Evening star., 1939-04-21
Through Route
To Miss D. {.
Center Pushed
Planners Consider
New Road Around
Congested Areas

Development of a new park motor
road through the District avoiding
most of the congested area was
taken under consideration today by
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
The proposed route, from Balti-
more to the South, would follow the
line of the proposed Baltimore
Washington parkway through the
Anacostia River Valley with new
branch to connect with United
States No at Highway Bridge.
Col. David McCoach, District
Engineer Commissioner; Capt. H. c..
Whitehurst, director Of the Dis
trict Highway Department, and C.
Marshall Finnan, superintendent OF
National Capital Parks, took part
In the preliminary discussion. The
commission authorized preparation
of more detailed plans.
The commission also considered
preliminary plans for a grade sepa-
ration project at Fourteenth street
and Maine avenue S.W.. including
the bottle neck bridge across the
Tidal Basin. More detailed studies
of this project also will be made.
Library Plans Presented.
DR.. George F.. BoWerman. libra
rian of the Public Library, and
Nathan Wyeth, District architect,
presented a series of alternative
plans for the new District Library
Building in the municipal center
area. The new plans provide for util
ization of all of the square bounded
by Pennsylvania avenue. c street,
John Marshall place and Sixth
street NV. Room is provided for
Offices for the Board of Education
in the western portion of the build
ing.
DR.. Bowerman explained that the
central portion of the Library
Building on the Pennsylvania ave-
nue. side between the Ford Building
and the old National Hotel will be
constructed as the first unit This
unit will house the administrative
Offices of the District library system
and the catalogue and binding divi-
sions and other working units. 1t
may be possible to open some public
service in the first unit of the build
ing. he said. The present Central
Library Building, at Seventh street
and New York avenue NV, will
serve as branch library after the
new building is completed. DR.. Bow
erman explained.
The Commission Of Fine Arts
joined with the Park and Planning
group to consider relocation of the
Mount Vernon highway around
Washington National Airport now
under construction at Gravelly Point.
A decision as to the exact route was
expected to be made later in the day.
Armory Plans Prepared.
The Procurement Division of the
Treasury Department is preparing
plans for a District National Guard
armory building of monumental type
for the East Capitol street site, it was
announced after the commission late
yesterday reiterated its approval of
this location.
The commission approved an
agreement between President Roose-
welt and Chairman Collins of the
House District Appropriations Sub
committee to change the armory To-
cation back to East Capitol street
with the understanding that neces-
sary amendments would be made in
the Senate to the District Appropria-
tions bill. The bill carries an item
inserted by the House Committee
providing $150,000 for the purchase
of an armory site in Southwest
Washington and the preparation of
plans.
Approve Land Transfer.
The commission approved legisla-
ton authorizing the transfer OF
lands from the Columbia Institution
for the Deaf to provide approaches
for a Mount Olivet road overpass
across the Baltimore e. Ohio Rail-
road and continuation of the road
through Brentwood Park to Ninth
street NE.
Extension of the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad freight trackage from o to
@ street S.W., in the Buzzards Point
area east Of the Army War College
to serve the growing industrial CEN
ter there was approved.
The commission approved trans
Ter of the large ChopaWamsic rec
reational area west of Quantico and
Triangle, Va, to the District park
system for supervision of the Office
OF National Capital Parks.
John Nolen, jr.. director of PLAN
80
mission staff, presented plans for
development of the George WASH
ington Memorial Parkway on the
Maryland side of the Potomac River
from the District line to Great Falls.
These plans were approved as a
basis for further and more detailed
studies
The way was cleared for purchase
of land in unit of the Anacostia
Parkway, above Bladensburg, Md,
when the commission approved
taking lines for the unit, for
which Federal and State funds are
available under the Capper-Cram-
ton Act. Taking lines for unit /,
from the District line to Bladens-
burg, have been approved and this
section now is being purchased and
prepared for flood work and
development as a recreational area
q. and motor parkway.
The commission approved State
legislation authorizing the commits
sioners OF Montgomery County, Nd,
to issue $4,000 of bonds to finance
development of the Bethesda Rec
reational Center recently trans
ferred by the Agriculture Depart
ment.
Approval also was given to Mary
land legislation to enlarge the plan
ming and zoning area of the Mary
land National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.