Evening star., 1943-01-17

ceremonies.
Cooperating with the District
will be the Highways Committee of
1918 pm. the committee will hold a
lunch at Herzogs Sea Food Restau-
rant, Eleventh street and Maine ave-
hue S.W. The committee said that
1t had invited large group of Fed
eral and District officials to take part
in the luncheon program, which will
be concluded at l 10 pm, when the
group of about so will walk to the
grade-separation structure for the
opening.
Highway Director H c. White
hurst said last week that he con-
sidered the project one of the most
important undertaken in years and
that when it is finally completed,
1t will relieve the most highly con-
gested spot in the city.
First Planned In 1889.
The grade-separation structure
originally was planned in 1899 and
Congress included in the 1910 Dis
trict Appropriation Act funds for the
preparation of preliminary plans and
surveys, which were completed in
the latter part of 1910. Construction
of the low-level bridge was author
lied by Congress in the 1912 Appro-
priation Act and work was actually
started on this structure in October,
1941.
The grade-separation project made
1t necessary to extend the railroad
bridge across Maine avenue. 1t was
also necessary to complete the build
ing of the low-level bridge and the
paving of Fifteenth street prior to
starting work on the main structures
along Fourteenth street in order to
provide adequate detour routes dur
ing the construction of the major
projects.
Director Whitehurst said that
when the necessity arose for the i'm
provement of the approaches to the
Potomac River bridges it was evident
that the program of construction
that had been developed on normal
basis had to be speeded up.
Emphasizing the congestion at
Fourteenth street and Maine avenue,
Mr.. Whitehurst said that the turn
ing OF streetcars into Maine avenue
from Fourteenth street seriously in
terfered with the heavy traffic that
flowed north and south along Four
teenth street Traffic through this
intersection averaged $4,000 vehicles
day and traffic as high as 1000
vehicles day has been recorded.
More Tie-ups in Summer.
During the spring and summer
months, when traffic from Hains
Point flowed directly into Fourteenth
street, Mr.. Whitehurst said that
congestion was complicated still fur
ther. He said that during the peak
periods, traffic would bank up for
several blocks in all directions and
at times extended to the Virginia
side of the Highway Bridge.
Highway Bridge is carrying today,
Mr.. Whitehurst said, a traffic vol
urne of $4,000 vehicles, and with
the completion of Federal Govern
ment buildings in Virginia and an
anticipated increase in commercial
traffic the bridge probably will car
ry as large volume of traffic as it
Gid prior to the emergency. High
way Bridge is on u. S. route No. /,
main connection between the
North and South, and is used ex-
tensively by commercial traffic, he
said.
At present paving and incidental
work at Fourteenth and c streets Is
IN progress, the last remaining work
to be undertaken on the surface
so that traffic flow along Fourteenth
street above Maine avenue may be
restored. The ramp road from the
structure to Maine avenue prob
ably will not be completed for
few days after the main structure
Is opened to traffic.
The completion of the car termi-
nal, which will be used by employees
Of adjoining Federal buildings,
should follow the opening of the
street to traffic by about one week,
Mr.. Whitehurst said. The main
structure and the car terminal cost
approximately Sl,0UU,UUU.
MIR. Whitehurst expressed the
opinion that the use of the terminal
by Federal employees would result in
a higher degree of safety in that
area.
The preliminary and final plans
were approved by the Fine Arts
Commission and the National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commission
and the National Capital Parks. The
project as originally set up was to
be financed over a period of years,
with the exception of the low-level
bridge, as Federal aid highway
project. The final plans included
the construction of the underground
terminal at Fourteenth and C streets
as q part of the grade-separation
project at Fourteenth street and
Maine avenue.
Mr.. Whitehurst said that the ex-
tension of the railroad bridge, the
low-level bridge, paving and incl
dental work will add another 81 ,OOo.-
600 to the cost of the project. It
has been financed from a combina-
ton Of District, regular Federal-aid
funds, grade-crossing and access
road funds.