Evening star., 1934-02-04
COST Of AIRPORT
SET AT $2,3OQ,0DO
Engineers Hold Terminal at
EraveIIy Point Can Be Built
Below Limit in Bill.

Although q cost limit of $2,500,00
h set in the Gibson bill for estab-
Hshment OF a model air terminal for
Washington on the Gravelly Point
site, Army engineers estimate the
program can be carried out in three
years for s2,3OO,Ooo
The estimates include the building
Of rip-rap walls, dredging, purchase
Of small amount of land, dry ex-
cavation and fill, grading, drainage,
paving of runways and other prepara-
tory work to the establishment OF
the field as a f1rst-class air terminal
designed to meet the highest rating
requirements of the Commerce De-
partment.
The proposed first unit Of the
Gravelly Point airport, which 1t is
believed will meet all the present
needs of the Capital, would include
266 acres. Runways 1000 feet long
In all directions would be provided.
The cost per acre would be $3.50, as
compared with an estimated cost per
acre of $l7,400 at Washington Air
port, the Army engineers estimate.
Expansion Possible.
The maximum possible expansion
Of Washington Airport would pro-
vide q total Of 204 acres the engineers
reported Gravelly Point could be
expanded by the addition of $40 acres.
making total of 606 acres as the
practicable limit of expansion.
The Army estimates for the rough
preliminary work of preparing the
field, include S95,0O0 for $500 feet
Of levees; $52OOO0 for the dredging
from the river of 6.5oO.O0O cubic yards
Of material: S48000 for 4,800 feet Of
rip-rap wall; 100000 for purchase
OF 435 acres of land along the Vir-
ginia shore, and 100000 for 100000
yards Of dry excavation and fill in
connection with the preparation OF
the solid ground along the shore.
The subtotal for this portion of the
job is s823,oOO.
The second phase of the work at
Gravelly Point would include grading
of 1870 acres, s28500 drainage install
lat;on, Sl0l .0C0: turfng and seeding of
100 acres, $50 400; paving of 250000
square yards Of runwayS, $437 500;
grading and paving of II 400 square
yards of service road, $4,000; paving
of $1,000 square yards Of taxiways,
S152,250; preparation of parking area,
1880 yards, s6,250; grading and paw
ing Of 1000 square yards of approach
road, $14 900; paving of $500 square
yards Of roads to the parking areas,
$1,000, and laying of drainage culvert,
$49500. The subtotal for this phase
Of the work. which would complete the
landing area for flying operations,
would be $880000.
Three Hangers Planned.
The third and final phase of the
work would include Architectural de-
sign. SIS 1000; three hangers. s255,000
administration building, S15O,000: ga
rage and repair shop, $4,000; paved
aprons at buildings, 20,500 square
yards, $41.0O0; fencing 5000 feet.
$1,000; landScaping. $4,000 radio
equipment, $1,000; meteorological
equipment, $1,000; gasoline and oil
servicing equipment, $1,000: night
lighting equipment, S55.000; field
maintenance equipment, $4,000, and
fire-fighting equipment, $4,000 The
subtotal for this phase is s597,o0O.
Under terms of the Gibson bill, the
United States would advance the en-
tire s25O00o0 fer the construction of
the airport in three annual INSTALL
nents of S75OO0O each.
The District would be called upon to
repay so per cent of this amount,
without interest, in five equal annual
installments of s250,000 each. Begin
ming 10 years after completion of the
airport.