Evening star., 1937-01-06
SEVENTH STREET
WIDENING STUDIED
| IN GALLERY PLANS
Planning Group to Consider
Proposal in Connection
With Mellon Art Gift.
MAY ANSWER PROTEST
OF SOUTHWEST AREA
Closing Of Sixth Street Brings 0p.
position-Trafic Speed-up Pos.
sible Under Development.

When the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission assemblies for its
monthly meeting, January % and 30,
q proposal will be submitted to it as
an outgrowth Of the gift of Andrew w.
Mellon Of national gallery of art, to
double the present width of Seventh
street across the Mall and provide for
the widening Of Third and Fourth
streets.
This was learned today after objec-
tions arose, particularly from South
west interests, over the projected clos.
ing of Sixth street across the Mall.
Mellon has proposed that Sixth street
be closed to permit the new building
to occupy the site at Constitution ave-
nue., from Fourth to Seventh streets.
Fifth street in that area exists merely
on paper, so that there Is no question
Of having to close that thoroughfare.
Future expansion for the National
Gallery Of Art would be eastward from
Third to Fourth streets.
Under the plan as now being drawn
Np for submission to the commission
the street car tracks would remain on
Seventh street. but that thoroughfare
would be doubled on both sides of the
rails. Third street would be made IAN
important thoroughfare" and Fourth
street likewise would be given prefer
ential treatment.
SpeedUp Seen Under Plan.
The widening of Seventh street to
double its present width, officials said,
would increase traffic across Consti-
tuition and Pennsylvania avenues, but
would cut it down at the cross streets.
This, they believe. would have the ef-
feet of speeding up the movement Of
automobiles in that area.
While objections are being heard
over the closing of Sixth street,
officials pointed out that the South
west is being given consideration.
They cited the fact that on the south
side of the Mall. on Independence ave.
nue.. the Federal Government is dupli-
eating the broad highway that was
built on the north side of Constitution
avenue.
independence avenue recently has
been widened and the plans of the
city's developers call for its extension
eastward to Capitol Hill. This. they
say, will provide Southwest with an
imposing thoroughfare.
Tunnel Plan Recalled.
Another proposal that received at
tention some years ago by the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, was the plan to tunnel
under the Mall on all the major cross
streets. thus reducing the grade cross
ing hazard. If this were done at
the site of the proposed National CAL
lery of Art, officials declared, it would
likely mean burrowing under the
building itself, costly undertaking,
to keep Sixth street open to trafic.
A Government official unconnected
with the Planning Commission put
the problem thus:
Shall we keep Sixth street open
as it is and run the risk of Washing
ton losing the valuable art collection
that will bring thousands Of visitors
to our city annually?"
In the enabling legislation, soon to
be introduced in Congress to permit
the official acceptance of Melons art
gifts and the construction of the new
building, Sixth street is to be closed
from Constitution avenue to Inde-
pendence avenue. Mellon himself sug-
gested this in the correspondence be-
tween the President and himself, made
public on Sunday. Under the proposed
legislation, the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission will be
given authority to study the street
layout in conjunction with the gallery.
Frederic A. Delano, the commits.
sion's chairman, has written South.
west interests, assuring them that his
group will give the closing of Sixth
street thorough study"
G. Marshall Finnan. superintendent
Of the National Capital Parks, told
The Star that the closing of Sixth
street would enhance the value Of the
Mall. He believes that this great
central park Is already too cut up by
the many cross streets that not only
constitute traffic hazards but chop up
the strip Of greensward into too many
checkerboards.