Evening star., 1927-05-15
PLANS APPROACH
FOR KEY BRIDGE
Harris Sketches Pretentlous
Scheme to Beautify Streets
at Georgetown End.

A pretentious scheme for the devel-
the Georgetown end of the Key Bridge
has been sketched by Municipal Archi
tect Albert L. Harris for the considera
tion of the District Commissioners
and the Commission of Fine Arts
Succinctly, the plan contemplates
the condemnation of all property be
tween NJ and Prospect streets and
from Rock Creek west to Thirty sixth
street. and the opening of large. pub
lie park, f1anked on either side by a
boulevard highway. with a magnificent
circle at the Georgetown end Of the
bridge. Mr.. Harris also proposes the
erection Of an imposing municipal
opera house on a site overlooking
Rock Creek at the beginning of the
boulevard approach.
Called Only Useful.
AS it now stands. Key Bridge, in
Mr.. Harris opinion. has only lis uti!l-
tartan value; its artistic effect mas
been swallowed up by the unesthetic
appearances at both of its approaches.
The plan for the treatment Of the
Georgetown approach Mr.. Harris said
would create an impressive and pic
provide adequate highway facilities to
the bridge. which, he said, are now
deplorably lacking.
THE present approach TO the biidge
through Georgetown is practically i'm
possible" said Mr.. Harris. More
over, no means are available for pro
viding adequate approaches with the
present facilities. NJ street is narrow
and is always conGested and no relief
Is in sight unless there is radical
change at the District end of the
bridge. Prospect street Just north OF
NJ street offers a very satisfactory
solution OF the problem, if used for
outgoing traffic and NJ street for in.
coming traffic. AS both streets are
relatively narrow, it will be necessary
to widen them.
Circle Is Suggested.
"if these streets are widened. how
ever. it will practically destroy the
usefulness Of the buildings along
them. In my opinion the proper ar
rangement would be to eliminate the
squares lying between NJ and Prospect
streets and Rock Creek and Thirty
sixth street monumental circle
could be made at the immediate APP
proach to the bridge, which would
give ample space to all traffic enter
ing or leaving the city.
''On the north and west sides of
the circle an artistic retaining wall
could be erected to provide for the
difference in the level of the circle
and the higher level above NJ street.
This scheme. with an adjoining park
would provide a magnificent approach
to Pennsylvania avenue. The out
going traffic from Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and NJ street could transfer to
Prospect street through a large plaza
overlooking Rock Creek. To provide
an interesting vista on the line of
Pennsylvania avenue municipal
opera house could be placed at the
end of the park.
Impressive Vista Suggested.
''As Key Bridge is terminus of the
Lee Highway. travellers from the
Shenandoah Valley and the West
would receive a favorable impression
as they enter Washington.
"Also, the view of the retaining walls
and the buildings of Georgetown
Heights would form an impressive
and picturesque vista as the traveller
approached the city line of the bridge"
Mr.. Harris believes that if the
Georgetown approach to the bridge is
improved, the Virginia Park and
Planning Commission would take
steps to improve the approach in
Rosslyn, which from an esthetic point
of view, is regarded as even more
shocking than the present George
town approach.
An estimate Of the cost of such a
pretentious project as that proposed
by Mr.. Harris has not been made.