Evening star., 1941-10-18
Plans 10 Extend
independence
Avenue Rushed
Park Commission
Wants Solution to
TidoI Busin Scheme

of Independence avenue to
Memorial plaza.
At the close of its October meet
ing yesterday. the commission in
dorsed in principle plan to
lengthen the avenue from Four
teenth street to Lincoln Memorial
plaza, but was unable to give the
go ahead" to the Highway Depart
ment because of disagreement on
phase of the scheme involving the
Tidal Basin.
One of the four major highway
considered essential
to traffic movement over the Po-
tomac River bridges when 10000
occupy the projected War Depart
ment Building in nearby Arlington,
the Independence avenue project
plans call for a four lane divided
roadway through West Potomac
Park.
Designed to relieve the traffic
burden on Constitution avenue, the
extension should run in as nearly a
straight line as possible so as to
insure swift vehicular movement, the
commission feels. Adhering to a
straight line will mean crossing the
north end of the Tidal Basin by
the John Paul Jones Statue
Plans Wanted BY Nov. 13.
Getting over the basin-by bridge,
causeWay or fills the problem
commission craftsmen have been
told to work out by the time the
body meets again November 13.
Evidently hopeful Of securing Fed
eral funds to finance the project,
the Highway Department wants to
be ready to go to work as soon as
the money is forthcoming.
The District War Department
Engineers Office is opposed to filling
part of the basin because to do so
would cut down the basins capacity
TO flush out Washington Channel.
Also being considered are the
trees in West Potomac Park f1anking
existing roads. Ex officio members
of the commission in the park serv-
ice are reported to be insisting that
the trees be preserved if possible
Added weight was thrown behind
tree-saving advocates yesterday
when Secretary of the Interior Ickes
delivered his blast at park desecra-
ton in the name of defense
Mr.. Ickes gave mis- approval to the
extension plan with the reservation
that consideration be given future
values"
Tunnel Proposal Dropped.
The Interior Secretary's indict-
ment of misuse of park land also
was instrumental in the abandon
ment of scheme to facilitate traf-
flc movement on the District side of
Memorial Bridge by tunneling be-
meath the Lincoln Memorial.
The commission approved in prin-
ciple a plan for revamping Airing
ton roads in connection with the
new War Department submitted by
the Public Roads Administration.
Certain changes, however, were
asked with respect to routing of
buses, treatment of intersections and
other minor elements. Publication
of the plan, estimated to entail ex-
penditure of something like S8000,-
900 was withheld pending final ap-
proval.
Informed that the Maryland State
Roads Commission now agrees with
the commission as to the route and
specifications of the proposed Wash
ington-Baltimore parkway, the COM
mission directed P. R. A. to survey
the route and sound out officials of
the Federal properties through
which it is designed to pass.
Similar in design to the Mount
Vernon Memorial highway, the
parkway has been mapped as far as
Fort Meade by the commission and
is 20 be carried from there into
Baltimore by Maryland craftsmen
Though its exact route has not been
made public, it will originate at
the District end near the tip of
South Capitol and proceed along the
Anacostia River through Bladens-
burg and Beltsville.
Bridge Proposals Weighed.
Other business transacted yester-
day by the commission included:
l. Considering two Potomac River
bridge studies prepared by Max
Wehrly, city planner. One was a
plan for bridge between ConSti-
tuition avenue and Lee boulevard
overpaSsing Rock Greek and Po-
tomac parkway and the existing or
planned roads on the Virginia shore
The other span was designed to
link Fort drive with an opposite
spot on the Virginia side.
2. Approving a layout plan for
two laboratories and an admins
tration building for the Public
Roads Administration on the old
Letter estate above Chain Bridge in
Virginia.
g. Approving location of three
story testing laboratory building for
the Bureau of Standards on the old
Thorn estate at Reno road and Van
Ness street NV.
4. Filing for further study a plan
to increase the size of the railroad
bridge across the Potomac and make
room for four instead of two tracks
and increase the height of its center
span to permit passage of larger
vessels.
S. Approving an Alley Dwelling Au-
thority project for colored at Barry
Farm in Anacostia with respect to
the layout of streets and houses.
6. Approving two defense housing
projects, one near Falls Church, Va,
and the other at Forest Glen, Md.
T. Receiving the assurance of
Engineer Commissioner Kutz that
nothing will be done with the Blue
Plains property of the Home for the
Aged and Infirm, provided the in
stitution is removed to another 10
cation, without the advice of the
commission.