Evening star., 1941-03-23
L'Enfant Plan Blamed
For Most Of Traffic
Congestion in Capital
Overlooked Growth
OF Executive Branch,
Planning Body Reports

running poof NePoIES
The evident fact that LEnfant
In his plan of Washington, over
looked the possibility that the ex-
ecutive branch of the Government
would grow in comparison with the
legislative and judicial branches il
offered as the primary cause of traf-
fic congestion in the city in study
Of Urban Planning and Land Poll
cies" released yesterday by the Ma
tional Resources Planning Board.
Washington, AS we'll as the settle
ment at Greenbelt, Md, was included
among 144 communities in the
United States reviewed in the study
because they had been constructed
according to predetermined physi-
cal plan. The Capital was cited,
however, as by far the largest of
any of the developments under con-
sideration.
In addition to the surprising
growth of the executive branch, the
report also named as still another
cause of traffic congestion the un-
balanced distribution of population
due to the growth principally toward
the Northwest. This was said to
be because rivers and low areas
of the District originally served
as physical barriers to the spread
of settlement to the east and south.
Mode of Living Factor.
While the report allots ample
praise to L'Enfant. the Frenchman
who came here in 1891 to lay out
the city, it points out that the pres
ent mode of living is vastly differ
ent from the one he knew and that
Washington at present is larger and
richer even than LEnfant's
dreams" In view of this. it con-
cludes that there will always be
need of vigilance to defend the
gains of the past" but that there
also will be need for creative imag-
ination such as that of the original
designer "to provide for the needs
of the future"
The review of Greenbelt. in Prince
Georges County. was devoted ex-
clusively to description Of the plan
by which the community was started
and the method by which it is op-
Grated. 1t named as the possible
benefits to the locality of such a
development an increase in the
prosperity of the county as re-
suit of stimulating the growth Of
Washington in its direction. in
creased value of land. and the avail
ability of recreation facilities it af-
fords for county residents without
bringing them into the community
itself.
In its study of traffic congestion
In Washington. the Planning Board
recalled that buildings had grown
up around the Executive Mansion in
manner correct in general loca-
ton. but unfortunate in their de-
tailed adjustment to the roads.
First, for instance, came the
Treasury, then the State, War and
Navy Buildings Later, the Interior
Building arose in even less appro-
pirate place.
Triangle Causes Congestion.
But the greatest congestion. which
Is not yet at its peak, according to
the report. has been caused by the
Department of Commerce Building
and the Triangle group" These
the board described as "a degree of
concentration unforeseen, unneces-
sary and not we'll related to many
main streets of access"
Still further. on the opposite side
OF the Mall, 1t pointed out, recently
has come the expanded Department
Of Agriculture group and the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing to which
many employees come from the
northwestern suburbs through the
already crowded area north of the
Mall
AS result" the report explained
"the vicinity of Fourteenth street
and the Mall has become the center
Of the governmental concentration
and traffic congestion. To this con-
centration must be added that of
the central business district i'm
mediately north of the Mall AL
though LEnfant mentions the loca-
tion OF the three grand Departments
of State contiguous to the principal
palace white House,, his emphasis
upon evenly diffuSed distribution
and the selection of dominant sites
for public edifices hardly warrants
the assumption that he would have
subscribed to policy of concentra-
tion ill-related to the street plan.
Distribution Clearly Shown.
although he did not indicate the
location of the executive Offices on
his plan. the distribution of his DOM
insnt centers Is clearly shown. en-
tirely consistent with the policy of
diffused development. LEnfant was
also much interested in maintain
ing the equitable value of lots to be
sold to private purchasers by the
simultaneous developments of his
centers. Had he foreseen the pos
sibility of the very great growth of
the executive branch of government
in comparison with the legislative
and judicial branches, he would pre-
sunably have made some provision
other than the continued pyramid
ing of Offices adjacent to the Execu-
tive Mansion"
Upon LEnfsnt. mainly because he
was not permitted to carry out his
ideas without interference, also is
blamed the existence of inhabited
alleys 1t is explained that he laid
out the city with first considers-
ton for streets and public build
ings, and apparently none for diff
ferentiated private land use.
"As a result" the report adds,
"the subsequent use of land has
borne little or no relation to the
street system This has made it
difficult to zone the city effectively
and has been in part responsible
for the present problem of traffic
and transportation.
LEnfant Plan Disregarded.
In fairness to L'Enfant, the board
recalled that several of the prob
lens which have developed in the
city grew out Of total disregard of
the Frenchman's plan. Realization
of this in recent years, it was ex-
planned, has led to organized plan
ming, the National Park and Plan
ming Commission representing the
first single agency to do this work
since L Enfant began to put his plan