Evening star., 1944-11-18
Planning Commission
WithhoIds Judgment
On Subway Proposal
Vote to Make Intensive
Study; Action Is Token
Without Prejudice
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.

Withholding judgment Of the Com
missionerS' elaborate subway pro-
posal, the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission late yes
terday voted to make an intensive
study Of the entire plan and obtain
advice from nationally known city
planner, Harlan Bartholomew Of
st. Louis, Mo.
i This action was taken without
prejudice" 1t was stated, after Capt.
H. C.. Whitehurst, District highway
director, had made . careful pre-
sentation of the subway plan. It
was the Planning Commissions ON
cial introduction to the present
proposal, although that group in
1912 had reported somewhat adj
versely on suggestions for sub
way system.
In another action before closing
its monthly session, the Commission
adopted q resolution declaring the
time has come to begin active
steps" to get Congress to set aside
East Capitol street, from the Capitol
grounds to the Anacostia, as an area
for future Federal and private de-
velopment. This proposal, long ad-
vanced by the Planning Commission,
is made with a view to distributing
the city's population more evenly
on both sides of the Capitol
Present Plans for Area.
Under present plans, the Com
mission has reserved for postwar
development the East Capitol street
area between B street on the north
and B street on the south. Even
tually, If Congress so authorizes.
Constitution avenue is to be ex-
tended into B street NE. and In
dependence avenue into B street
Sc, each to have q width Of go
feet.
The proposed National Stadium
has long been a part of the Com
missions plan for development Of
the 150-acre recreational area where
the District Armory now stands at
the end of East Capitol street.
Taking part in the subway dis
cussions with Capt. Whitehurst, at
the session, were Edward D. Merrill,
president of the Capital Transit
Co.; James Reilly, member Of the
Public Utilities Commission, and
Fred A. Sager, chief engineer of the
PUG. Frederick A. Delano, chair
man emeritus of the Planning Com
mission, also was called in.
The Planning Commission de-
cided to solicit the general reac-
ton" Of Mr.. Bartholomew to the
subway plans because Of his advice
given In the past when he helped
prepare the original transportation
report in 1928 and was consulted
in connection with the merger of
the Districts streetcar and bus
lines. He has been with the Com
mission since 1926 as city planning
consultant.
Outlines Scope Of Study.
John Nolen, director Of planning,
briefly outlined the scope of the
study which the Commission pro-
poses to make before 1t takes any
further action. It's own staff will |
check the factual basis and
premises on which the Districts
subway study was founded, he ex-
planned. Included in this study, he
mentioned such things as the vol
ume and density of traffic, the
trends Of city growth, trends Of
city planning and the civic aspects
involved in the whole scheme.
The commission also will study
how the proposal affects the re-
malnder of plans now under de-
velopment for future development.
I'VE will also examine the present
subway plans in the light of the
study made in 1912 and restudy the
former report in relationship to
what Is now proposed to solve traffic
problems, Mr.. Nolen added.
In its former report to the Com
missioners, the Federal group pre-
sented an alternate picture of city
planning which. If carried out,
might postpone the need for a sub
way many years, it believed. 1t was
thought then that If permanent fu-
ture Federal buildings were spread
over wider area of the central or
older portion of the city-east of the
Capitol and west of Nineteenth
street IN NW)-nOSSih1v 17S nm Eod