Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-28
The Rising Tide of Concrete.

One can well understand the OBJ
jections of those who contemplate with
regret and alarm the proposed submer-
gence Of another tiny island by the ris-
Ing tide Of concrete. Their timely pro-
test will probably result in a change
OF plans that will save at least a por-
ton Of the small park at the south
end of the Taft Bridge. a park that
now serves mo useful purpose" beyond
extending the balm to the soul that
lies in bit Of green grass and shrub
berry. And while the little park can be
justly accused. on the other hand. of
blocking the onward rush of progress.
typified in an endless stream of motor
vehicles, and can be roundly denounced
as a traffic menace" there is a very
real and important question tied up in
its future
The park is one hundred and forty
five feet long and thirty feet wide. It
divides the heavy traffic on Connecticut
avenue at the southern approach to the
Taft Bridge and complexities a bad con-
dition formed by the IS" curve that
bridge bound traffic must make to enter
the bridge City-bound trafhc leaving
the bridge, must make a sharp turn to
the right to avoid the park. The reduc-
ton in the width Of the traffic lanes,
caused by the park, makes two bottle
necks" that in the opinion Of the ex-
pertS menace traffic by causing jams.
When Connecticut avenue and the
bridge are relatively free of trafic an
additional menace is cited by those who
claim that automobiles, to make the
turn of or on to the bridge, frequently
skid because of the higher speed.
The experts, one fears, have tackled
the problem in characteristic manner.
The park has no recreational value.
It boasts Of only two trees, which could
easily be removed to another nearby
location. Eliminate the park! In its
place provide a wide and unbroken
plaza Of new concrete! Automobiles
can move faster and safer. TRAFFIC jams
will be eliminated. Somebody will get
where he is going at least thirty Sec
onds sooner.
And the conclusions have plenty of
official backing. The plan originated
in the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission as a part Of its traf-
fic study. 1t was referred to the Co
ordinating Committee, on which there
are representatives Of the municipal
Government. The Co-ordinating Com
mittee approved the elimination OF the
park, the plan was sent to the Com
missioners and they likewise approved it.
But residents in the vicinity have OBJ
jected. And they are right in objecting
The result is a new suggestion, that
instead Of eliminating the park entire
ly. it be reduced by cutting off thirty
feet at each end and five feet on each
side, making an oval eighty-f1ve feet
long and twenty feet wide and affording
twenty-foot drive on each side. An
other alternative, along with elimins-
ton Of the park in the center of the
drive. is to provide additional parking
extending out from the present curbing
on each side of the drive
This small park is relatively unim-
portant. It is located at point where
there is always heavy traffic. But there
is significance in the ready agreement
among officials, before protests were
MADE, to eliminate it altogether Such
action is in keeping with an all too
haSty willingness to sacrifice. On the
lap Of the great god Traffic, the
precious spots of green that make
Washington beautiful. 1t is more i'm
portant to preserve these spots than
TO facilitate traffic by spreading more
| concrete. Only in those rare cases
where life and limb are actually en-
dangsred by their presence should they
be destroyed