Evening star., 1934-02-23
6-YEAR HIGHWAY
PLANS APPROVED
GotwaIs Passes on $14,.
611,550 Project IncIud-
ing Many Bridges.

A six-year construction program for
District bridges and highways, having
a total estimated cost Of $l4,6ll 500,
including allowance for maintenance,
was given tentative approval today by
Mai. John c. Gotwals, Engineer Com
missioner. The program was drafted
by Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, director OF
highways.
The first year of the proposed pro-
gram, beginning July l, is provided
for in the 1885 budget, now before
Congress for action. The remainder
represents present plans of the Engi-
neer Department, to be followed In
general outline in succeeding years,
subject to changes dictated by con-
gressional action or any new condi-
tions that may develop. The program
Is to be flexible.
The entire program is predicated on
estimates of revenues of the District
resulting from the present 2-cent gas
oline tax, as calculated by financial
officers of the District The cost OF
the six-year program is less than the
estimated gasoline tax revenues. In
fact, figures show an expected surplus
of approximately $l50,000 at the end
of the fiscal year 1910.
Revealed in the comprehensive state
ment are plans for construction dur
ing the new fiscal year beginning July
1 Of a new viaduct over the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad, in the line of East
ern avenue, between Monroe street
and Bladensburg road northeast. The
cost is estimated at $130.000. The
plan Is to ask Congress to approve
this item in connection with the 1885
budget, since there will be a saving OF
s175,o 900 in construction of the new
Calvert Street Bridge over Rock Creek,
for which an item of S675, 200 is con-
tained In the 1885 estimates, for COM
pletion of the span during that year.
$2,435,OOO a Year Cost.
The average annual expenditure for
new bridge and highway improvements
over the six-year period, including
items for maintenance, would amount
to S2435, 900, or less than the eX-
penditures during each of the years
from 1929 up to and including the
present fiscal year
The totals for the six future years
are calculated as follows: 1895, ST.
2s1 $50; 1886, 81, ,600,0 900; 1887, $780,
600; 1888, $2,350, 900; 1889, 81, $50, 900,
and 1910, $2,600,000.
Discussing reduction in the appro-
priations for the highway division
during the present fiscal year, Capt.
Whitehurst said this has been COM
pensated for in part by progress made
in major thoroughfare development
from public works funds.
Discussing the siX-year program, he
said: 1T is estimated, with certain
adjustments in the 1885 estimates,
there will be in the gasoline tax fund
available for use at the end of the
fiscal year 1885, $559,505. The auditor
(Maj. Daniel w. Donovan) has esti-
mated the income Of 1885 from the
gasoline tax as $2,350,000, of which
100000 is estimated as assessment
returns. This is the same amount
used for estimating purposes in 1884.
It Is believed this amount is slightly
in excess Of what may be received, as
very little work of an assessment ma
ture was performed in 1893. practi-
cally none in 1884 $50 far), with no
new roadway construction legally as
sessable planned for 1885.
ut has been assumed that the total
gasoline tax revenue in 1886 and
through 1889 will be the same as for
1885, believing that the falling off in
assessment return will be compen-
sated for by small increase from
the direct tax. This Office in making
this assumption as to the return
from the gasoline tax is also of the
opinion that we cannot count upon a
continued increase from the 2-cent
tax, as the saturation point eventually
will be reached"
The bridge program for the 1885
fiscal year includes an item of $780,
900 for completion of the Calvert
Street Bridge, for which $575,000 now
is available under the 1884 act. The
total authorized cost of the bridge is
S1,250,000. The revision of the 1885
item was made possible by the size
Of the contract awarded this week
$4,000 for Viaduct.
The second item is $4,000, saved
out of the appropriation for the CAL
vert Street Bridge, for construction
of the Eastern avenue viaduct over
the Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad.
This Is necessary to permit highway
development and will bring about re-
placement of the present wooden
bridge, having two-ton weight limit,