
But instead of studying Maj.
Browns description piecemeal, let's
take trip over the route of the new
Lee boulevard with him, and see the
engineers dream of the future. AT
present it is nothing but a trackleSs
line of corn fields, berry thickets, for
ests and a few scattered settlements.
A decade hence, however, if present
plans mature, it will be the model
highway of the world-200 feet wide,
with a boulevard in the center for
through traffic and lovely parking
separating this from narrower road.
ways on the side for traffic intending
TO stop or travel slow.
At no point between Washington
and the Shenandoah National Park,
it is planned, shall the through boule-
i n III nv
other highway; not grade crossing
will add danger to its beauty. Where
other roads are met, they will either
be bridged over or tunneled under,
with the side roads remaining to offer
inlet or outlet to these feeders. Rail
roads will be treated similarly. 1t is
necessary to have these plans before
you TO understand better why the
designated route was selected.
Crosses Memorial Bridge.
The route from Washington to the
Lee boulevard, under present plans.
would lie across the new Memorial
Bridge, as far as Columbia Island,
which is now being constructed. Here
the traveller would turn left, run down
a short inclined way to the island and
proceed north to its end. A short
right bend would bring him to a small
bridge crossing to the Virginia shore
and the beginning of the Lee boule-
ward.
The site runs along the east edge
of Arlington National Cemetery, bend
ing trifle from the axis of the Mall.
AS the road gradually climbs the hills
to Radnor Heights, a striking piano.
rama Of Washington drops steadily
lower until the entire National Capi-
a = OH ho1o = ln rola -,
a gorgeous vista of pink, white and
green. At Radnor Heights, possibly
half a dozen houses stand in the
rtght-of-way of the boulevard, and they
will have to be acquired and de-
1nolished.
Maj Brown explained that the
route had been selected up to this
point for several reasons. First, it
affords an exceptional view of Wash
ington, both coming and going; sec
Ond, the presence of Arlington Gene
terry along its side would insure a per
manent and beautiful reservation on
at least one side, and, third, it is I'M
an almost direct line with the Lincoln
Memorial, Washington Monument and
the Capitol, forming a striking pic
ture for the wayfarer.
To Extend Cemetery.
AT the present time the Arlington
Experiment Station occupies the first
Few hundred feet south of the site
put Maj. Brown pointed out that it
IS the purpose of the Government
eventually to extend Arlington Gene.
terry all the way to the Potomac. BE.
yond the cemetery limits, Fort Mver
would continue to protect the boi1le.
Vard TO the south, since it is to follow
the northern limits of the fort. In
addition, considerable of the pronertv
II traverseS hereabouts is owned nv
Arlington County, which has agreed
to dedicate the required footaee tn
the boulevard.
AT the northwest corner of Fort
Myer the designated route swings to-
ward the south, and it is here that the
views of Maj. Brown and the Lee
highway Association diverge with
those OF the citizens of some of the
small towns in that vicinity, Mai
Brown said the turn had been made
purposely to avoid going through the
highly built-up and developed terri
tory that lies straight ahead. 1t
would be expensive to acquire the
necessary property, he said, and it
would run the boulevard straight
through congested areas.
The bend southwark, which gave
the route the name of "the southerly
. route" carries the boulevard along
the edge of Clarendon. through a