Evening star., 1934-06-09
TRANSIT
| SEEKS TAFT SPAN
| TROLLEY SERVICE
Company Asks Public UtiI-
| tiles Commission to
| Approve Plan.
CALVERT STREET CAR
| SERVICE is RESUMED
Carpenters Strike Prevents In
definitely Access to Motor.
lists and Pedestrians.

of street car traf1ic over the trans
planted Calvert Street Bridge the
Capital Transit Co. asked the Public
Utilities Commission to approve a
plan for operating Chevy Chase street
cars over the nearby Taft Bridge on
Connecticut avenue.
The old Calvert street structure Is
to serve as a temporary street car and
automobile bridge until the new ma
sonry span across Rock Greek Valley
at Calvert street is completed. The
transit company desires to abandon
use Of the Calvert street route for
Chevy Chase cars in the interest OF
speeding up service.
Overhead Wires Sought.
John Hanna, Transit Co. president.
asked that the company be per-
mitted to use overhead trolleys over
Taft Bridge, since the bridge is not
designed for construction of under
ground trolley tracks. He argued
that the placing of the plow pit
south of Taft Bridge would cause less
trafhc congestion than If placed at
the Calvert street end of the span.
He said he believed proper land
scaping of the area about the pro-
posed pit would overcome any OBJ
lection from an aesthetic standpoint.
The project would cost $4,000.
Riley Elgen. commission chair
man, said a public hearing would be
held before the commission took any
action on the petition. He said the
Fine Arts Commission and the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission would be notified of the
proposal because of the overhead
trolley line suggestion.
Hanna said the present routing of
Chevy Chase cars to the downtown
section, via Calvert, Eighteenth, u
and Fourteenth streets, was round
about" and had caused frequent
criticisms. He said the routing of
cars directly down Connecticut ave-
nue. would save six minutes Of time.
Calvert Tracks Underground.
Plans for the new Calvert Street
Bridge. contract for which has been
let, call for laying of underground
tracks.
, Hanna announced that directors of
the transit company had authorized
the expenditure Of $2,429, 900 during
the current year in track construction
and reconstruction, making of new
! track connections and purchase of
new equipment. The company al
ready has purchased Is new buses,
| and the acquisition of 40 others has
| been authorized, he said. The board
| is considering purchase of new types
of street cars and several expert
mental cars will be bought during
the year. Hanna said
Some $500, 900 Is to be spent for
provision of q new bus garage for
| transit equipment. Hanna said $837,
900 had been earmarked for track
construction and the laying of new
track connections, which will be re-
quired by rerouting of car lines. a
matter now being studied by Utility
Commission experts.
| A total of s4S3 900 has been set
aside by Transit directors for rebuild
ing of tracks, this work including the
1 RAOJCNt OAl iONCl
street, from Constitution to Independ-
ence avenues. stretch in New York
avenue, from North Capitol to Fourth
streets. and in Eleventh street. be-
tween New York avenue and M street.
| On Regular Schedule.
Street car traffic was proceeding on
regular schedule across the trans
planted Calvert Street Bridge today,
but the carpenters strike has neces-
STATED indnfnite postponement of
plans for opening the structure to
motor and pedestrian traffic.
| Capt. H. c. Whitehurst. District
highways director, said today that one
days work by gang of carpenters
is needed to complete the approaches
SO that automobiles and pedestrians
can use the bridge. Until the strike
Is settled. however. there Is nothing
officials can nvio about it, he explained.
The bridge was tested late yesterday
afternoon by running street cars over
1t, minus passengers. everything
worked perfectly. The old bridge die
not vibrate or utter a single groan Of
complaint
Today at S am. the street car CON-
pany resumed its usual runs over the
bridge. Officials reported much curios.
ity by passengers, who stood on the
platforms for better view of the
valley and the old foundations of the
bridge 80 feet to the north. It was
said the number of passengers carried
was about the same as on any Satur-
day, indicating street car patrons hac
no fear of the structure.
Pronounces Span Safe.
| Capt. Whitehurst today pronounced
the bridge absolutely safe and pointec
out that its new foundation probably
is stronger than the 43-year-o
original bases.
The bridge was rolled to its tenn
porary new location Thursday in ap-
proximately eight hours. Five horses
supplied the motive power, pulling the
l ,200-ton iron girder structure along
improvised railway tracks built be-
meath each of the five supporting
towers. The horses were hitched to
windlasses, which operated complicat-
ed block and tackle apparatus, easing
the load.
| The bridge will remain on the new
foundations until the new $1,000, ,OOC
masonry arch bridge Is completed on
the old site. The new bridge is due to
be completed by September, 1885
Then the old bridge win be disman-
tied and sold for junk. Under the
contract for moving the old bridge
the rusty structure becomes the nron.