Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
AERIAL TERMINAL
Project STARTED
Transport Center to Be Built
on Site of Washington
Port Near Bridge.

Construction of what is designed to
be the first airport to be used exclu-
sively as an air transport terminal in
this part of the country, has begun on
the site of Washington Airport, at the
South end of Highway Bridge. A total
OF $4,000 has been made available for
the construction of an administration
and passenger building and a hangar
Of the most modern design and for
continuation of the work of'filling and
grading the site.
There will be little hangar space at
inc field in proportion to the amount
of traffic anticipated, as the company
also has acquired Mile Square Airport,
near Hybla Valley, Va, which will be
used as a servicing, storage and gen.
eral utilities airport base.
The Washington terminal field will
comprise SO acres, being the entire
area between the Alexandria and Mil
itary roads, extending south and west
ward to the Pennsylvania Railroad
branch line. Since acquiring the field
the Washington Terminals Corporation
has filled is acres of the swamp land
south Of the present flying area, leaving
80 acres to be filled during the COM
ing year.
The company also owns land between
the Military road and the Potomac
River and now is clearing from this
area the old Arlington Beach amuse-
ment park buildings. The half of the
beach nearest Highway Bridge already
has been cleared and the remainder is
to be cleared by Spring. Telephone
and telegraph lines along Military road
also will be RACED and the wires run
underground. It was announced.
Three principal runways will be de-
veloped, though the entire field is to
be made available as landing area. The
longest runway is east and west, in the
direction of the prevailing winds, and
will be $500 feet long. Most Of this
runway now is available. The other
two runways, forming almost equal
angles with the long runway, will be
2,100 and 2,20o feet long.
The terminal building, now under
construction, will occupy the corner of
the field nearest the bridge-head, with
ample automobile parking space be-
tween 1t and the two roads and the
airplane loading platform on the field
side. The building has been designed
and its surroundings will be Handicapped
to fit in with the adjoining Potomac
Park and Mount Vernon Boulevard de-
velopment The plans have been APP
proved by the Commission of Fine
Arts.
The terminal building will have
ticket .of1ce, waiting room, rest rooms
and other public conveniences on the
first floor. Above will be an open
deck Commanding a view Of the flying
field and the river front Above the
center of the building will rise the
control tower and observatory.
The hangar now under construction
is located at the south end of the field.
adjacent to the Alexandria road 1t
will harmonic with the terminal build
ing and will be large enough to house
20 planes. It will contain shops and
servicins facilities to handle the emer-
gency needs of the airport. The main
hangar and shop facilities, however,
are to be located eventually at Mile
Square Airport.
The terminal field is one Of the most
advantageously located in the country.
being only two and q half miles from
the White House and having ample
transportation facilities to the city. It
is bordered by two of the heaviest trav-
eled roads to the south out of Wash
ington; has bus lines operating on two
sides of the field, electric railway along
one side and steam railway along an
other.
Technical work in connection with
the development is in the hands Of Capt.
Albert G. Ober, who handled a SINH
lar development in Baltimore, and
Capt. Thomas Carroll, for 10 years
chief test pilot of the National Advis-
ory Committee for Aeronautics.