Evening star., 1940-02-11
By Joseph S. Edgerfon.

Dp JOSCpH ~ LOXeTtOW.
Great Federal construction pro-
grams now in progress in Greater
Washington, many of them going
forward into the 1940-50 decade, are
OF interest and importance to all
American citizens who take pride in
their Capital as a symbol of the
greatness and growing strength Of
the United States.
Residents of the District of Co.
lumbia naturally share this feeling
Of pride and satisfaction in the
growth of the Federal City. The
District resident, however, also has
a cause for local pride and -satisfac-
ton in the purely civic progress
which is being made at the start Of
this new decade.
Exceeded only in scale by the
great Federal projects, the Districts
municipal building programs which
now are under way are perhaps more
important to the local government
than are the national building pro-
grams here to the National Govern
ment.
During the 1940-50 decade, the
District faces the transfer of its seat
of government from the present out
grown District Building at Four
teenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. NV, to the new Municipal Gen.
ter, where the first unit of a beau-
tiful and impressive group of build
ings now is far advanced. This
transfer-one of the most important
physical changes in administration
Of local affairs in many decades-is
merely one of the vital changes now
in progress which will affect the
local government and civic progress
during the new decade.
Rivals Federal Program.
Although the Municipal Center
program, involving the construction
of two large administration build
ings, a great new Central Library
and home for the Board of Educa-
ton. and probably other larger struc-
lures, for which tentative provisions
already have been made, rivals
some phases of the massive Federal
program, it is in turn rivaled by
changes which are being made in the
District judiciary building group
north of the Municipal Center.
Physically, the new Municipal
Center group will be more than
worthy companion to the monu-
mental Federal building group in
the Mall Triangle. So intimately
is it tied in with that great develop
ment that 1t is difficult to consider
the one without also taking into
account the other. From a physical
standpoint, they may be regarded
as single building project on a
scale so great as to amount to a
complete remaking of large and
vital area of downtown Washington;
a process of remaking which may
well continue throughout the new
decade.
For the changes which now are
being made along both sides of
Pennsylvania avenue are so con-
siderable in extent that they are
attended by important and far
reaching notifications in the physi-
cal life of a large area around
them. Profound changes already
have been effected in the flow of
trafdc throughout the downtown
area, and further changes of this
sort are in prospect as new buildings
are finished and great groups Of
Federal and District workers are
moved or added to the rolls.
The changes in housing of Fed
eral and District employees also have
an important effect on the COM
mercial life of the entire area in
which they occur; the remodeling
and construction of additional shop
and store facilities In the area Is
proceeding on a scale in keeping
with the public building programs.
The wholesale rerouting of traffic
which is taking place as a result
Of the present building programs
also may be expected to have its
effect on private housing in the
entire area affected.
Many Streets Widened.
The increasing traffic congestion
which has resulted from the growth
of downtown Washington has left
lasting effects in the physical make
up Of the city. Many streets have
been widened during the past few
years-few Of the north-bound