Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-24
REPAIRS TO bridge
NEAR COMPLETION
Overpags at Virginia End of
Highway Span to Be
Finished Soon.

Trafic jams at the virginia end Of
Highway Bridge, due TO construction
work on an abutment, have brought
forcibly to public attention progress on
the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway,
which, according to the Bureau of Pub
lie Roads, will be ready for use next
April.
The temporary tie-up OF traflc at
Highway Bridge is expected to last only
about a week, by which time contrac-
tors hope to have the work finished. .,
The construction is on an abutment
of the overpass bridge which carries
both vehicular and street car trafnc
above the Mount Vernon Highway; For
many months traff1c has been using q
curved temporary wooden bridge while
the new overpass was being built at the
south end Of tte Highway Bridge.
Open Within Week.
Yesterday one part of the wooden
bridge was closed while construction
work was done beneath. But some time
today or tomorrow it Is expected that
another part of this same wooden
bridge will be closed and traffic shunteo
over the new permanent highway on
the oyerpass bridge. The traffic lane,
however, still win be only part OF lts
eventual width while further construc-
ton is rushed to completion. IL Is ex-
pected that the abutment will be m
ished and the full width Of the tramc
lane opened within week. =.
The old temporary wooden prioge Is
TO disappear now, having served its pur-
pose while the new construction was
under way, and traffic will now over
The permanent construction. The lower
road to Alexandria, however, will con-
tinue to be closed and trafhc Will be
routed over Military road.
Assurances were received from the
Bureau of Public Roads today that
nothing viii be allowed to delay COM
pletion of the new Mount Vernon
Memorial Highway. The project, for
which Congress has appropriated ST.
zoe, 600, is considered by the bureau an
outstanding example of its work, and
with thousands of people planning TO
come here for the Bicentennial next
year there viii be no delay in its COM
pleticn.
Up to Schedule.
All hydraulic fills are virtually I'm
ashed. and the five major bridges are
done, except the one at Highway Bridge,
which provides an underpass for the
highway, and the bridge near the west
end of Highway Bridge, which viii
carry the highway over Boundary
Channel, between Columbia Island and
Paving all along the line, according
to the. Bureau Of Public Roads, Is up
to schedule, with progress being made
on the last stretches. The highway is
completed through the City Of Alex
andria and virtually completed from
Alexandria to Mount Vernon. Most of
the unfinished work is between Alexan-
dria and washington.
handspring has been under way for
o long time, and has resulted in i'm
provem1nt Of the view all along the
highway, especially on the river side.
Undergrowth has been cleared out, the
weaker shrubs and trees eliminated
and larger trees have been trimmed to
present o park-like appearance.
No date has been set for dedication
of the road. but It is expected to be
some time in April. No decision has
been reached either as to date for
dedication Of the Arlington Memorial
Bridge, which carries the highway over
the Potomac River at tie Lincoln
Memorial, but it is assured that it win
be ready for dedication next Spring,
probably later than Washingtons birth
day.