Evening star., 1943-07-11
Continued From Page C-1.'

facilities where needed in the District
of Columbia. The importance of this
agency cannot be overemphasized. AS
stated heretofore, there is no purpose
in creating arterial highways which
will generate and invite additional NOV
ing traffic unless adequate steps are
taken to provide for the disposition Of
that traffic upon its reaching a destina-
tion within the present congested areas.
think 1t well here to give a brief
resume of that portion of our program
which has been accomplished before 60
ing on to those plans now in progress
and to future projects.
In connection with the construction
OF the new Pentagon Building in Ar
lington, Va. and the network of high
ways on the Virginia side of the
Potomac River, it became incumbent
upon District authorities to accelerate
that portion of the program which was
to have provided adequate approaches
on the District of Columbia side of the
Potomac River. This program required
the construction of the Fourteenth and
Maine avenue grade separation structure
and underground street car terminal at
Fourteenth and C streets S.W.; the ex-
tension of independence avenue across
Potomac Park, from Fourteenth street
S.W. to the Arlington Memorial Bridge,
including bridge across the northern
tip of the Tidal Basin and approach
roadways to the bridge and Maine ave-
nue.; the widening and improvement of
Twenty-third street NV, from Con-
stitution avenue to Washington Circle,
including an underpass at Virginia
avenue; the widening and improvement
and, in one small section, the extension
Of Twenty third street NV, from N
street to @ street; the widening and
improvement Of Independence avenue
S.W. from Sixth to Twelfth street,
Maine avenue S.W. from Twelfth to
Fourteenth street. and the approach
roadways to the Fourteenth and Maine
avenue grade separation structure All
of this work has been completed with
the exception of independence avenue
bridge across the Tidal Basin and ap-
proach roadways thereto. 1t is antici-
pated that all of this work will have
been completed about July IS, 1943.
Plans Were Ready.
Other work which was accelerated by
the war effort is as follows: The improve
ment of South Capitol street, from How
ard road to Nichols avenue; the i'm
provement Of Overlook avenue and
Fourth street S.W., from South Capitol
street to Chesapeake street, and the con-
struction of grade-separation structure
at the main entrance of Boiling Field,
South Capitol street and Portland street.
All of these projects were planned in
advance in every detail and were ready
for construction when it became urgent
to undertake the work due to the entry
OF the United States into the war.
Other major links in our radial net
work OF highways have been completed,
the plans and specifications on still
others have been completed and the
projects are ready for construction upon
the cessation Of hostilities, and in some
cases, projects are in the preliminary
stages of location and design. Notable
among those links which have been COM
pleted is Sixth street, Ninth street and
Brentwood road NE. from Florida
avenue to Rhode Island avenue. This
thoroughfare is to become an important
link between the downtown business dis
trict and Northeast Washington upon
the completion of the proposed X street
t>.-
for the K street elevated highway leading
from the grade-separation structure at
Rock Creek and Potomac parkway west
ward along K street to the Francis Scott
Key Bridge and connecting to Canal
road, are completed and this project is
in our files ready for construction. This
project also illustrates the benefits to
be derived from advance planning. The
grade separation constructed at < street