Evening star., 1937-08-13
LAGOON AREA USE
EMBODIED IN PLAN
TO BETTER AIRPORT
Copeland Bills Passage
Would Provide Field
Three New RunWays.
RAILWAY RIGHT OF WAY
TO AID ROAD PROJECT
Substitute for Military Highway
Would Be Along Old
Car Line.

Ohl AluC.
Enactment of the Copeland airport
bill, pending in the Senate, would
make possible construction at WASH
ington Airport of three new runways,
two Of them terminating in the
Boundary Channel Lagoon area, 1t
was revealed today with the compile
tion of a tentative airport recon-
struction plan.
At the same time it was revealed
that plans for the substitute road.
which will replace Military road II
the bill passes, would make use OF
the abandoned street railway right OF
way from a point near the southeast
corner of Arlington National Gene
terry into Columbia pike about one
third Of the way from Ridge road to
United States No. ! highway
Present plans contemplate the paw
Ing of the street railway right of way,
already graded except for a highway
connection at the north end of the
proposed substitute road. Washing
ton Airport has agreed to pay $4,000
TO Arlington County for construction
of this road and also to install
traffic light at the intersection OF
Columbia pike with No. highway.
Importance of Lagoon Area.
Publication of the proposed runway
layout discloses the Boundary Chan
mel Lagoon area is of vital Importance
and is the key to the two sorely need
ed cross-field runWays which have
been planned. Addition of the lagoon
area is regarded by airport and air
line officials as of more urgent i'm
portance than the acquisition of land
in the Arlington Experimental Farm
area. it was revealed.
The filling of the lagoon, the plan
shows. would make possible the con-
struction of two runWays. each nearly
1000 feet long, in directions not
served at present by any runway, one
running almost east and west and
the other in southwest northeast
line. Both would cross Military road.
one at right angles to the present
4.200-foot runway, the other parallel
to the taxi strip from the south end
OF the long runway to the passenger
terminal building.
Addition of the Arlington Farm area,
the plan shows, would make possible
. runway more than mile in length
This runway is regarded as of less
Importance at present than the Short
er cross runways, because it forms only
. small angle with the present long
runway and provides only negligible
improvement OF the short cross field
condition.
Opposes Use Of Lagoon Area.
Use of the lagoon area has been
opposed by the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission for fear
1t would bring the end Of the runway
too close to the Mount Vernon boule-
ward. Because of this objection a pro-
vision authorizing the use of the lagoon
area for airport purpose was strick-
en- from the May bill by the House
Military Affairs Committee. The
committee action was sustained by
the House when it passed the amend
ed May bill Wednesday.
To overcome the commissions OBJ
lection it Is understood that an amend
ment to the bill will be offered in the
Senate permitting use Of the lagoon
area under regulations to be promul-
gated by the Bureau Of Air Commerce
Such regulations would safeguard the
highway adequately, it was claimed,
and at the same time would assure
the maximum benefit to airline op-
however, it was revealed, would keep
erations.
The tentative airport runway plan,
the ends of the cross field runways
much farther from the Mount Vernon
highway than the distance between
the end of the present short runway
and No. l highway. Although the
+ present short runway ends only IS
feet from the highway, it was ex-
planned by Samuel j. Solomon, man.
ager OF Washington Airport, there
never has been complaint because of
conditions at this point. The run
ways would be separated from the
|
tance OF more than 200 feet, accord
Ing to the present tentative plans.
Routing Of Substitute Road.
Routing of the proposed substitute
road over the abandoned railway right
OF way has been discussed by officials
of the airport and Arlington County
and Is understood to be generally
acceptable Since the plan involves
little or no grading. drainage, bridge
or viaduct construction, it is believed
that the $4,000 fund would finance
. heavy-traffic type Of paving of the
most modern type
The action of the Arlington County
Board in agreeing to the closing of
Military road also has been supported
by the Virginia State government, it
Is understood. r. E. Steele director
of aviation of the Virginia State
Corporation Commission, has an
nounced the State has no interest in
Military road and does not object to
Its being closed.
The agreement between the county
and the airport relates only to the
portion of Military road between the
Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge and
the Highway Bridge approach. The
National Airport Corp. has signed an
agreement with county officials pro-
viding for the reopening Of this sec
ton of the road or an equivalent con-
nection, not necessarily over the same
route. in case the airport should be
abandoned as a flying field at any