Evening star., 1933-04-14
DISTRICT SUPPLY BILL
AS PASSED By HOUSE
BLOW TO HIGHWAYS

BLOW TO HIGHWAYS
Continued From First Page)
sacrifice the public investment in ex-
isting streets, plans are now being
drafted SO that, If necessary, appro-
priations can be shifted from curb and
gutter work and other appropriations
to insure the proper repair program
during the next fiscal year.
There is a specific provision in the
bill to forbid the use of any money
therein appropriated for the operation
of the testing laboratory. This was
written in on the theory that the Dis
trict was wasting money on its tests
Of roadway material, which could be
done for it by the Bureau of Stand
ards. Since the House passed the bill,
however, the Secretary of Commerce
has informed the Senate Appropria-
tions Committee that it will be i'm
possible for the Bureau of Standards
to undertake this work, the reason
being its costliness.
Laboratory to Be Idle.
What the department will do, there
fore, Should this bill become law, will
be to keep one or two of its testing en-
gineers by transferring them to other
pay rolls and make an attempt at get
ting adequate tests without use of the
laboratory. Meanwhile, however, the
laboratory will continue in existence,
unused, at Second and Bryant streets.
There is 100000 of District taxpayers
money invested in it, and it was Gre
ated pursuant to provisions in appro-
priation acts passed by Congress. The
highway materials tests are regarded as
vital by highway engineers in securing
good highways. But no matter what
the law. the department must obey it.
Although every single construction
item planned for the coming year is
wiped out in the bill, the House sought
to undo what it had done by writing in
a provision allowing the use of 1,040,-
600 of gasoline tax revenues for high
way work, to be approved by the Presi-
dent. AS far as the amount of money
is concerned, this amount would permit
the execution of exactly the same
amount of work as the items specifi-
cally provided in the last Congress con-
ference report. But, owing to the pecu-
liar way of allowing the work, some of
the most important items must go by
the board.
Outstanding among these is the
new Calvert Street Bridge, for which
an item of s575.000 was included
in the conference report. This
bridge could not be built out of
gasoline tax money, which is lin
tied to the construction of highways.
Doubts as to the suitability of continu-
ing the existence OF this bridge were
first expressed by engineers 19 years
ago. AS it stands now, the Highway
Department will not countenance its ex-
istence for another year unless many
Of the timbers in the understructure are
replaced and new surface is laid in its
roadway. Assuming that the bill passes
as it passed the House, these things will
be done and charged to the already
sadly depleted bridge repair appropria-
ton, although the department regards
the expense as waste of the peoples
money. Plans for the new bridge have
already been drawn, including all the
detailed working drawings, at an ex-
pense Of 100000 of taxpayers money.
Thirteenth Street Widening.
Another improvement which was in
the conference report, but which could
urder presidential sanction. is the
widening of Thirteenth street from
Massachusetts, avenue to Logan Circle.
Streets may not be widened without
specific congressional authority.
There is still third job that could
not be undertaken, not because of any
inf1rmity in the Highway Department
section of the bill, but because unrea-
scned cuts in other sections have thrown
the highway program out Of gear. The
reference is to the paving and relocat-
ing of Conduit road from Reservoir
road to the District line. All of these
majer Improvements are scheduled IN a
carefully worked out program, which
contemplates first the construction of
all underground work, so that it will be
unnecessary to cut through expensive
new paving to get at the subsurface for
the installation of water mains, sewer
pipes and the like. In the sewer sec
tion of the bill there was an item for
constructing a stormy water sewer under
the roadway of Conduit road. This sewer
item was eliminated and it would be
waste of money to put an expensive
paving there now and then later on
have to tear it up again to lay sewer
pipes.
The following construction Jobs, all
included in the conference report and
eliminated by the House, could be un-
dertaken: Paving Michigan avenue from
First street to Columbia road paving
Benning road from the Lake Kingman
culvert to Kenilworth avenue north
east, paving Reservoir road from Con-
duit to Foxhail roads and paving Four
teenth street from Jonduil street to Kal-
mia road.