Evening star., 1941-04-27
Officials Plan
Street Projects
PrioritiesLi
Hearings Expected
To Be Called on
AZ Million Program

If general" approval is given to
the vast array of proposed high
way projects outlined by Highway
Department officials in the survey
report made public Thursday night,
a list of priorities will be pre-
pared, Engineer Commissioner Da-
vid McCoach said yesterday.
The first step in consideration
of the S44,500,000 program, how
ever he emphasized, will be to call
a hearing to get the views of the
public and taxpayers on the whole
situation.
While Col. McCoach has been
the only Commissioner in the city
since the survey results were an
nounced, it is expected the Board
of Commissioners will order pub
lie hearing before congressional &C.
ton is asked.
Capt. H. C. Whitehurst, highway
director, who headed the group Of
officials drafting the recommends
tions, said he was prepared to
suggest what group of projects in
the list was the most urgent, but
that he felt this priority list should
not be prepared until after public
reactions had been recorded at the
planned public hearings.
Projects Include Tunnel.
Construction of vehicular tunnel
for the Potomac River, to provide a
new connection between Blue Plains
and Alexandria, was one Of the ma
jor projects suggested in the survey
report. Capt. Wnitehurst indicated
yesterday this project would not be
placed anywhere close to the top
of priority list of projects. although
he regards the development as high
ly desirable" because of the "spe-
cial' nature of the project, involving
District, Virginia and Federal in
terestS.
The proposed tunnel for the
Potomac" said Capt. Whitehurst,
should receive special study as 10
the methods of financing, because
this project is one of special rather
than regular nature, and Is out of
the regular run of local highway op-
erationS"
The first of series Of informal
conferences between District and
Alexandria officials already has
been held on the tunnel proposal.
Capt. WhitehurSt conferred late Fri
day with Carl Budwesky. city man
ager of Alexandria, and John Nolen,
jr., representative of the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission. Later, Capt. Whitehurst
said the discussion was entirely gen.
eral and that no decisions had been
| reached.
? Hope for Big U. S. Share.
District officials believe that the
District must bear a reasonable
portion of the cost of this tunnel,
if it is adopted as part of the pro-
gram; that Alexandria or Virginia
authorities would have to assume
the cost at least of provision of spe-
cial and adequate approach roads
and connections on the Virginia
side; and there is hope In some
| quarters that the United States
Government would bear consider
able part of the cost since the prof.
| ect is conceived as having value to
the United States as to defense and
for facilities promoting defense OF
| the National Capital
/ However, Capt. Whitehurst sug-
gested that because of the size Of
this project, the fact that it in
wolves two Jurisdictions and because
of its proximity to Boiling Field.
the Naval Air Station and the WASH
ington National Airport-all involv-
ing special considerationS-the plan
ming, designing and erection of the
structure, even after financial ar
rangements were completed, would
take some considerable time.
With the return to the city OF
Commissioner John Russell Young
and Melvin C. Hazen, it is expected
that plans will be formulated soon
for the calling of public hearings.