Evening star., 1938-02-03
PLANNERS WEIGH J..
TRAFFIC PROBLEM
Commission Also Expected
to Consider Library
Site and Armory.

Plans for an adequate memorial to
Thomas Jefferson were the subject Of
joint conference between the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission and the Fine Arts Com
mission this afternoon. Although Rep
resentative Boylan, Democrat, of New
York. chairman Of the Thomas Jef1er-
son Memorial Commission, was i'll. DR..
Fiske Kimball of Philadelphia was pre-
pared to act as spokesman for the COM
mission
Meeting separately this morning, the
planners approved drawings for new
armory for the National Guard near
the end OF East Capitol street, on the
banks Of the Anacostia River, leaving
out most Of the properties that have
been built upon in that area. Col.
Dan I. Sultan. Engineer Commissioner
Of the District, said he will take the
approved plans to the subcommittee
of the Senate Appropriations Commit
tee considering the District bill to have
the revision incorporated in the meas
ure. The armory Is planned for the
area between Nineteenth and Twenty
hrst, A and B streets NE, and IS ad-
jacent to the projected parade ground
and stadium designed for that section.
The Planning Commission approved
plans submitted by the Bureau Of Pub
lie Roads Of the Department Of Agri-
culture for . two-lane highway be-
tween the District line and Fort Foote,
Nd, in the George Washington Memo
rial Parkway. This provides for two
20-foot roadways separated by . 20
foot strip Of park land. This is con-
ceived IS comparable to the Mount
Vernon Memorial Highway on the Vir-
ginia side Of the Potomac.
Thomas S. Settle, secretary Of the
Planning Commission. said two al
Tentative routes will be provided
through the city to link up the George
Washington Memorial Parkway on the
Maryland side Of the river up to Great
Falls. The Fort drive. which will con-
meet the chain Of Civil War forts en-
circling the city. viii be one alterna-
tive for this, while the other will be
by way Of Conduit road, the Rock
Creek and Potomac Parkway sought for
K street, Potomac Park on the project
ed new drive along the Washington
Channel water front connecting up
the south end Of the District with the
parkway.
Approval was given by the planners
to minor changes for the boundaries
Of the Fort drive, In the vicinity OF
Anacostia Park. as well rs the trans
fer Of . triagle, now owned by the
District government, to the National
Capital Parks Bureau, at Nebraska
avenue and Forty-fifth street NV.
Members Of the commission are ex-
pected to comment on report on au-
tomobile parking and trafnc in down.
town Washington, prepared by q COM
mittee headed by william A. Delano
Of New York, prominent architect and
. member Of the commission. A round
table discussion Of the report was
planned in an effort to map remedial
measures for present congestion in the
central area.
The commission will turn its atten-
ton to the new central library site
planned on Pennsylvania avenue, op-
posite the Mellon Art Gallery, which
is now under construction at Seventh
street and Constitution avenue NV
This is projected on land purchased
by the District government for part OF
its Municipal Center development
At - ~
Mr.. Settle will lay before his COL
leagues 4 report on pending legislation
Paramount in this, since the last meet
ing Of the commission, Is the measure
introduced by Chairman King Of the
Senate District Committee; IN ex
omcio member Of the planners, to
rewrite the obsolete 1920 Zoning Act
This measure was approved at the
last meeting Of the commission, at
the request Of the District Commis-
Moners.
Norman G. Brown, land purchasing
omcer Of the commission, was pre-
pared to request authority for final
action on Q number Of contracts fof
purchasing property that will be util-
lied for parks, parkway and recreation
center development.
Several problems relating to streets
also are under confederation by the
planners. Included Is . proposal to
shift eastward the line Of . proposed
street, near Alabama and Pennsylvania
avenue sc, opermit . commercial
development there.