Evening star., 1932-09-21
WATER FRONT PLAN
REPORT: DUE SOON
FOR CONGRESS Use
Channel Improvement Data
to Go First to Chief U. S.
Army Engineer.
REDUCED OUTLAY SEEN
| IN REVISED PROGRAM
Proposed Bridge From East Po-
tomac Park Likely to Be Elm
mated for Present.

The report on the Washington chan
mel water front improvement program
called for by the House Rivers and
Harbors Committee, is expected to be
sent shortly after October 1 to Mai.
Gen. Lytle Brown, chief of Army Engi-
neers, by Maj. Joseph D. Arthur, jr.,
district engineer for the War Depart
ment for the Washington area. E. A.
Schmitt, engineer in Maj. Arthur's
office, now is supervising the final stages
Of the report, collecting statistics and
making revised estimates for the entire
project.
Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, District high
way engineer, said today municipal au-
thorities are planning to pave part Of
Water street, which forms the easterly
boundary of the Washington Channel.
in the Spring. Ultimately, it is pro-
posed to make Water street 16O feet
wide, with service roadway and a
boulevard, separated by a strip Of park
ing.
AS the first step in this program
Capt. Whitehurst said. the District gov
ernment will pave 60-foot service road
way from Eleventh to M street south
west. The plan Is to improve Water
street SO the new paving will link up
with NJ street, which now is an improved
arterial highway, leading to the eastern
section OF the city. without the necessity
Of going into downtown traffic.
Report Going to Congress.
The report Of Maj. Author which is
being compiled following a public hear
ing on the whole program, including the
Water street development, last June 80,
will be sent to the River and Harbor
Board and after that group has passed
on 1t will be sent to Gen Brown. Sec
retary Hurley is expected to transmit
the report to the House Rivers and Har-
bors Committee shortly after Congress
opens.
The report. which brings up to date
one made by the United States Engi-
neer Office few years ago. probably
will call for a much reduced program.
The paving Of Water street by municipal
authorities will reduce materially the
s287,600 for improving that thorough
fare. as set out in the original Wash
ington channel report A total of
S249.870 for a proposed bridge from
East Potomac Park to Water street at
the tip Of Washington channel also Is
likely to be eliminated
The National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, at its recent meet
ing. suggested that the bridge should be
retained on the plan, but was in
clined to view it as park and high
way project, rather than part Of the
commercial development Of the chan
mel.
Cut Number Of Wharves.
In the new report the number Of
wharves is likely to be greatly reduced,
as the result of a letter from the
District Commissioners recommending
that the wharves be held to the mini
mum number for actual present needs,
without reference to future expansion.
If the War Department authorities
carry this out, number Of wharf
items. calling for expenditure of
100000 apiece, will be dropped from
the plan.
In view of the preponderance of
argument at the public hearing by
yachting interests that facilities for
yachts here are insufficient, it is con-
sidered likely that the new report will
make extensive provision, over its prede-
cessor, for this sport.