Evening star., 1940-08-02
Planning Board
Studies Road
Improvements
Grade Separation
Project at 18th and
Maine Heads List

The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, in the second
Gay of its two-day midsummer
meeting, turned the spotlight today
on major District highway improve
ments. No decisions had been
reached by noon, however.
Heading the list was the grade
separation planned for the inter-
section of Fourteeth street and
Maine avenue SW Capt. H. C.
Whitehurst. District highway di-
rector, who has already been before
the commission with number of
plans, brought revised plans before
the planning body today
Whitehurst Desires Approval.
Thomas S. Settle, commission sec
retary, said Capt Whitehurst was
exceedingly deSirous of having the
commission give final approval of
his scheme so that he might 60 full
speed ahead on budget estimates for
next year. Some funds for the traf-
fic project are already available, but
more need to be appropriated before
1t can be built.
Capt. Whitehurst told the COM
mission the project would likely cost
$500000 and would unsnarl an inter
section used by an average of $4,000
vehicles daily.
Park officials, disturbed because
plans to date for the grade separa-
ton use too freely to adjacent West
Potomac Park sat in on the meeting
today, Some understanding between
the Highway Department and the
official of National Capital Parks
was expected. but at noon park
officials had yet to have their chance
to criticize the propect as it is now
planned.
Widening Project.
Another important highway i'm
provement-the widening of Massa-
chusetts avenue between Rock Greek
Park and Wisconsin avenue NV
was to receive consideration. The
194l District Appropriation Act pro-
vides for the improvement" of
MdSSdClluSelGS dNelluc dJ IIllS pOlIlt
but omits widening.
Capt. Whitehurst and the plan
hers, however, feel that the present
roadway is inadequate for the traffic
1t bears and also is dangerous. They
consider any real improvement
would involve widening. Plans have
been prepared by the Highway De-
partment to widen the street at the
same time new pavement is put on.
The commission also was to con-
slider ways and means of moving
the emergency pumphouse situated
on the Rock Creek and Potomac
parkway Immediately below Massa-
chusetts avenue NV. because it
stands in the way of eliminating
the present sharp curve and bottle
neck where the parkway UNDER
passes the avenue. Revised plans
for the Fort drive and plans for
extending transit services to new
Government buildings in the South
west section, principally the new
Railroad Retirement and Social Sc
curity Buildings, also we're to be
taken up.
Memorial Parkway.
The commission was to turn its
attention this afternoon to the
George Washington Memorial park
way. 1t was to consider contracts
for the purchase of additional land
for the parkway right-of way above
Key Bridge in Arlington County,
Va, and between the District line
and Great Falls in Montgomery
County, Md. 1t also was to consider
preliminary plans for extending the
parkway in Prince Georges County
from Fort Foote to Fort Washing
ton and for untangling traffic on the
Mount Vernon Memorial parkway
where it passes through Alexandria.
After announcing number OF
important additions to the city's
park, parkway and playground sys-
tenn yesterday, the planning COM
mission tentatively approved its
land purchase program for 1912 and
its administrative budget for that
year. 1t also announced the ap-
pointment of Maj. B. c. Snow, As
sistant Engineer Commissioner for
the District, to the Co-ordinating
Committee-a group of executives
in Government agencies affected by
the commissions work who whip
plans into shape before they are pre-
sented to the commission. Maj.
Snow takes the place of Maj. Patrick
Tansey, who has been ordered to
other Army duty.
Later in the day the commission
announced its recommendation that
all possible haste be made to COM
plete Government buildings now
under construction and that gen.
eral purpose office building, asked
by President Roosevelt in January
but deleted from the appropriations
bill by Congress. be provided this
year. This building, as before, would
be situated on the north side of
Lincoln Square and would be one
of the first built in the East Capitol
street development.
Street Closing Opposed.
The commission, in considering
the East Capitol street plan in gen.
eral, yesterday signified that it op-
posed the closing of North Carolina
and Massachusetts, avenues where
they cross the eastern axis of the
city, as shown in sketch plans pre-
pared by the Public Buildings Ad-
ministration. 1t also abandoned
plans to widen B streets NE. and
Sc. to the extent where additional
property would have to be bought,
as the cost would be prohibitive.
The commission directed its staff
to study the feasibility of widening
A and B streets NE. and Sc. only
slightly and making them one-way
IN opposite directions with diagonal
connections to Constitution and In
dependence avenues, thus handling
through traffic.
The commission yesterday ap-
pointed special committee COM