Evening star., 1926-04-11
VIRGINIA HIGHWAY
PARK GIT TDECL|NED
Board to Await Definite AC-
ton on Route of Road
From New Bridge.

Until the proposed 200-foot boule
ward from the Arlington Memorial
Bridge to Falls Church, fostered by
the Lee Highway Association. has
been definitely located, approved ana
accepted by State or Federal author
ity, the National Capital Park Com
mission will not purchase or accept
by dedication any lands for park pur-
poses bordering it or embracing IT,
This action of the commission was
made public last night on behalf OF
the body Of Mai. L. S. Grant, 80.
director of the office of public pulld-
ings and public parks of the National
Capital.
The commission passed a formal
resolution after DR.. S. Nj. Johnson
managing director Of the Lee Highway
Association and w. $. Hoge had ap-
peared before the body seeking the
support of the commission and laying
before it plans for the purposed boule'
ward up TO date, including, 1t Is un-
derstood, offers of certain people 10
grant lands to Government for use in
establishing the proposed thorough
fare.
Holds Action Inadvisable.
The resolution said that the com
mission considers it inadvisable 10
acquire OF accept lands embracing OF
bordering the proposed Lee highway
until such highway shall have oeeh
definitely located. approved and ac-
cepted by State or Federal authority
THE National Capital Park Com
mission is interested in the develop
ment of the Lee highway and concurs
~
planning committee with the assocla-
ton in the location and perfection OF
the project
Offers of land it was said, came TO
the commission some months ago.
even during the regime OF Col. Sher-
rill. coming through the Lee Highway
Association, according TO that omclal'
but they were never acted upon py
the commission. which has authority
10 make arrangements with the gov
erning authorities of Maryland ana
Virginia 10 acquire lands needed IN
the extension of the park system OF
the District of Columbia.
The project has not taken any
definite shape. although the Lee
Highway Association. 1t was salu,
has been working on the matter. ana
some unofficial aid has been given
by the city and park planning com
mittee of the National Capltal Fark
Commission in making surveys, eIc'
But no definite official status mas
been given the project and the ac-
ION Of the park commission is that
of assuming a hands-off policy un-
less and until either the state or
Federal government legaiize II IN
some manner.
Boards Jurisdiction Doubted.
II was explained by Maj. Grant
that one reason for this was that tEe
park commission is not the proper
agency to assume the responsibility
for establishing such 4 highway ana
that at this stage it would not be
nroneY fo,, it TO acquire lands in any
manner in connection with THIS
project.
The plan is TO have 2OO-foot
boulevard with center parking and
an established building line % feet
from the roadway, extending from
The Arlington Memorial Bridge. now
under construction. to a point at or
near Falls Church, Va, where II
would connect with the present Lee
Highway. The later highway now
begins at the south end of the hey
Bridge, and the boulevard project was
A sort of subsidiary or grand FEEDER
from the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
While the action of the commission
was taken in connection with the
oyertures made by the Lee Highway
Association in connection with its par
ticular project, nevertheless it was
pointed out by Maj, Grant that the
commission laid this down as pre-
cedent and definite policy which would
he followed in connection with other
proposed projects, particularly road
ways. in that the commission would
lake no steps in the acquisition of
land in connection with them until
they were in some manner leSalized.