Evening star., 1944-10-26
Belt Highways
Urged Ito Relieve
CongestionHere
Engineers Plan
Would Thin Traffic
In Business Area

articles describing some of the
major changes proposed in the
city's transportation and traffic
systems to overcome congestion
and aid in the solution OF park
ing problems. The overnH plan
1Das prepared for the Commits
sioners By the consulting engi-
neer firms OF J. E. Greinier Co.,
Baltimore. and De LeuD, Gather
& Co., Chicago.
Drivers going from residential
sections of Washington to Federal
buildings adjoining the central re-
tail area would be able to miss the
heart of the downtown section
under system of distributor" belt
highways planned by engineers.
Engineers say they have found
that an, "unwarranted" amount of
traffic uses the downtown streets on
it's way to areas of Federal build
ings. But the engineers draw dis
tinction between their "belt" Sys-
tenn of highways around the central
portion of the city and bypass
routes.
Get Nearer Destination.
Whereas as bypass routes carry
vehicles completely around areas OF
congestion, distributors carry We
hicles at reasonably high speeds to
points nearest their ultimate desti-
nation before they enter the zone Of
slower speeds and greater conges-
tion," they explain.
The inner belt, the report said,
would surround the central area
from one to three blocks from the
edges "of the highly developed
downtown area" The artery on
the north side would consist of the
K street expressway-plans for
which have been we'll advanced by
the highway department. This ar
terry would be supplemented by one
way streets .'in order to take the
confusion of turning movements and
the heavy flow of buses away from
K street and allow it to serve its
primary function of providing
through movement of east-west
traffic"
The one-way streets would be L
street eastbound from Pennsylvania
avenue to Massachusetts avenue and
I street westbound from New York
avenue to Pennsylvania avenue.
Traffic on the K street expressway
would make left turns to or from
these one-way streets rather than
on the surface portion of the K
street thoroughfare.
Would Divide Belt.
Engineers propose that on the
west side the inner belt route be
divided between Fourteenth and
Seventeenth streets and connect
ing with Sixteenth street by way
of I and L streets. Fourteenth
street, which already has a grade
separation at Maine avenue, would
connect with the proposed new
highway bridges.
The south side of the inner belt
would take in Independence avenue
and the continuation Of the Avenue
past Capitol Hill, which is called
B street Sc, would have to be
widened in one short section.
The inner distributor belt on the
east side, according to the report,
will consist of Third street NV.
and SW. and would be supple
mented and relieved of turning
movements south of Pennsylvania
avenue by widening and making
First and Second streets one way.
These one-way streets would be
vital to distribute the traffic COM
ing from east of the Anacostia River
after construction of the proposed
South Capitol street bridge" the
report added.
On the outer distributor belt, the
northern part would consist of the
present Q and r street one-way
systems. On the west, the outer
belt would be Twenty-third street
NV. and SW.
Maine avenue and the park
drives would form the southwest
portion of the belt connecting with
M street on the SOUTH" the report
said. m street southwest and south
east already is improved and intense
ly used for both a bypass and dis
tributor route. AS its use increases,
it may have to be made a one-way
street eastbound, supplemented by
the improvement of L street for
westbound traffic.
Need for the east-side route of
the outer belt would not become
great until Sixth street northeast
and southeast can be opened as
pair of one-way streets between M
street and Florida avepue