Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-13
HIGHWAY PROJECT
is THREATENED BY
MONEY SHORTAGE
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of the Capital or beautiful stretches of
the river or the Virginia countryside
NAV be obtained there will be provided
| tomobiles. These parking places will
consist of a widening of the roadway
in graceful curves rather than the con-
structlon of formal parking areas jut-
! ting abruptly from the side of the road
Near Alexandria, where an industrial
I area extends nearly half mile along
! the river front, the boulevard will be
! protected by thick screening of trees
and shrubbery which will block of en-
tirely the unsightly areas. Vistas Gill
be provided through the shrubbery OF
! points of interest, such as the George
Washington Masonic Memorial on
| Shooters Hill.
A great circle will be constructed at
the approach to Alexandria to form
1.-The logical point of transition from a
| high to low speed zone" This circle
! is to be at the point where the boule-
ward crosses Second street between st.
Asaph and Columbus streets. Washing
ton street, which the boulevard will fol-
low through Alexandria, will begin at
! the circle. The area around the circle,
| extending to Third street on the north
and halfway to First street on the
south, will be developed as park.
Given Woodland.
zone of the most important recent
events in the boulevard and parkway
development" Mr.. Macdonald said, us
| the turning over to the Government by
the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
Of some 200 acres of beautiful woodland
completely surrounding Mount Vernon
for parkway purposes. There will be no
expense to the Government in prepar-
ing this area beyond the cleaning out Of
underbrush. It will make q splendid
terminus for the parkway on the Viz
GINA side Of the river and insures a
perpetual preservation Of the beautiful
countryside adjoining the Mount YER
non grounds on all sides"
The Mount Vernon Memorial Boule-
ward will embody several unusual
methods for controlling trafdc now. In
the vicinity of Wellington Villa, a resi-
Dental development skirts the boule-
ward for mile or more. Direct access
to the boulevard from compact resi-
Dental section, it was decided, not only
would slow up trafic. but would be a
constant source of danger. To provide
for this situation. system Of border
roads has been planned through this
residential development so that trafflc
will be picked up on the border roads
and delivered to the highway at the
most favorable points of access. A
highway grade separation at wellington
villa also will help the general trafic
now.
At points where roads from the boule-
ward to the waterfront are required a
grade separation plan will provide &C
cess to the river area without cross
trafic.
Easy Alignment Obtained.
Provision for turning around on the
boulevard and for a small amount Of
cross trafic at grade has been made on
curves where the roadway can be
widened to permit the placing Of cen
trail islands or parks.
Pleasing and easily flowing align
ment is obtained" it was explained,
and also a safe means of surface cross
ing. On a heavily travelled four-lane
highway it is almost impossible at times
to get suficient break in traffic to per-
nit crossing at grade. Divided road
ways, separated by islands, facilitate
crossing at grade by permitting 1t to be
done in two operations. A break In the
traflc flowing in one direction permits
a crossing to the island, and the cross
ing is completed at the first break In
traffic flowing in the opposite direction.
Even on heavily Travelled roads crossings
of this character may be accomplished
In the space of q few minutes. An ex-
ira trafic lane is provided on all divided
roadways, so that the inside traf1c lane
may be used by vehicles desiring TO
turn"
where it has been necessary to pro-
vide crossings at grade and the
curvature Of the road is too slight to
permit dividing the roadway with pleas
ing lines staggered outlets have been
used. This system permits trafflc TO
cross the traffic lanes on one-halt OF
the highway and then f1ow with and
weave across the traffic on the other
half to an exit. The distance provided
for the weaving Of trafflc across the
half width of the pavement is approx
mately 400 feet, or the equivalent OF a
city block.
Will Beautify Waterfront.
Provision has been made at Fort
Hunt for access to the military reser-
walton and to the wharf. The roadway
to the wharf passes under the boule-
ward. At q high point. where the road
ways fork, there will be widening OF
the road for overlook parking"
One of the finest pieces Of landscaping
to provide for views of distant points
of interest from the boulevard will be
at Hunting Greek, just south Of Alex
andria.
Under the terms of the Fess bill it is
planned to purchase narrow strips of
the water front completely around the
wide bay which forms the mouth Of
Hunting Greek. This will permit beau
tification Of all the water front visible
from the boulevard and the planting
of screens" of trees and shrubbery to
block out undesirable sections. Through
the screen will be openings providing
views across the water of the Masonic
Memorial and other points of interest.
"Our intention" Mr.. Macdonald ex-
planned, lis not to make a formal park
way of the boulevard at any point. 1t
is to be as close an approach to nature
as can be managed, with planting di-
rected toward the end of the maximum
beauty II the entire project does not
look when it, Is completed as though 1t
fnV. VHaa