Evening star., 1944-10-20
Planners See Need
For 70 AirfieIds in
D. {. Area After War
Z CAA Is Aiding Group
In Survey Of Private
FLYING Facilities
Nv NELSON M. SHEPARD

Flying Facilities
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.
Regional planning officials said
today the Washington Metropolitan
Area may require as many as &c
noncommercial airf1elds after the
war and announced that they are
initiating a careful study of local
aviation needs in cooperation with
the Civil Aeronautics Administra-
tions
The survey is being undertaken
at this time, they said, in anticipa-
ton of Congress enacting Federal
aid plan for postwar development
of private airports. A number of
metropolitan areas in the East and
West are making similar surveys.
Tentative plans involve the de-
termination of suitable airport sites
within 25-mile radius of the Dis
trict. National Capital Park and
Planning Commission officials doubt
whether it would be possible to find
an available site inside the District,
owing to the density of population.
Depends on Federal Aid.
The whole program may depend
on Federal aid legislation, it was
pointed out, for it is doubtful if any
satisfactory number of small air.
fields could be operated successfully
without such financial assistance.
In 1928, when plans for national
airport were instituted, a survey
indicated about so sites were avail
able in the District and nearby
Maryland and Virginia. That num-
ber has been materially reduced by
now because of suburban develop
ment. The Metropolitan Area now
has population estimated at $780,
600 and is still growing.
At the request of the CAA. Fed
eral planning officials recently
formed the Regional Committee on
Postwar Airfield Needs to keep pace
with the expected rapid develop
ment of private flying. Resolutions
adopted at recent meeting of the
committee called upon the Plan
ming Commission to initiate study
in cooperation with State and
county officials.
Representative Membership.
The Regional Committees men,
bership represents the Virginia and
Maryland Planning Commissions
State highway departments and
planning officials in the nearby
counties, including Fairfax County,
Va, and the City of Alexandria.
They will meet from time to time
with State authorities having con-
troll over aviation.
Washington is we'll served by the
commercial lines using the National
Airport and after the war officials
see possibility of the new Camp
Springs Air Base being made par
TALLY available to either CONNER
cial or private planes.
Private aviation needs are now
being served by the Congressional
Airport, near Rockville; the Col
lege Park {MdD Airport and the
Hyh1a Valley Airport on United
States highway /, below Alexandria,
Va.
Difficulty Of Survey.
The difficulty of an aviation sur
vey is the selection of sites ranging
from 10 to 16o acres conveniently
close to main traffic highways but
in localities that would not prove
hazardous to communities. Officials
stressed the need for orderly de-
velopment of airports and locations
that will not Interfere with future
Federal and private projects in the
area.
The Planning Commission will
bring its monthly meeting to an end
late today with an inspection of the
new military highway from Boiling
Field to Camp Springs.
District Highway Director H. c.
Whitehurst brought the commission
up to date on his postwar highway
Improvement program yesterday
afternoon. Preliminary studies were
presented last spring.
He also discussed plans for chan
neling bus and pedestrian traffic at
the intersection of Pennsylvania
and Minnesota avenues Sc. The
intersection was declared one of the
worst traffic hazards in that sec
ton.
The District Engineer Office had
asked the commission when it would
be able to attend public hearings on
matters pertaining to navigation
and flood control improvements in
the Anacostia River. The commits
sion replied that it will be ready
when it completes the present study
being made in the upper waters of
the Anacostia, probably after Jam
uary /, 1945.
Other Matters Discussed.
Other matters discussed yesterday
included procedure for planning two
sections of the Fort Drive across
Rock Creek Park and report on
establishment of fringe parking
lots. This study to help solve the
downtown parking problem has been
in the hands of John Nolen, direc-
tor of planning, and a subcommit-
tee.
The commission also approved
plans submitted from the Public
Roads Administration for the ex-
tension of New York avenue NE.
to connect with the route of the
Washington-Baltim parkway at
the District line This involves a
minor revision of previous plans.
A complete readjustment of streets
within the area between Division
avenue, Hayes and Jay streets and
Lowrie place NE. is under study, it
was announced. This is the site
of the old Suburban Gardens hous-
ing project which is being rede-
veloped.
At the request of the National
Park Service and City of Alexandria,
the commission began a study of
traffic conditions on Memorial Cir
Gle, located on the Mount Vernon
boulevard. Alexandria officials pro-
pose to divert residential traffic on
St f,1{> L.