Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-08
New Chain Bridge Needed.

The prospect of early construction of
a bridge across the Potomac River at
the Great Falls is one more step in ia
cilitating communication between the
country lying north and south of the
river.
The legislation which had led to the
permit being granted for that bridge.
like much similar legislation in recent
years, was, naturally, sponsored by the
senior Senator from Virginia and Rep
resentative Moore of the Virginia dis
trict nearest to Washington. Mr.. Moore,
who is sanguine about the benefits that
will accrue from the construction of the
Great Falls Bridge, points to what has
been done in the past ten years in over
coming this river barrier. Since COM
ing to Congress- he said, 81 have seen
the Key Bridge completed, the Memorial
Bridge well advanced toward compile
ton, bridges authorized at the Great
Falls and at the Dahlgren Naval Prov
ing Ground and the new Highway Bridge
and the Chain Bridge repaired. There Is
at least one other Improvement of this
kind that hope to see, and that is a
new Chain Bridge, at higher level
than the present structure, to cross the
river from the Maryland to the Virginia
hills"
Senator Swanson and Representative
Moore have introduced bills author1z-
ing an appropriation for an investiga-
ton of the Chain Bridge situation and
the preparation of plans for a new
bridge, and this proposal is said to have
the general approval of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commission
and the Commission of Fine Arts.
The bridge now in use is so located
that the approaches are inadequate and
dangerous. Besides, the condition of the
structure is such as to require a load
limit of six tons, which in these days
is rather ridiculous, when a large pas
seneer bus. even without load, exceeds
that weight.
The Swanson Moore bills will be ac-
lively pressed at the first regular ses-
sion of the present Congress, opening
in December, and the outcome will be
watched with deep interest by the bust
ness and travelling public Of Washing
ton, which Is so vitality concerned in
sufficient means of transportation be-
tween the National Capital and the area
on the south shores Of the river, now
rapidly becoming a city.
1t has been stated by the representa-
tiyes of the Great Falls Bridge Co. that
the bridge to be erected at Great Falls
is to be a concrete steel span, affording
an excellent view of the cataract, and
that the cost will be around a million
dollars.
The promoters q Gne bridge at Dahl
eren. which is to be built by the George
washington Wakefield Memorial Bridge
Co.. running from Popes Creek, Md, to
a point in King George County, Va,
will be about one and half miles In
length, and the estimated cost Is about
$4OOO,OOO. The permit for the latter
bridge was issued by the War Depart
ment Just before the permit for the
Great Falls Bridge was issued.
Washington has a very vital interest
in all these new bridges, and looking TO-
ward the future, with the contemplated
development of the palisade drives on
both sides of the river and the preser-
walton of the gorge of the Potomac, 1T
is an essential feature of this develop
ment that the existing Chain Bridge
should be replaced by one spanning the
high banks. There is good reason to ex-
pect favorable action by the present
Congress.