Evening star., 1945-12-14
New Underpass
Plan Changing
Tracks Adopted
Commission Bocks
Platforms Under
Dupont Perimeter

Dupont Perimeter
Drastically revised plans for the
Dupont Circle underpass,
placing streetcar tracks under the
street around the perimeter Of the
circle instead of running them
under the circle in the same tunnel
with automobiles, have been ap-
proved by the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission.
The new plan, the fifth adopted
sipce the underpass was first dis
cussed 10 years ago, was approved
at the commissions one-day De-
cember meeting yesterday following
presentation by Capt. H. c. White
hurst, director of highways for the
District.
John Nolen, jr., the commissions
director of planning, said after the
meeting that in the opinion of the
commission the new plan should
meet objections raised to placing an
underground streetcar station in the
center of the circle connected by
long passageways with the perimeter.
Underground Loading Platform.
Under the new plan northbound
streetcars will swing around the
east side of the circle and south
bound streetcars around the west
side. Tracks on both sides will be
under the street on the side nearest
the outer curb and will be served by
an underground loading platform
stretching from the north side OF
Massachusetts, avenue to the east
side of Nineteenth street on the
west side of the circle and from the
west side of Nineteenth street to
the south side of Massachusetts,
avenue on the east side of the circle.
In the center of each platform
will be space to load four streetcars
simultaneously The rest of the
platform will be equipped with a
guard rail, part of which could be
removed to increase loading facili-
ties.
The west platform will be served
by five entrances as follows: At the
east curb of Nineteenth street, the
southeast curb of New Hampshire
avenue, the south curb of P street
and the north and south curbs of
Massachusetts, avenue. The east
platform will be served by entrances
at the west curb of Nineteenth
street, the northwest curb of New
Hampshire avenue, the south curb
of P street and the south side Of
Massachusetts, avenue.
Final Details Incomplete.
Mr.. Nolen said Capt. Whitehurst
had told the commission that final
details of the entrances had not
been decided upon but that es-
sentially they would be as stated.
Future entrances can be installed if
desired, he said.
The new plan has not as yet been
formally approved by the District
Commissioners and the Joint Board
of the Public Utilities Commission,
but indications were it would be.
Final surface details of the plan
have not been worked out, Mr..
Nolen said.
| The commission yesterday in
structed its chairman, Maj. Gen.
U. S. Grant III, to form a COM
mittee on which representatives Of
the District Commissioners, the Ma
tional Capital Housing Authority,
the Board of Trade, the Real Estate
Board and other interests would
serve to make survey of the hous-
ing market in Washington.
This move came as the result Of
request from, the National Housing
Authority that the commission take
a leading role in streamlining
Washingtons postwar housing prob
lem. Under the commissions pro-
posal the committee would study
availability of materials, building
costs, the number of houses plan
ned and the number of persons in
the market for them,
Approval was given by the com.
mission yesterday to another Dis
trict highway project-the regrad-
ing of Fourth street through the
grounds of Howard University and
Mcmillan Park with an overpass
provided for students walking from
dormitories on one side of the street
to classrooms on the other.
Parking Data Forwarded.
| Regarding will necessitate a cut
leaving high banks on either side.
The overpass would stretch from
bank to bank and not require steps
or ramps leading up to it.
The commission forwarded to
Engineer Commissioner Young at
his request survey of what 80 COM
munities throughout the country
have done in requiring off-street
parking facilities for all new large
commercial buildings.
The District Zoning Commission
has been empowered by Congress to
require this of commercial as well
as apartment buildings in Washing.
ton, but so far has extended zoning
regulations to include apartments
only. At their last meeting the plan
ners recommended that the zoning
commission study the matter.
In a move connected with the
current controversy over the Poto-
mac bridges, the commission an
nounced it favored a plan adopted
this week by the American Automo-
bile Association to ask for purchase
now OF land needed for the ap-
proaches to the proposed Alexan-
dris shepherd Landing Bridge.
The planners favor building this
orldge rather than two spans to re-
plae the Highway Bridge.
H. R. 1888, which would authorize
monument to be erected in WASH
ington to the memory of Gen. vii.
liam Billy Mitchell was indorsed
oy the commission.