Evening star., 1937-12-05
TWO COMMISSIONS
TO STUDY PROJECT
ON CIRCLE TRAFFIC
Park and Planning and Fine
Arts Units to Meet
December is.
UNDERPASS AT DUPONT
TO BE AMONG PROBLEMS
Final Plans for Flood Control on
Monument Grounds to Be
Presented.

The first joint session in several
months between the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission and
the Fine Arts Commission will be
held December 16, it was learned yes
terday, and among the problems for
the. future development Of the city
to be considered will be the projected
underpass for traffic at Dupont Circle.
John Nolen, jr, director of plan
ming Of the Planning Commission,
said the question Of redesign OF the
park area of the circle will be dis
cussed, as we'll as the problem as to
whether or not the vista should be
left open.
Final plans for flood control at
the rear Of the Navy and Munitions
Buildings, as well as on the WASH
ington Monument grounds, will be
presented to the two commissions
Maj. Walter D. Luplow, district en-
gineer for the War Department for
the Washington area, will present
the newly-designed program and ex-
plain its details. He mas funds in
hand with which to proceed imme-
diately on the flood control levee.
Columbia Island Plaza.
The Columbia Island Plaza and the
traffic connection with the Lee boule-
ward will receive attention at the Joint
session. The Branch of Plans and De-
sign Of the National Park Service, In
terror Department, has been studying
this problem and the Bureau of Public
Roads of the Department Of Agricul-
ture is now engaged In constructing q
railroad overpass and road connections
in the George Washington Memorial
Parkway. Virginia authorities are
building q new Lee boulevard at the
northern section of Fort Myer, Va, to
connect with the Arlington Memorial
Bridge.
The two commissions will direct
their attention to landscape plan for
the Great Plaza, just east Of the De-
partment Of Commerce At present,
this is in the status in which it was
left when the contractors built the new
buildings in the Triangle. and the area
is filed with parked automobiles. The
two groups will consider the problem
Of automobile parking when the Great
Plaza is completed in accordance with
the long-standing program and the
memorial fountain is erected there
Many proposals have been made for
caring for the automobile parking
situation, among them underground
facilities. but engineers say that the
high level of the water table in that
area adds to the problem. .
May Extend Scope.
The Fine Arts Commission sponsors
regulations under the Shipstead-Luce
Act, designed to give the Federal Gov
ernment control over the types Of
architecture of buildings erected over
looking public buildings and parks.
1t is now proposed, by an act of Con-
gress, to extend the scope Of the legis-
lation and the two commissions on
December 16 will discuss the advisa-
bility Of this program.
The joint session will deliberate on
the proposal to have suitable exhibit
of the plan Of Washington at the
New York City World Fair in 1899.
Mr.. Nolen explains that under the
present plans, no provision is made
for this. The Federal Government
will have its own building and exhibits
at the fair.
The two commissions will hold sep
arate sessions during the morning Of
December 16. The Planning Com
mission proposes to meet on Decem-
ber 16 and II and will have number
Of matters on the agenda. The de-
tailed program for the meeting Of the
planners has not yet been announced.
This program will have the approval
Of Frederic A. Delano, planners
chairman, and Arno B. Cammerer,
director of the National Park Service,
who is executive and vice chairman of
the group
H. P. Caemmerer, executive officer
of the Fine Arts Commission, is now
engaged in drafting the program Of
subjects to be considered at the sep
arate meeting Of his group. Gilmore
D. Clarke, the new chairman Of the
Fine Arts Commission, will lead his
group into the joint sessions Of the
planners in that capacity for the
first time.