Evening star., 1937-02-09
STREET PROGRAM
PROPOSED, COST
SEEN $1Q,0DD,0DO
Details of Estimates on
Extensive Improvements
Disclosed.
UNDERPASSES ASKED
AT TWO OF CIRCLES
Five-Year Plan Of Widening
Main Arteries Involves EST.
mated $3,741,300.

mated 30, 741 ,3OO.
Street widening, underpasses and a
long list Of other changes designed to
expedite traffic, suggested last May by
a special subcommittee of the House
District Committee, would cost the Dis
trict upward of $4,000, 900, according
to estimates made today by Highway
Director Herbert c. Whitehurst.
Details of his estimates, submitted
two weeks ago to Engineer Commits
sioner Dan I. Sultan, were released as
the Commissioners prepared to study
the suggested program. A report is to
be submitted to the House District
Committee.
Among the important specific items
suggested in the program outlined by
the House subcommittee, which was
headed by Representative Carpenter,
are the construction of q street-car
underpass for Dupont Circle and the
revamping Of both Thomas and Scott
Circles.
A proposal by Capt. Whitehurst and
other District engineers for routing
Fourteenth street car tracks through
Thomas Circle provoked a storm Of
protest several years ago. The mem
bers Of the Public Utilities Commits
sion voiced doubt as to advantages
which might flow from an underpass
for Dupont Circle. They said last
Summer and repeated today they
feared bottle-necks for vehicular traf-
fic would be created at both ends Of
the subway for the circle.
Cost Estimates.
The estimates for the extensive pro-
gram suggested by the House sub
committee are broken down by Capt
Whitehurst as follows:
A flve-year program Of street WIDEN
ing, $3.741, 300. or about $740,00o a
year, which is nearly three times the
-um the District has been spending
for street widening each year.
For revamping Thomas Circle, $780,
600, and for revamping Scott Circle,
$86, 900.
Five-year bridge construction and
replacement program, $500 900, or a
program of 100000 for each of five
years; construction Of an underpass
for Dupont Circle, $285 900. If an un-
derpass were substituted for other re-
vamping plans for Thomas Circle the
cost was placed at s3O0,0O0.
Widening of the underpass in Rock
Greek Valley under the Massachusetts,
avenue viaduct, $3.50 900, and the value
OF this Capt. Whitehurst doubts. He
said an alternative plan would cost an
estimated 100000.
Pedestrian Tunnels.
Construction Of pedestrian tunnels
at Fifteenth street and New York ave-
nue. was estimated to cost $4,000;
Fourteenth street and Pennsylvania
avenue, $1,000, and Twelfth street
and Pennsylvania avenue, $4,000.
Construction of safety islands at va
rious locations would cost $4,000 q
year for several years.
Construction of overpasses at Thir-
teenth street and Florida avenue and
oS 4NS" 4oAh d410 lud avenues
northeast showed estimates of $175,000
and $150,000, respectively. Capt
Whitehurst questions the value of
either one.
The highway director submitted al
tentative estimates for the proposed
construction Of a traffic artery as a
bypass for Georgetown. He esti-
mated the cost Of building a low-level
highway on the bed of the old Chesa-
peake & Ohio Canal, from K street
to Foxhall road, with ramps con-
Meeting with Key Bridge, at 1925, 900.
Capt. Whitehurst figured the cost of
building a high-level traffic way along
K street, serving the same purpose,
at $1,430,000. The proposal for the
Georgetown bypass originated more
than q year ago with District en-
gineers. Capt. Whitehurst said that
although the canal route showed a
smaller construction cost, to this would
have to be added the cost of the right
OF way, estimates for which have
varied widely. H? favored the high
level roadway over K street.
Bridge Over Anacostia.
One of the largest of the bridge
items included in the suggested six
year program would be new span
across the Anacostia River on the
line Of South Capitol street, the total
cost of which is estimated at $780,
600. This would be scheduled for
development in the fiscal years 1912
and 1943.
There are % street-widening prof.
ects included in the suggested FIVE
year program. Estimates for nine
projects, suggested for the first year
of the program, are as follows:
Twenty-second street, from Massa-
chusetts to Pennsylvania avenues,
$149, 500: New York avenue, Four
teenth to Fifteenth streets, north
side, $4,000; Independence avenue,
Second street southeast to Maryland
avenue southwest, $175,000; Eleventh
street, Massachusetts, to Florida ave-
nues, $286,000; Twelfth street, New
York and Florida avenues, $233, 500;
Sixth street, Pennsylvania to Florida
avenues, $357,5o0; e street. Nine
teenth street to Virginia avenue, $49,-
400; Twelfth street, Constitution to
Independence avenues southwest, $84,-
500, and K street, Ninth street to
Conpectic1It ayer,IIe Sl6 6f1 000