Evening star., 1944-04-21
Downtown Area
transportation
SurveyP|anned
Three-LeveI Bridge
At New KIineIe Rood
Tentatively Approved

AT INeW Niin9Ie NOO0
Tentatively Approved
An intensive survey of public ane
private transportation in the cen.
trail area of the city will be under.
taken by the District highway de.
partment with the approval and CO.
Operation of the National Capita
Park and Planning Commission, i
was announced today.
Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, director
of highways, also announced tn,
commission had tentatively ap.
proved plans for three-level cross.
ing of Rock Creek in connection
with studies of the proposed new
Klingle road bridge. Another plar
involving two-level bridge at thi!
highly concentrated traffic poin,
also is under consideration and NJ
final decision has been reached or
either
Glover Leaf Pattern Out.
The idea of three levels of trans.
portation is to avoid through traf.
fic crossing of any of the main
lines traversing the park at this
point. 1t is also proposed to dc
away with the so-called clover leaf
pattern in connection with ap-
proaches.
The transportation survey would
be tied in with the $4,000, 900 street
improvement program already SUBJ
mitted to the House and would in
clude study of every type of We
hicle using the downtown area.
Capt. Whitehurst pointed out there
has never been composite survey
made covering free-wheeling We
hicles in connection with trans
portation problems.
Outlining the postwar highway
plans before the planning commits
sion, Capt. Whitehurst discussed the
transportation survey In general
terms.
He also brought out that while
the Highway Department is opposed
to subway system in the District
studies should be made to include
general plans for additional grade
crossings and sections of under
ground streetcar tracks. Such an
underground system, he pointed out
would involve the distances of sew
eral blocks to perhaps a mile.
The Planning Commission ap-
proved the draft of report on the
work of the National Capital Hous-
ing Authority prepared by Mai. Gen.
q. S. Grant, Sd, with few minor
notifications. This report and
recommendations will be forwarded
to the Senate subcommittee inves-
tigating the NCHA at the conclu-
sion OF its present hearings.
Proposed amendments to the
urban redevelopment bill also were
discussed by the commission. These
amendments, none of which affect
vital policies, were submitted BY
the District Commissioners and the
Home Builders Institute of Amer.
lea. The urban redevelopment bill
which has been the subject of ex.
tensive studies, was sent to The
Budget Bureau last month.
Sites for at least three more rec.
reational centers in the highly con.
gested central city area are beins
considered by the commission.
Members of the commission visit.
ed number of locations throughou,
the area late yesterday and were
impressed by the need for more
recreational facilities. Their visi-
was prompted by facts brought out
during hearings before the Senate
subcommittee investigating housins
conditions.
Would Consider Other Sections,
The commission had announced
previously that funds spent TO,
playground purposes in the near flu.
ture would be expended for land.
in the central area, which extend.
roughly from Florida avenue t.
Pennsylvania avenue and from
Eighteenth street to North Capito
street. There are other sections. il
the northeast, the commission fee,s
which should be considered for new
recreational facilities.
On the inspection trip yesterday
the planning officials visited tn,
Ellen Wilson Homes and Hopkin,
place project, both built by tn,
NCHA. q
One result of the inspection tri,
was to postpone action until mex
month on the selection of site fo
the proposed permanent refus,
transfer plant. Suggestions hav,
been made that the present tenn
porary plant at K street and New
Jersey avenue Sc. be enlarged.