Evening star., 1936-09-25
COMMISSION MAY
D|SAPPROVE Dixie
Inspection of Site in West
Potomac Park Brings Ex.
preston Of Opposition.

preston OF Upp0SltI0n.
Disapproval Of the projected flood
control dixie in the line Of Independ-
ence avenue In West Potomac Park
was foreshadowed today as the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning Com
mission discussed the proposal.
Following inspection Of the site yes
terday afternoon and examination Of
plans submitted by Army engineers. a
number Of commission members in
formally indicated they would oppose
the project. The theory was that with
the present dixie at the rear Of the
Navy and Munitions Buildings any
high water threat could be countered
by bridging Seventeenth street south
Of Constitution avenue with sandbags
and by placing sandbags atop the ex-
istjng embankment.
Further. q number of the members
were represented as feeling the Inde-
pendence avenue dixie would disturb
the existing park and cause destruc-
ton Of row Of trees on the north
side of the proposed levee.
Another objection was that under
passes would have to be created to
permit passage Of low-level trafic.
These underpasses, in time Of flood,
would have to be filled with sandbags.
- Duck Pond Relocation.
The commission voted to extend CO.
operation to Smithsonian Institution
odicials and those Of the Washington
park system in relocating the duck
pond in the National Geological Park,
due to the program for a new high
way in Rock Greek Valley to link
Rock Greek Park with the Rock Creek
and Potomac Parkway.
Judiciary Square will be retained as
park land, under the National Park
Service. after the new Police Court
Building Is constructed there by the
District government, the commission
decided. Other municipal buildings
projected for that area are q new
Juvenile and Municipal Court and
Recorder Of Deeds Buildings.
The commissions staff was in
structed to re-study plans for Com
modore Barney Circle, at Pennsyl-
vanian avenue and the western bank
Of the Anacostia River, in view of the
proposed new Pennsylvania Avenue
Bridge. The District Commissioners
have $4,000 to make plans for the
new structure.
Approval was given to . proposal
to give Virginia title to the right OF
way for the proposed Lee Boulevard
across the northwest corner Of Fort
Myer, to link in with the Arlington
Memorial Bridge development. The
commission voted to indorse legisla-
ton to accomplish this in the COM
ing Congress.
Under consideration today was q
proposed extra span on the Virginia
end Of Key Bridge. This would be
utilized as an underpass for the George
Washington Memorial Parkway and
would carry trafic beneath the bridge
to connect with Lee Highway, north
Of Rosslyn, Va.
Yesterday afternoons rain deferred
the projected inspection trip to the
recently acquired Letter estate, on
the Virginia side of the Potomac
River, opposite Glen Echo. Md, but
the officials planned to carry it out
this afternoon.
Oppose Channel Filling.
The Commission opposed the pro-
jected filling in Of Boundary Channel
Bay to create an expanded Wash
ington Airport, in q vote reaf1irming q
previous decision. Samuel j. Solomon
manager Of the airport, had request
ed that this be permitted to give the
field longer rmways. The Commis-
sion felt that Boundary Channel
Bay should be preserved as q scenic
feature Of the Columbia Island re-
gion and that filling in Of the
area would bring the large planes
dangerously near the Mount Vernon
Memorial Highway. creating q hazard
for motorists.
Solomon asserted today that 'af the
Planning Commission would reverse
its attitude. would forbid take-ofi
over the runway In the direction Of
the proposed flled-in lagoon near the
Memorial Highway"
Arlington County, Va, was asked
by the Commission to examine the
problem of preserving properly the
boundary stones in the nearby Old
Dominion, marking the limits OF the
original District Of Columbia. Inas-
much as washington and Jefferson
had . haz,d In setting out the stones,
the Commission believes that Airing
ton County. which now utilizes them
- boundaries, should see to 1t that
these historical markers are ade-
quately cared for. In this, the Com
mission felt. the county will have
the cooperation Of the historical
monuments group In the National
Park Service. Arno B. Cammerer
director Of the service, Is executive
omcer Of the Commission.
PENNSYLV LVANIAN HURT