Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-02
ROCK CREEK PARK
H|GHLEVEL BRIDGE
: PLAN IS EXPLAINED
Four Are Proposed to Aid
Traffic by Planning
Commission.
EXTENSION OF SYSTEM
INTO MARYLAND SEEN
Eliot, Outlining Project, Says No
Buildings Will Be
Disturbed.
Further details of the National Capt.

Further details of the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commissions
suggestion that four high-level high
wavs span the valley in Rock Greek
Park after the fashion OF the Mlllon-
Dollar Bridge on Connecticut avenue
were explained by officials OF the com,
mission Yesterday 1t also was declared
that the Maryland authorities, with an
eve to extension of Rock Greek PARK
into the State, are mapping plans Tor
high-level bridges If they are Iouno
necessary
The four proposed high-level bridges
would be spaced at intervals OF ABOUT
a mile, Charles w. Eliot, I'd, city
planner of the commission, explained.
The program contemplateS replacing the
present Calvert Street Bridge, archlng
over the park, as well as replacing the
crossing at Pierce Mill from Park ROAD,
to form part of future main line cross
ing the city, utilizing Tilden and Up
shur streets and connecting into Tayior
street on the east and Linnean avenue.
This would be a shorter bridge tnan
the Calvert street crossing, Mr.. Eliot
pointed out, because of the promontories
that jut out on both sides OF the valley
there.
will Not Disturb Buildings.
The city planner made it clear that
no existing buildings would be dlsturpeo
and that highway change has aIreaoy
been made to provide for the approaches
on the east side of the creek and an
other change is in contemplation to
provide for the west part OF tnls
program.
one of the high-level bridges, at the
Military road crossing would pass over
the intersection of Military road ana
Daniels road and follow the ridge south
of Military road, leapIng over Ross
drive and Beach drive, Leading InIo
Kennedy and Madison streets. Inns
plan. Mr.. Eliot said, would avoid grace
crossing of park drives. The bridge
would connect on the west with Utan
avenue and Military road.
This is important, not only because
of the saving of grades, but under plans
for the Fort drive we contemplate using
the existing Military road as the Fort
drive parkway" Mr.. Eliot said, adding
that this high-level bridge would make
a fitting connection with Sixteenth
street, which is not afforded by the
present Military road
The fourth high-level bridge would
be placed approximately half way be-
tween Military road and the District
line. Mr.. Eliot said, connecting on the
west with the road following the ridge
toward Chevy Chase, coming into
Daniels road where it turns and then
following the ridge, crossing approx
mately on the line of Aspen street.
This route would have a or 6 per
cent grade and pass into Sixteenth
street at grade and follow the present
south edge of the Walter Reed Hospital
grounds, on Aspen street.
Maryland Plan Outlined.
Mr.. Eliot called attention to the plans
of the Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, which is
considering crossings of Rock Greek
Park extended into Maryland, with the
same spacing between these crossings
as will obtain in the District. Mary
land probably will not construct high
level bridges for some years to come IN
that area, Mis- Eliot said. One of these
crossings will likely be at the proposed
Mava-abbreviation for Maryland and
Virginia-highway bypass, leading
along Columbia pike to Chain Bridge
via Western avenue, Mr.. Eliot declared.
Other similar crossings are contem-
plated in Maryland to the northward.
Citing the advantages from conStruc-
ton of these bridges in the District,
Mr. Eliot said they would separate the
business, trucking traffic and through
traffic from the strictly pleasure traffic
in Rock Greek Park.
III VI yAlE SCPdA ave bAACoC wv AAAoAAA
kinds of trafic," he said, I'VE are fol-
lowing the principle and plain laid down
in Central Park, New York, where the
sc-called transverse roads were carried
under the park. This was done around
1860. and these roads have since fully
proved their value. Accordingly it
will be seen that the commission is not
theorizing. but is working on a program
that has stood the test of time.
Another reason urged in favor of the
adoption Of the high-level bridge pro-
gram for Rock Creek Park is that
these bridges will avoid the necessity
for vehicles going down into the valley
and pulling up steep grades. This
14o-foot drop will be obviated by these
high-level crossings.
They flt in as primary elements in
the major thoroughfare plan adopted
by the commission. Thus we are look
ing at the problem not only as a park
commission, but as a planning commits
sioin, to assist traffic We believe that
by carrying through such high-grade
thoroughfares. easy traffic can further
the basic idea behind the thoroughfare
plan. which is the classification or diff
1erentiation of streets according to their
primary use. Certain streets will be
utilized for through traffic, leaving 9TH
ers for quiet, residential development
In this way we are endeavoring to
benefit the home owner, who wants to
live on quiet residential street"