Evening star., 1932-03-02
APPROPRIATION CUT
|. ON BRIDGE PROJECT
$4,000 Sliced From Total
as Virginia Delays High
way Link.

The budget item of 81 900, 900 for
continuation of the Arlington Me-
mortal Bridge project has been reduced
$1,000 in the independent Offices ap-
preparation bill reported to the House
today by Representative Woodrum Of
Virginia. This reduction was made b
eliminating the Lee Highway Bridge
unit. which is an additional span across
the boundary channel at the north end
of Columbia Island and is an integral
part of the original Memorial Bridge
project, In which it was included for
the purpose of providing a connection
with the Virginia State highway
system.
Virginia Plans Delayed.
Representative Woodrum in his re-
port explains that since the submission
Of the budget it has been learned that
the State Of Virginia has no plans In
volving the construction of the high
way connection during the coming yeal
and the item for the bridge has, there
fore been omitted from the bill pend
ing such time as some provision shall
have been made for the highway.
The original limit of cost of the
project, which has not since been
changed, is s1475o,ooo. The total
amount appropriated to date, including
the appropriation recommended in the
accompanying bill. is $12.840, 900. the
entire amount of which, it is estimated
will have been expended by the end OF
the fiscal year 1888.
The main bridge span is now completed,
but the paving of the roadway from the
west end of the boundary channel to
the cemetery entrance will not be COM
r0lo tod he Gu
mer of 1882. However, bids have been
opened and contract will soon be
awarded for the placement of a tenn
porary 3O-foot pavement at one side
of the right of way, which will be
opened to public traffic on or about
April /.
Work still remaining to be done or
the Memorial Bridge project includes
the development Of the plaza on Colum-
bia Island; the filling, grading and
landscape work on Columbia Island;
the widening and carrying through OF
Constitution avenue: the widening OF
Twenty-third street: the decorative
statuary work on Columbia Island; the
Memorial avenue into Arlington Gene
terry, and the monumental entrance to
the cemetery.
hOluS 70 COSt.
Notwithstanding certain notifications
of the original plan, such as the add
ton of the Rock Greek and Potomac
parkway underpass at the east end of
the bridge, the commission expects to
complete the project within the original
authorization. This will be made pos
sible, partly because of the recent drop
in building costs and partly because of
the modification or elimination of some
of the decorative features, such as the
columns on Columbia Island, statuary
on the bridge, etc.
The committee has included language
under which the entire cost of recon-
structing and paving that portion of
Constitution avenue between Virginia
avenue and the bridge will be borne by
the Bridge Commission. This provision
was included because the portion of
Constitution avenue referred to is an
integral part of the Lincoln Memorial,
which is purely Federal project. The
remainder of Constitution avenue will
be improved out of regular District of
Columbia appropriations, the same as
other local streets, subject to the usual
40 per cent assessment against abutting
properties. Since all such abutting
property is, or will be, in Government
ownership, it follows that the Bridge
Commission will bear 40 per cent of
the cost of Constitution avenue east OF
Virginia avenue, excepting street inter-
sections.