Evening star., 1941-05-06


hurst reminded.
The improvement and widening
proposals are an integral part of the
general highway program. In the
main, they are expected to elimi-
nate streets of inadequate roadway
width as a step toward greater
safety and as a means of admitting
the volume of traffic now trying to
use them.
Roadway Widths.
Most of the streets included in
this part of the program are only
80 feet wide. The absurdity OF try
ing to convert such roadway into
a path for four lane traffic is appar-
ent, the director said, when it is
recalled that the law now permits
vehicles to be as much as feet wide.
The director pointed out that
Washington is fortunate in having
right-of ways of such width as to
permit, in nearly all instances.
widening of streets without acqui-
sition of additional land In Detroit.
where an extensive highway build
ing program has been put into
effect, it was found that land acqui-
sition was by far the most costly
part of the undertaking.
But while the right-of-way widths
are sufficient in the Capital, Capt.
Whitehurst recalled that a great
many streets do not have the nee
essary roadway widths to insure a
free flow of traffic. A study con-
Quoted by the director of vehicles
and traffic revealed that the road
way area in the business or con-
gested section of Washington was
materially less than that of similar
sections in other cities.
Unusual Plan Heightens Problem.
Our unusual plan resulting in a
concentration of activities in a
limited area, together with the
comparatively brief period of time
allowed for the movement of traffic,
makes our problem still more diff
cult and acute. demanding adequate
solution" the director said
A matter of economics also enters
into the picture. Capt. White
hurst cautioned that widening OF
streets should be undertaken at
such time, if practicable, when the
work can be co-ordinated with the
necessity for existing roadway re-
placement, extensive underground
construction and abutting property
development. This, he advised, will
entail a large saving of money.
Major thoroughfare paving, with
few exceptions, concerns streets
outside of the original city. The
necessity for such work is the direct
result of city growth and the de-
mands of traffic.
Major thoroughfares included in
the program have been divided into
two classes. The first of these are
macadam roadways which must be
replaced because of narrow paving.
narrow right-of-way, poor align
ment and grade. According to Capt.
Whitehurst, every condition to make
them unsafe exists. The other class
takes in highways which have not
been developed according to the
local highway plan; In other words,
new roads which are to be opened
to take the burden of existing
routes.
Purpose of Improvements.
The general purpose of the i'm
provements, besides removing un.
safe conditions, is to provide suffi.
cient highway capacity for increased
trafic and to permit access to va.
rious sections, which, in turn, will
permit property development. Tt
illustrate the consideration which
must be given future development
the director recalled that two year!
ago, when the paving Of Minnesots
avenue Sc. and NE. was started
there were not more than q dozer
houses IN the section, wis3e at pres.