Evening star., 1945-08-21
Bridge Program
Now Waits on
WPBC|earance
Agency to Act in Few
Days on So, 500, 900
South Capitol Project

tIlc way lOT IuS6 DlSJTlCC DrlQR
and road building program, whicl
probably will be led off by con
struction of the $4,500,000 Soutl
Capitol Street Bridge over the Ana
costa River.
Other important projects in tn
program include the Highway Bridg
over the Potomac, the K street ele
waited highway from Key Bridge t
Twenty-seventh street NV; tn
Dupont Circle underpass, the Klingl
Road Bridge over Rock Greek, AM
many road improvements.
The program, in which the BIZ
postwar Federal aid road program
of more than S17,0oO,OoO of matche'
Federal and local funds will b
amplifled by local projects paid TO
+ by local taxes only, was disclosed
by Col. Joseph D. Arthur, jr., AS
sistant Engineer Commissioner. H,
made public the latest revised lis
OF projects. 1t shows their priorit.
of construction, whether they ar,
to be started in the first, second o.
third year under the Federal High.
way Act of 1914. ~
S50O,OOO,0 900 Yearly.
The highway act authorizes the
Federal Government, through tht
Public Roads Administration, tt
advance s500,00O,0O0 year for three
years to the States and the Dis.
trict. The National Capital share
of the Federal money is $2,974,602 6
year for three years, or a tota
of $8,923,806. When the District
matches this there will be $17,847,.
6l2 available over the three years
for designated Federal aid projects
But there are also many projects
of a purely local nature here which
are to be financed solely by the
District. Congress is expected te
provide the necessary legislation
officially opening the way for ad.
vance of Federal aid.
The South Capitol Street Bridge
is a purely local project, and il
expected to get under way as soor
as the War Production Board pro.
vides a Clearance" so that es.
sential materials can be obtained.
WPB officials have promised the
District that an answer on this
clearance may be forthcoming ''ir
a few days." said Col. Arthur, who
Z added, that answer is expected to
: be favorable"
5 Seek Wage Schedules.
Congress already has appropriated
81, 100000 for the South. Capitol
street bridge, and authorized a total
outlay of $4,500000. District officials
have asked the Labor Department
for wage schedules on the job, which
sare necessary before bids can be
asked.
. This structure, which the District
aong mas been planning to relieve
scongestion over other Anacostia
bridges, will connect the foot of
South Capitol street with Anacostia
Park where it will carry motor
stravel to and from the new Suitland
parkway into Southern Maryland
and the proposed Baltimore park
way.
Col. Arthur, pointing to the tre-
mendously increased motor traffic
of the past week end, since gasoline
rationing was lifted, emphasized
that the new roadway and bridge
developments in this city were sorely
needed to meet traffic expected to
become still more congested as new
automobiles are thrown onto the
market.
Unless some such roadway i'm
provement program is carried, out
he said, traffic here will be very
bad indeed"
Underpass Cost S2,00O,000.
The Dupont Circle underpass, for
which plans are virtually complete
Is estimated to cost $2,000,000, of
which half is expected to come from
Federal aid. 1t will take about three
years to build, carrying Connecticut
avenue under the circle. Some re-
study is being made of the bus
routings and entrances around the
circle. The plan probably will pro-
vide for all bus stops on side streets
instead of on the circle, Col. Arthur
said.
The Klingle road bridge, which
will replace the present one over
Rock Creek is to cost $500,000, OF
which half will come from Federal
aid 1t will probably take two years
to built.
An important development in
Georgetown listed for a three-year
construction job under Federal aid
is that part of K street, between
Key Bridge and Twenty-seventh
street where an elevated steel struc-
ture is to be built to help relieve
congestion on M street through
Georgetown. The new elevated
highway will carry traffic to and
from the downtown section under
Key Bridge, with an exit on Canal
road on the upstream side of the
bridge.
S2,275, 900 Project.
This section of the K street de-
velopment is estimated to cost
s2,275 900, of which 100000 woulc
be spent the first year, 81 ,000, 900 the
second year and S775,000 the thirc
year. Federal aid will total 81, ,137 500
Scheduled for development some.
time beyond the third year" art
two other parts of the K street prof.
ect further eastward-a depressed
highway between Twenty-f1rst street
and Rock Greek, to cost $2,500, 900
and a truck highway" in the ma.
ture of a depressed highway with
grade separation under Mount Yer.
non Square, from Tenth street NV
to North Capitol street, costing ar
estimated $5,8oo,0o0.
The Highway Bridge project, ovel
which there still is controversy, i.
scheduled for early construction, a.
soon as the row is settled over thu
question as to whether 1t should bs
a six-lane single structure or two
structures of four lanes each. Pro
ponents of the two-structure jol
have been heard by the Senat,
Committee on Interstate and For
eign Commerce. Further hearings
will be held to hear those who wan
only the single structure of six lanes