Evening star., 1941-01-10
Rich Attacks
Underpass Plan
For 18th Street
House Member Urges
Massachusetts Ave.
Route for Project
BACKGROUND.

to route the s345, 900 Scott Circle
underpaSS on Sixteenth street
rather than Massachusetts, aDe-
nue. provoked organized protest
from residents OF area. Many
contended auenue should 90 un-
der circle, as in case OF Thomas
Circle underpdSS; others protest.
ed property iUould deprecidte
more heauily under the commits
sion's plan. Trees in line OF ap-
proach to circle 1Uere chopped
do,Un Saturday, marking actual
beginning OF construction.
Protest against the direction OF
the mderpaSS to be constructed at
Scott Circle on Sixteenth street was
made in the House today by Repre-
sentative Rich, Republican, of Penn
sylania, who placed in the record
copies of letters he had written to
the Commissioners and to Chairman
Randolf of the House District Com
mittee.
He cenSured the Park and Plan
ming Commission for the layout OF
this underpass, although he insisted
that he is in favor of the underpaSS
east and west on Massachusetts
avenue and that it should be con-
tinued in the same east and west
direction. He urged that everything
possible be done to prevent the zig
gag construction of underpasseS at
great expense, claiming the system
will have to be changed in few
years.
II realize the trees now being re-
moved will have to be destroyed to
construct the underpass, but in the
name of Heaven, why put the under
pass on Sixteenth street when you
made an underpasS at the Four
teenth street and Massachusetts,
avenue intersection, running the
underpass on Massachusetts, ave-
nue." Mr.. Rich quoted from his
letter to the District officials.
Sees Problem in Future.
THAT was fine, but suppose some
day you want to continue the un-
derpass on Massachusetts, avenue to
take care of traffic at Sixteenth
street and Massachusetts avenue,
which is heavy, and at Connecticut
and Massachusetts avenues? Why
do you not continue the underpass
on Massachusetts avenue?
1T is utterly foolhardy and ridicu-
lous and should be stopped before
1t is too late" he continued. My
advice would be to continue the
underpass from Fourteenth street
on past Sixteenth street and up
through Dupont Circle at Connecti-
cut avenue. That is the bottleneck
of your traffic. Whoever is reSpon-
sible for this blunder of making the
underpass on Sixteenth street it
should be stopped"
In a reply received from Chair
man Randolph, the latter quotes
from letter from the National
Park and Planning Commission last
July which said that the underpass
in the line of Sixteenth street is the
result of extensive study during the
past several years to the traffic prob
lem at this point by the District
Highway Department, the National
Capitol Parks Office and this COM
mission, working through the COM
missions Co-ordinating Committee.
This action Is taken in the belief
that the underpass in Sixteenth
street is the most economical and
satisfactory solution from every
point of view. Under this plan the
reservation around the Gen. Scott
Monument will be materially in
creased and most of the trees sur
rounding the Hahnemann and
Webster statues will be saved"
BOlles Backs Rich.
Chairman Randolph also reported
that the District Commissioners had
given the same sort of reply. He
said that he himself had studied
the situation at Scott Circle during
the busy period. Mr.. Randolph
wrote to Mr.. Rich that he had re-
quested the Commissioners to for
ward to him a mimeographed state
ment of the study given this ques-
ton.
II wish there was something
could do to assist you" said Mr..
Randolph. However, I personally
did not feel qualified to dispute the
statements made by qualified engi-
neers concerning the desirability of
placing the underpaSS on Sixteenth
street"
Representative Rich's contention
was supported by Representative
Bolles, Republican, of Wisconsin. a
former member of the Appropria-
tions Committee, who had vigorously
opposed including funds for this
underpass in the District appropria-
ton bill. He and other members
pledged Mr.. Rich their support in
trying to have the plans changed.