Evening star., 1941-03-02

way Department ana the planning
agency have recognized a time was
coming when arterial city streets
would become crowded to capacity
and when Rock Creek Park would
stand as an insuperable barrier to
effective croSs-city traffic routes
particularly bus lines. The planning
body. since it's creation, has from
time to time studied the problem OF
what is to be done about Rock Creek
Park crossings and need for bigger
and better up and down town traftlc
routes.
It was not until the District APP
preparation Act of 1910 was enacted,
however, that $4,000 was set aside
for a study and report to Congress.
Action to Be Sought.
Under this appropriation the
tecnnicians of the Park and Plan
ming Commission, Office of National
Capital Parks and District Highway
Department have made variety OF
preliminary studies, but nothing
definite has been brought forth. Now
an effort is to be made to put Tor"
ward a plan of action.
Behind this determination lies the
fact that there is now available in
complete form the "origin and desti-
nation traffic survey" prepared by
the highway department in cooper.
alton with the Public Roads Admin
istration. BY actual count it has
been determined ''how many vehicles
pass by here, where they come from
and where they are going" The
survey shows that the main traffic
arteries serving the Central North
west, Sixteenth street, Connections
avenue and Massachusetts avenue
have virtually reached the saturation
point.
Recent agitation for a croSs-town
bus route has shown the need for
better bridges over Rock Creek.
It has been pointed out that the
low-level bridges over Rock Greek
are not designed to carry the weight
of a loaded bus. Then again, ex.
perience has shown how difficult it
is for any appreciable amount OF
private vehicular traffic to cross the
central portion of the park on exist
ing roadWays. Such as do make
the crossing cause congestion In
an area, which, park officials said
yesterday, should be reserved for
those wishing to enjoy the park and
not those wishing merely to cross 1t.
According to those familiar with
these problems, there are two ways
of relieving up and down town traffic.
One, they said, is to widen city
streets to the limit and impose
stringent parking restrictions. In
the case Of Connecticut avenue, they
said widening has reached its limits
and the only further thing that can
be done would be to depress the
two central lanes for through traffic
or construct an elevated roadway.
The second course is to extend
Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway
northward, they said.
Need for Bridges.
All concerned with the survey
are in agreement that at least two
and perhaps three more high level
bridges will have to be built across
Rock Creek at Military road. Tilden
street and Klingle road. The first,
according the plans now most
favored, would span the park from
point near the intersection Of
Beach drive and Military road to
either connect with Kennedy street
or Concord avenue NV. The Sec
ond would run from point near
Tilden street and Linnean avenue
NV. to a point in the vicinity Of
Taylor street NV. The location
of the third is at present indefinite
and it may be decided that third
will be unnecessary.
However, there are a variety Of
ideas for extensions of the park
way northward. For instance there
are two distinct plans for taking
the parkway through the Zoo.
In the first the roadway would
cross Rock Creek from its present
terminus at the south boundary
of the Zoo and follow the existing
park road to the wolf dens at the
southern extremity of the Zoo.
From there a 1,300-foot tunnel
would be constructed under the
Zoo, bringing the parkway out into
the open near Klingle road at the
northern boundary of the Zoo.
The other, instead of tunneling
under the Zoo would proceed by
means of a shorter tunnel of about
600 feet to the east of Rock Greek,
bringing the parkway out near
Harvard street NV.
From the Zoo northward present
plans for the parkway extension
are even more varied, falling
roughly into three categories.
One type would run the parkway
on up the valley of Rock Creek to
a point near Blagden avenue and
Broad Branch road and there di-
vide it. One branch would pro-
ceed UP the west side of the park
on high land and the other up the
east side, similarly on high ground.
Thus, proponents of this plan
claim, the valley of Rock Greek. that
part of the park which is most de-
sirable from a park standpoint.
would be protected from heavy
duty.
Creek Route Favored.
There are others, however, who
have advocated simply extending
the parkway northward along the
banks of Rock Creek itself. Still
a third plan is advanced by those
who feel the District should solve
its traffic problems outside of the
parks. In this type the parkway
would end in the vicinity of Blagden
avenue and Broad Branch road and
existing city streets, Broad Branch
road, Sixteenth street and oregon
avenue. would be adapted to heavy
duty from there on out.
Broad Branch road presents a
major bottleneck in this plan be-
cause of the narrow right of way
available. Some officials advocate
the covering over of Broad Branch
itself and the construction of the
parkway extension on top of it.
In all likelihood the bridges and
the extension will be accomplished
piecemeal At present highway,