Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-18

with the great increase of population
following the Civil War subdivisions
grew I'M outside the limits of L'Enfant's
plan which were not at all co-ordinated
with it. In general, the system of
streets within the L'Enfant plan has
been accordingly extended TO the corpo-
rate limits.
New Problems Arise.
"Rut this highway plan was for the
DAYS of animal-drawn transportation
and to meet traffic conditions incident
thereto. With the advent of the auto
mobile and motor truck traffic con-
ditions and requirements have changed.
The need for diherentiating between
streets according to their use and pur-
nose. lust as telephone lines, sewer lines
and other public works are designed to
meet their special purposes economical
lv is being more and more generally
annreciated. The differentiation be-
tween thoroughfares or traffic arteries
and the secondary streets or system Oh
veins to pick up local traffic and bring
It into the thoroughfares permits cur
vilinear location of the latter, their re-
lation to the natural contours oil tne
land and the preservation OF attractive
features Of the topography OF trees ana
of the natural surface soil, as well as
the lenpthening of blocks and other
variations which not only add measur-
ablv to the individuality and interest OF
each residential neighborhood, but also
save materially in both the first cost OF
develonmerlt and in the annual cost CT
maintenance and administration.
eft is estimated that the changes
which our commission, as the successor
to the Highway Commission, has al
ready made, with the cooperation OF
the city officials, have reduced the ultl-
mate cost of the street system by about
$500 600; and that similar changes ap-
piled to the remaining undeveloped area
Of the District should effect an ad-
ditional reduction of over 100000 in
first cost and q decrease of about $685.
o0C annually In maintenance. When
90 per cent Of a city's disable surface
is reserved for streets and alleys, as Is
the case in Washington, the best posi-
Bile use of the land so placed in pubic
hands is an economic problem deserving
the most careful study, and which
should not be left to be solved by the
method of appropriation in compliance
with the ioudest expressed local de-
mandS.
Progress Made on Streets.
"A major thoroughfare plan has &C
cordingly been prepared and presented
to Congress.
"A start has been made already in
alleviatinp some thoroughfare shortcom-
inqs. legislation was passed last year
to permit the Strengthening Of Michigan
avenue, where this could be done at
relatively low cost, and some years ago
provision was made for the development,
under the Arlington Memorial Bridge
project, of B street northwest as great
cross-town artery from the Capitol to
the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway
and the Virginia road system. A prof.
ect to take the jogs out of Harvard
street and permit it to be used in con-
nection with Columbia road as cross
town thoroughfsre in one Of our most
inadequately planned subdivisions IS
being recommended this year. High
level crossings over the Rock Greek VAL
lev are needed, at least one Immediately.
to stop the danger and prevent the
waste of time and traction incident to
carrying all cross-town traffic 140 feet
down hill and then again up the same
height on the other side. The expend1-
tllre of funds to improve and continue
in existence the present low level cross
ings is not only material injury TO an
unusually valuable park project, but
tends to perpetuate conditions which
are dangerous and extravagant from the
traffic standpoint.
"a study of urban growth during the
last 10 years shows somewhat eccen-
trio development approximately follow
ing the octopus shaped time diagram
based on transportation facilities. In
so far as the latter can be fitted into
the topography and existing develop
ments the general growth of the region
LAl trfh fnG
This has been a major consideration In
the location on our map of proposed
radial roads leading into the adjacent
area of Maryland and Virginia; that Is,
the foreseeing of system which VIII
make possible as nearly equivalent
transportation facilities in every direc-
ton available for residential or COM
mercial development. OF course. as Iar
as possible this system has been based
on existing roads and their widening
and extension as necessary and justified
from time to time. The distribution OF
this inflow and outflow of traffic around
the perimeter of the congested part of
the city has also been cared for.
State Authorities Cooperate.
such special problems as the COIL
nection of Massachusetts, avenue with
the Maryland road system and of the
Arlington Memorial Bridge approaches
with the Virginia roads necessarily in
volve careful working over with the
State and local authorities, so that the
solution may be arrived at which most
nearly meets the best interest of all
concerned, and reconciling any conflict
of interest there may be found to exist.
In the solution Of such problemS-and
many Of them have already arisen and
been worked out-the commissions
staff has enjoyed the most gratifying
collaboration of the State and local au-
thorities. I shall not stop to explain
the various views that have had to be
harmonized or provided for in individ-
ual cases, but ask you to let this work
OF thanks and appreciation apply to all
caSeS-not only those which 1t will be
possible to mention specifically, but also
to all other cases in which the plans for
the District of Columbia have had TO
be woven with those of Maryland and
Virginia into single seamless garment,
so that we may have here region that
is a living, growing organism, each part
of which fits into and collaborates with
adjacent parts and performs its duty
and obligation with respect to all the
more distant parts.
This mutually Of interest does not
stop at the edge of the region, whatever
the principle on which 1t Is defined and
limited, but enters into the road system
of the entire country. The direct con-
nection with our nearest metropolitan
neighbor on the north and on the south,
Baltimore and Richmond, is Of first
and special interest.
But a good system of radial high
ways Is not enough. 1t Is necessary TO
provide adequate cross -connections, not
only to permit easy exchange Of traffic
from one radial to another and for local
hauling, but also to permit the bypass
ing of congested areas. A few years
ago the Washington region was par
ticularly lacking in such cross-connec-
lions. Manifestly, for traffic from Bal
timore to Richmond to pass down one
of the city of Washington's main thor