Evening star., 1927-12-22
ARTS BODY FAVORS
BRIDGE UNDERPASS.
Commission Approves Traf-
nc Separation at Approach
/ OF Arlington Span.

The stamp of official approval was
placed today by the Commission of
Fine Arts on the proposed underpass
at the east end of the Arlington Me-
mortal Bridge to divert north and
south traffic under the line of east and
west traffic across the bridge. With
out a dissenting vote among its mem
bership, the commission approved a
change in the plan for treatment of
the east approach to the bridge, made
necessary by modern traffic conditions,
which will establish for the first time
IN large public park in the National
capital. vehicular tunnel to facili-
tate traffic under what will become
one OF the main thoroughfaresl leading
INTO and ont of the city. The plan for
the underpass has been under consid
Grafton for many months, both by
members of the Fine Arts body and by
members of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. All agreed
that an intersection of the lines of
traffic across the bridge with those
running north and south from and
into Potomac Park would be undesir-
able. and the decision to include the
underpass in the plans was reached.
Letter Outlines Plans.
The following letter outlining the
position of the Commission of Fine
Arts has been sent to the Arlington
Memorial Bridge Commissions:
The Commission of Fine Arts, after
months of consideration and study
or many plans and models. have
reached the following conclusions in
regard to the approaches to the Ar
hngton Memorial Bridge.
The great central composition
which gives unity, order and great
dignity to the city of Washington as
the National Capital, begins with the
United States Capitol grounds and ex-
tends westward for nearly two-and-
a-half miles to the Potomac River.
vitality related with this Mall system
are the Presidents park and the
grounds OF the White House. Within
this area are two memorials noted
among world monuments of the ages
--the Washington Monument and the
Lincoln Memorial.
The Mall system proper should
nave proper ending at the Potomac
River. Such an ending was provided
tor in the plan of 1901, which has
been familiar to the people of the
United States for a quarter of a GEN.
tury. during which period no better
solution has been suggested by archi-
tects, landscape architects or 1aymen.
Memorial has been based upon it.
The plan was presented to Congress
IN the report of the Arlington Me-
mortal Bridge Commission and the
legislation for the bridge and its ap-
proaches was predicated upon 1t.
Separate Traffic Lines.
"Since the plan of 1901 was pre-
pared there has come about an enor-
NOUS increase in automobile traffic,
and 1t is desirable that the lines Of
traffic flowing north and south
through Potomac Park shall be sepa-
rated from the lines flowing east and
west across the Memorial Bridge. 1t
is this separation of traffic lines that
has called for study and solution.
THE plan as now recommended by
the commission is to provide for an
underpass through the abutment of
the bridge approximately at the water
level, and carried through under the
steps leading from the bridge plaza to
the water. Such an underpass will
disturb to the least degree the original
design, and at the same time will pro-
vide for a continuous flow of auto
mobile traffic along the waters edge.
The commission recognizes that
any such change must result in GER
tain compromises; but in the present
Instance there has been no compro-
mise in essentials. Subordinate de-
tails, the commission feels have been
handled by the designers of the bridge
in the most satisfactory manner pos
sible.
''The revised plans have the unan-
imous approval OF the Commission of
Fine Arts"