Evening star., 1937-09-09
A Highway Program.

Outlines of a five-year highway con-
struction program for the District have
been submitted to the Commissioners by
Captain Whitehurst, highway director.
They call for an ultimate expenditure of
s20,000000 and involve some marked de-
partures from the general plan Of the
Capital. One of these is an underpass
at Dupont Circle for street cars and
possibly vehicles. Another is a similar
construction at Thomas Circle. Both
of these are contemplated as possible
features of future subWays beneath Con-
necticut avenue and Fourteenth street.
Another change proposed is at Scott
Circle, where no subway is indicated, but
where the traffic is to be accommodated
and guided in a manner to facilitate the
movement of vehicles and to lessen the
danger of mishap. The total estimated
cost of these three projects is 100000,
not including the relocation and recon-
struction of the railway tracks. Whether
that cost would fall upon the transit
company or upon the public is not
indicated.
Altogether the works recommended
for immediate undertaking will cost
S4,721 900, to be expended or obligated
during the next fiscal year. Some of
this money will be forthcoming from the
new vehicular taxes. Where the re-
mainder will come from is left to the
imagination. There is little doubt that
it will come mainly from the District
taxpayers.
This whole matter of street changes
for the betterment of traffic conditions
has been too long neglected. Whether
the fault lies in the failure of Congress
to make the equitable arrangements for
the expenditure, without undue drain
upon the Districts own resources, is not
Immediately of moment, though that
question is always to be reckoned as part
of the cause of the hardness of the
Capital managers, local and congress
sional in meeting the requirements of
blllo ElONIi
Any program" of street changes and
improvements, designed to facilitate
traffic, needs to be studied not alone
for the sake of the vehicular transport,
but for the sake of those who do not
ride in public or private vehicles. The
security of the pedestrian is always to
be taken into account. Underpasses at
congested points will serve to that end.
Subways will relieve the streets of much
of the dangerous traffic. But subways
will cost heavily, and any project that
includes such constructions should in all
equity be made part of the Federal
obligation in the maintenance of the
Capital.
The rapid growth of the District in
population and the development of
thickly populated suburbs in the adjacent
States have not been adequately accom-
panied by provisions for the movement
of the people, awheel and afoot. This
matter has been long neglected, until
the arrears of needs have made this a
major problem in local financing. Vari-
Gus plans have been advanced from time
to time, only to be met with objections,
both as to details and as to cost. Now
it is, quite properly, proposed to bring
into consultation representatives of the
community to discuss the project that
has just been outlined. There will be no
lack of expressions on the subject. There
will probably be no unanimity. But
out of such discussion may come some
clearance Of views and perhaps such an
agreement upon the main features of the
plan that those which may without new
legislation be adopted and put into
execution can be undertaken quickly.