Evening star., 1945-05-12
Six-Lanie, Sing|e-Span
Project Indorsed by
Committee Of 100

The Committee of 100 on the Fed
eral City of the American Planning
and Civic Association late yesterday
unanimously Endorsed plans for a
single bridge of six lanes to replace
the present Highway Bridge over
the Potomac River.
In taking this action the commit
tee lined up with the Interior De-
partment and the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
Two bridges of four lanes each are
favored by the District Commission
ers, the Public Roads Administration
and the Fine Arts Commission.
The resolution was presented by
Joshua Evans, jr., acting chairman
Of subcommittee on traffic and
transportation, who said an extern
sive study had been made.
No Harm to Landscape.
The resolution pointed out that
the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission had recon-
mended single six-lane bridge
that an excessive volume of traffic
WOULD not be thrown into streets
unable to accommodate it and add
to the congestion which already
exists" Furthermore, the resolution
pointed out, the commission sug-
gested that approaches to a single
six-lane bridge would not injure the
setting of the Jefferson Memorial,
but that the approaches and exits
on the Washington side of the two
4-lane bridges authorized in the
Randolph bill now pending in the
House would adversely affect the
harmony of West Potomac Park"
The six lanes of one bridge, the
resolution continued, would bring
into the downtown district prince
ipally the vehicular traffic destined
for the business section and points
tapped by Fourteenth street, but
traffic destined for points west of
Fourteenth street would be dis
tributed to the three existing
bridges, and when the six-lane
Fourteenth street bridge becomes
inadequate, East Washington and
points north could be served by the
proposed Alexandria and South
Capitol bridges"
Justice Roberts Presides.
Associate Justice Owen j. Roberts
of the Supreme Court presided at
the session in his capacity as chair
man of the Committee of One Hun
dred.. The meeting was held at the
parish house of St. Johns Church
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant, III, chair
man of the National Capital Park
and Planning, using several maps,
explained the two plans, and
charged that twin-bridges would
throw two much of a traffic load
into the congested area of the
District.
John Nolen of the Planning Com
mission replied to arguments he had
heard at a House subcommittee
hearing on the Randolph bill yes
terday which claimed the two
bridges would facilitate the left
turning of 25 per cent of all south
bound traffic.
Harry Barrett, chairman of the
Transportation Committee of the
Washington Chapter, American In
stitute of Architects. said the
chapter favored a single bridge.
Elbert Peets, author of "Civic Art, .
charged that placing the proposed
twin bridges so close together would
take the nobility out of the river"
Frederick H. Bigger, chairman of
the City Planning Commission of
Pittsburgh favored the Alexandria
bridge project and suggested that
Washington should follow the ex-
ample of other cities and mot allow
the highway department of a State
to interfere with the planning of a
city,"
Consultants' Report.
Taking up informally a consult
ants report to the Commissioners on
proposed solutions for congested
traffic, Miss Harlean James said the
Committee of 100 had been invited
to hearings by the Commissioners
beginning June 6.
Gen. Grant and E. D. Merrill,
Capital Transit Co. president, dis
cussed the consultants' report in
formally. Both questioned whether
the cost of subways would be worth
the estimated $56,000,00O and also
whether the lines proposed were best
for serving the city.
Mr.. Merrill said his company was
studying possibilities of diversifying