Evening star., 1937-01-31

pracClcally competed WIN 1unQS al
ready allotted or to be allotted the
District pursuant to the provisions Of
the last Federal aid bill. In order to
satisfactorily carry out a bridge re-
placement and reconstruction pro-
gram, approximately 100000 annually
should be provided. The department
Is of the opinion that replacement Of
all obsolete and inadequate structures
should be completed prior to under
taking any projects at new locations.
The program has been arranged with
this thought in mind and extends from
1888 through 1943.
4. DUPONT CIRCLlPlan pro-
posed for the construction, of street
car underpass. together with roadway
Encouragement and widening incident
thereto. The arrangement is self-ex-
planatory and would cost, exclusive of
any street railway work, 100000.
Other plan Is surface rearrangement,
and, while an improvement over exist
ing conditions, does not, in the opin-
ion of this Office, adequately meet the
situation. It would involve, exclusive
of track work, a cost of $50,000.
THOMAS CIRCLE-Plans are made
for an underpass for street cars and
surface changes. The rearrangement
of surface conditions without an un-
derpass for street cars. The advan-
tages Of street car underpass is not
sufficient to warrant the additional
expenditure of $285,000. The cost Of
the street car underpass, including
surface changes, but not railway con-
struction cost, at Thomas Circle Is
estimated at $345,000. Due to park
conditions and development. the sit
uations at Dupont and Thomas Circles
do not warrant similar treatments in
an effort to relieve traffic congestion.
1t is believed that adequate results can
be obtained at Thomas Circle without
undertaking the more expensive treat
ment. At Dupont Circle conditions
are such as to warrant the more ex-
pensive treatment, namely, the con-
struction of a street car underpass.
S. Any project at this location
would be handled by the National
Capital Parks Office. 1t is the under
standing of this Office that present
plans contemplate the driving or con-
struction of an additional tunnel or
culvert at this location to provide for
a northbound roadway. The carrying
out of this plan would prove several
times as expensive as other plans,
t,A ayictinn All nf
Massachusetts, avenue and would not
relieve the danger and inconvenience
of flood damage to the existing road.
A practical and economical solution
of this problem would be construction
of a 40-foot roadway at a higher
elevation than the present roadway
through the existing culvert. I'm
provement of the approach roads as
to location, together with the use OF
the full width of the culvert as a
water course, would remove trafhc
dangers and congestions and practi-
cally insure the roadway against flood
damage. It has been estimated that
an additional tunnel would cost ap-
proximately $350,000, while the plan
suggested could be carried out for less
than 100000. The importance OF the
correction Of conditions at this loca-
ton cannot be overemphasized, ac-
cording to MIR. Whitehurst. When the
bridge at the upper end Of the park
way is replaced, for which funds are
available, Massachusetts, avenue cul-
vert will be the only remaining point
of congestion until K street is reached.
Plans for a grade separation at this
location are under consideration.
6. Traffic lighting Is matter upon
which the Director of Vehicles and
Traffic will submit report later.
7. Plans for the three pedestrian
underpasses. The estimated cost OF
constructing the various underpasses
would be as follows: Fifteenth street
and New York avenue northwest, $42,-
600; Fourteenth street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue northwest, $31 900. and
Twelfth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. northwest, $4,000. If connection
by ramp or stairway is provided to
the street car platforms approximately
is per cent would be added to the
above cost. All Of the above under
passes will require pumping plants for
drainage.
8. It is believed that the problem Of
safety island construction involves
also minor widening in most cases.
Work of this nature would require de-
tailed study on the ground of hun
dreds of locations. The department
has undertaken, in conjunction with
the Office of the Director of Vehicles
and Traffic, the study of numerous
intersections and plans looking to the
relief of traffic congestion. Minor
widening and island construction have
been undertaken at several locations
during the past year. As examples
north side Of Florida avenue. between
New York avenue and lexington place,
was widened to provide an additional
lane Of traffic SO as to insure a con-
tinuous right-hand turn movement
from Florida avenue into lexington
place. The staggered intersection at
Seventeenth street and New York ave-
nue. northwest, has been removed and
replaced with a normal intersection
which, with the use Of an island; pro-
vides for a continuous right-hand turn
from Seventeenth street southwark in
to New York avenue. Intersection
changes prompted to relieve conges-
ton and delays and to insure greater
safety are under study for several
irregular shaped intersections. Some
of these are Second and Maryland ave-
nue. northeast, Sherman avenue and
Park road northwest and Thirteenth
and H streets northwest. For The next
several years q sum Of $50, 900 could be
advantageously and economically spent
for intersection changes, island con-
struction and minor widening.
THIRTEENTH STREET AND
FLORIDA AVENUE N.W.-It is esti-
mated that to provide q viaduct cross
ing of Thirteenth street over Florida
avenue would cost $175.000. Unless
extensive widening Of the Thirteenth
street roadway is undertaken at the
same time. access by roadway to the