Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-04
INCREASE IS ASKED
FOR STREET WORK
IN BUDGET REPORT
Elimination of Two Railroad
Crossings Is Recommended
to Congress.
with Recommendations to- eliminate

gle Valley Bridge on Connecticut ave-
nue. and approximately the same
amount for street paving and repair as
was carried in the current approprl-
alton, the highway department Jared
well in the budget submitted to Con-
gresS today.
The grade crossings that would be
eliminated are at Chestnut street, in
Takoma Park, and at Michigan avenue
in Brookland. Chestnut street would
be closed at the railroad tracks and a
subway built under the tracks at Fern
street at a cost of 1000 to afford
a safe crossing for traffic at that point.
Michigan avenue would be closed to
traffic at the railroad tracks and the
present bridge across the tracks at
Monroe street would be replaced by a
new one to carry the trafic in that
vicinity. An underpass for pedestrians
only would be built at Michigan avenue.
This project would cost S145,000.
The new Klingle Valley Bridge on
Connecticut avenue would cost $500, 900
of which $250,000 is recommended for
appropriation in the coming fiscal
year.
$4,260,9OO Is Recommended.
The total amount approved by the
provement and repair, including these
new grade crossing and bridge projects
is $4,260,900, as compared with $685.
400 under the current appropriation
law. This total for street and road i'm
provements also includes the annual al
lotment of $112,500 for maintenance OF
street trees, the same as for the current
year.
A feature of the budget for the COM
ing fiscal year is that larger proper
ton of the money for street paving and
repairs will be paid out of the gasoline
tax fund, reducing the amount to be
taken from the general fund of the Dis
trict for highway purposes.
Leaving out the items for closing
grade crossings, for bridge work and for
trees and parking, the amounts recon-
mended for street and road improve
ments aggregate approximately $3,405,-
600. The comparable items in the cur
rent law total So ABS, 500. or a difference
of less than 100000 in street work esti-
mates.
These totals for street work are made
up of the following items:
For assessment and permit work
which covers the paving of alleys and
sidewalks. 100000 recommended, the
same as in the current law.
For paving roadways under the per-
NIT system. which means where the
property owners put up their half OF
the cost in advance, the current law
carried a separate item of $4,000. This
has been dropped out of the new budget
as separate item, but new language
has been inserted to make SOS, ZOO avail
able for this class of work, to be taken
from the preceding 100000 item fol
assessment and permit work.
Street Item Is Increased.
For street work under the gasoline
tax, the new budget recommends ST.
eO5 900, as against 81 ,658, 500 under this
heading in the present law. This in
crease is accounted for by placing un-
der the gasoline tax considerable part
of the annual item for resurfacing exist
ing asphalt and concrete streets.
For current work of repairs to streets
proposed $1.175,0 900. instead of the cur
rent sum of 81 AIS 600. This is the item
a part of which was transferred to the
gasoline tax.
For condemnation of streets. includ-
ing purchase of small areas at inter-
sections, $4,000 is recommended, the
same as at present.
For the opening and extension OF
streets the new budget carries $4,000
instead of the current sum of $4,000
The estimates of the highway de-
partment for these various classes OF
street m i n t e n n e and paving
amounted to $3,600,000. While this
was somewhat above the figures being
transmitted to Congress- officials of the
highway Office feel that, as a whole
the budget for street and road improve
ment and repair is a good one.
The Budget Bureau recommendation
for elimination of tine two railroad
grade crossings follows in part:
For the construction Of subway ane
approaches thereto to carry Fern STREE
under the tracks and right of way o.
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany in accordance with plans ant
profiles of said subway and approache!
to be approved by the Commissioners
including the purchase or condemna
ton of necessary land, construction o
and changes in sewers and water mains
personal services, and engineering ant
incidental expenses, $211 900: Provided
That half of the total cost of construct
ing said subway and approaches there
to shall be borne and paid by the Balti
more and Ohio Railroad Company
Provided further, That from and afte,
the completion of the subway and APP
proaches to carry Fern Street under tn,
tracks and right of way of the Balti
more and Ohio Railroad Company, tn
highway grade crossing over the track
| and right of way of the Baltimore ant
/ Ohio Railroad Company at Chestnu
| street shall be forever closed againS
further traffic of any kind
For the construction of a viaduct o
! bridge and approaches thereto to re
place the existing viaduct in the lin
| OF Monroe Street, northeast. over tn
tracks and right of way of the Balti
more and Ohio Railroad Company, anC
OF an underpaSS for pedestrian trafht
IN the line of Michigan Avenue, in &C
cordance with plans and profile of saiC
work to be approved by the Commits
sionerS, including purchase or con
demnation of necessary land, construc
ton of and changes in sewers and wateI
mains. personal services, and engineer
ing and incidental expenses, $l45, 900
Provided, That half of the total cost o.
| constructing the viaduct or bridge anC
approaches and of the underpass shall
be borne and paid by the said railroad
company. Provided further, That nj
street railway company shall use tn,
Viaduct or bridge or any approache
thereto herein authorized for its track
until the company shall have paid Il
the District a sum equal to fourth
OF the cost. Provided further, Tha
from and after completion of the via
duct or bridge and approaches in thu
line of Monroe Street northeast, TIT
highway grade crossing over the tracks
and right of way of the Baltimore anC
Ohio Railroad Company at Michigan
| Avenue in the District of Columbis
shall be forever closed against further
traffic of any kind.
$4,000 for WharveS Maintenance.
For reconstruction and mantenanc,
of wharves under the control of tho
Commissioners along the Washington
Channel, the Budget Bureau allow:
| $4,000, a new item this year. This vii
cover reconstruction of the fire boa