Evening star., 1941-12-06
Roads Officials
Await 0. K. by
Arlington
Dispute on Bypass
Holds Up Final
Decision on Network

With preliminary work already
underway on the elaborate l5-mile
system of highways which will serve
the new War Department Building
in Arlington County, Federal Off
cials today were awaiting approval
of the S7,000000 highway plan by
the Arlington County Board.
The boards sanction, held up
thus far because of differences be-
tween county and Federal officials
over a part of the plan, will be
needed before the gigantic project
can be carried to completion. ac-
cordlng to Joseph Barnett, principal
highway design engineer of the Pub
lie Roads Administration.
County officials favor the entire
program with the exception of part
of the Alexandria bypass route.
Under the plan made public yes
terday by the Federal Works Agency
and Public Roads Administration,
this route would biSect tract on
Arlington Ridge road near Columbia
pike. for which a S7000,000 apart
nent hotel has been approved.
Would Relocate Bypass.
The nearby Virginia authorities
have been trying to have the by
pass relocated so that the hotel
could be built, and County Manager
Frank C. Hanrahan said yesterday
that. in his opinion, the plans were
not vet final and that Arlington
planning officials still believe the
alternate route they suggested could
be substituted for the route pro-
vlded in the plan.
I'VE don't want to be placed in
the position of fighting the Gov
ernment," he said. He added that
he believes the proposed hotel
''means as much to the District and
to the Army and Navy as 1t does
to the county or any one else because
of the housing accommodations it
would provide.
Mr. Barnett, in talk before the
Board of Trades Highway Com
mittee. explained the Arlington
boards approval would be needed
for closing certain streets and for
other operations vital to completion
of the system. Preliminary work
already is under way. and will be
continued, he said, but the entire
project cannot be finished unless
the board approves It.
Cite Directness of Route.
PR. A. officials, in making public
details of the highway project, had
explained they had given careful
consideration to the proposed reloca-
ton to save the hotel property, but
pointed out that the land is in direct
line with the proposed route skirt
ing Alexandria. They said the large
volume of traffic this section of the
system would carry will justify the
most direct routing that can be
obtained.
Illustrating his talk with slides
showing the path which vehlcular
traffic will follow IN entering the
area of the new War Department
Building from every direction, Mr..
Barnett told the Highway Commit
tee that the project not only Will
relieve traffic congestion. but will
give Arlington County a system OF
roads that will maintain its express
nonstop characteristics through
all the inevitable development OF
the county as a densely populated
metropolitan area"
Gives Illustration of Speed.
When the system is completed
and the Fourteenth street and Maine
avenue SW. grade separation prof.
ect is finished, he said, motorlst
will be able to drive, nonstop, from
Fourteenth street and Independence
avenue to Falls Church in less than
10 minutes without going over so
miles an hour.
Discussing plans for the District
side of the river in connection with
the Arlington project. Highway Di-
rector H. c. Whitehurst said work
Is being speeded on the grade sepa-
ration structure at the foot of Four
teenth street, the widening of
Twenty third street from Memorial
Circle to Washington Circle; eX-
tension of Independence avenue
from Fourteenth street to Memorial
Circle, and the K street extension
to connect with Key Bridge.
These projects originally had
been planned for completion over
period of five or six years, he said,
but with the advent of the huge
War Department structure. it has
now become necessary to complete
the job within approximately year