Evening star., 1935-04-11
CITIZENS OPPOSE
UNDERPASS BILL
Joint Northeast Conference
Cites Terminal Act Or.
dering Bridges.

A bill introduced in the House late
an underpass connecting New York
and West Virginia avenues northeast
was vigorously opposed last night by
The Joint conference of Northeast Citi-
zenS' Associations.
In resolution passed at the ses-
sion. the conference requested Peo-
pies Counsel William A. Roberts to
draw up a proposed bill to comply
with the terminal act of 1908, which
requires the railroads to construct
three bridges over their tracks. Chair
man Norton of the House District
Committee, who introduced the bill
yesterday, also introduced a bill to
authorize the Washington Terminal
Co. to construct a bridge over rail-
way tracks connecting Brentwood road
and T street northeast
The Pennsylvania and B. & o. rail-
reads would bear construction ex-
penses and the District the mainten-
ance of both projects.
Underpass Plan Attacked.
a. the meeting last night. A. F. E.
Scheer, chairman. declared that "un-
der the terminal act of 1908 the rail-
road companies are required to con-
struct the three bridges in the vicin-
ity o. Fifth. Twelfth and Seventeenth
streets northeast Now they want to
create an underpass for New York
avenue and several grade crossings" :"
The opposition expressed last night
arose over study during the past few
weeks of companion bills introduced
last month by Chairman King of the
Senate District Committee and Chair
man Norton of the House District
Committee. The two measures intro
duced last month called for the estab-
lishment of siding connections and a
bridge over West Virginia and New
York avenues northeast to carry the
siding tracks.
Since that time a few of the citizens
associations composing the conference
have adopted resolutions opposing
these two bills.
If these bills pass, A. D. Calvert,
chairman of a special committee
studying the question, reported a con-
dition similar to that of Virginia
avenue southeast with all its blind
traffic hazards will exist on New York
avenue northeast.
Scheer pointed out that the pro-
posed measures permit. with the ap-
proval of the Commissioners, "the
crossing of any public street or alley
other than New York avenue" at or
on grade. He said the Dahlgren
Terrace Citizens Association, of which
he is president, and many other north
east civic units have for many years
opposed grade crossings of any kind
within the District.
Fear Street Cl0sings.
Although it was realized by men,
bers that the proposed grade crossings
would be within commercial property
mostly owned by the Pennsylvania
Railroad, it was held that the grade
crossings thus created would necessi-
tate the closing of streets running
through the area.
Represented at last nights meet
ing were the following: Mr.. Scheer
from Dahlgren Terrace Citizens As
sociation; DR.. William Deviny and j.
F. Hillyard, Michigan Park; A. G.
Gregory, Stanton Park; A. D.. Cal
vert and John P. Barse, Lincoln Park;
John H. Thomas and M F. Stecker,
Trinidad; David Babp and K. p.
Armstrong, Burroughs.
William A. Maio, president, and
Orrin j. Davy, secretary of the South
east Council of Citizens Associations,
were guests of the council and took
part in the discussion.