Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-02
80-Foot Boulevard Will Ex-
tend From Capitol to
Memorial Bridge.
ELMS WILL LINE CURB
WHEN WORK is FINISHED
Widening Of Street Designed to
Accommodate Platoon Front
in Military Parades.

The first step in making B street
into the great ceremonial avenue of
the National Capital, from the Capitol
Building to the Arlington Memorial
Bridge, was started today with the
cutting down of trees between Four
tenth and Seventeenth streets on the
south side, that are in the way of the
ambitious development.
officials of the Office of public build
ings and public parks, who are having
the work done, explained that the Dis
| trtct government has agreed to take
down the trees on the north side of B
street. About 80 trees are involved in
the program on the south side of the
street. Charles Henlock, chief of the
horticultural division of the Office OF
public buildings and public parks, is In
charge Of the work which necessitates
the closing OF B street to traffic directly
east of Seventeenth street.
When completely widened B street
Will have maximum width of 80 feet
Capt. E. N. Chisolm, jr., engineer of
| the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, and Charles w. Eliot.
I'd, its city planner, explained today
the plans that have been worked out
Tor the development Of B street.
Street Will Be 80 Feet Wide.
Between the Senate Once Building
and Pennsylvania avenue, the present
south curb will be kept in place and
widening will be to the northWard, the
street being 70 feet wide at that point.
The street will be 80 feet wide from the
intersection with the new avenue from
the Union Station to the Mall, at a
point about the present Second street.
down to Virginia avenue. B street will
again be 70 feet wide from Virginia
avenue to the Potomac River.
Capt. Chisolm and Mr.. Eliot ex-
planned that the width of 70 feet was
arrived at because 1t will take an even
number OF traffic lanes and will like
wise accommodate platoon front OF
service men in a parade, for it is con-
templated that the B street of the
future will be the great parade ground
Tor. funerals and parades from the
Union Station down B street, across
Arlington Bridge to Arlington National
cemetery. For this reason, the width
OF B street has been designed with rel :.
erence to a military parade.
The widening of B street will be part
~ on the north side and partly on the
south side, and the two experts of tn.
National Capital Park and PLANNING
commission explained that this is neg
essary IN order to straighten the pres
Building and Pennsylvania avenue tn,
present south curb will remain and
widening will be to the north. The
street will cut through the st. James
Hotel, at Sixth street and Pennsylvania
avenue, this property having been pur-
chased recently by the Government
Between Sixth and Seventh streets the
present north curb will be held and
widening will be on the south side, Be
tween Seventh and Ninth streets the
present south curb will be maintained
ana widening will be Accomplished IN
the north side. Between Ninth street
and Virginia avenue the present north
curo VIII be undisturbed and widening
VIII be done on the south side.
EIms to Line Highway.
From Virginia avenue west. down r.
the Potomac River, widening will be
done on both sides of B street.
MI. Eliot pointed out that the poplars
which are to be cut down will be re-
moved IN such way as to permit the
olg elmS in the Washington Monument
GROUNDS to become the tree lining At
the curb Of the widened street
1t is necessary to remove the nonlar
trees at this time, he said for the triple
reasons that the trees are dead or de-
caylng, that they are dangerous by rea-
son of being likely TO be toppled over
by storms, and that they are in the
way OF the great construction work that
is an important link in the beautifca-
ton program of the National Capital.