Evening star., 1945-10-18
Planners Weigh
Safety Ideas for
New Underpass
Building Programs
And Thoroughfores
On 2-Doy Agendor

Among local improvements sched-
uled for study by the National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commission
which opened its monthly meeting
today was suggested safety"
modification of plans for providing
pedestrian access to the Dupont Cir
Gle underpass project.
Other items on the two-day agen-I
da included studies of the public
building program, new thoroughfares
= In the city proper, Improvements
contemplated at the Washington
National Airport and land trans
fers for park and playground pur-
poses.
The Dupont Circle underpass will
be considered tomorrow, the object
OF the new plan being to provide
one or more subway stations on the
outer curb of the surface roadway,
instead of adhering to the original
plan which provided for a subway
entrance in the middle of the circle.
Col Joseph D. Arthur, jr., of the
District Engineer Department, will
discuss the plan with the commits
sion and submit design for the
proposed station
Planning officials say no changes
are contemplated in the Connecti-
cut avenue subway which will pass
under the. circle
Factor of Bus Stops.
Aside from the safety factor, it
was said the installation of one or
more subway entrances on the outer
curb would make it unnecessary for
buses to stop in the circle roadway. :.
The chief objection to the original
proposal for access to the underpass
is that it would make it necessary
for pedestrians to cross the traf-
flc lane and walk to the middle Of
the circle.
HerVey F. Law, manager of the
Washington National Airport, will
appear before the commission today
to acquaint them with details of the
recently announced improvement
program at the airport. President
Truman has asked Congress to ap-
propriate S3,998, 900 for additions TO
the airport.
Later in the day the planners will
visit the airport to study the pro-
posed layout plans for new hangers,
hotel, garage. and other ground fa-
cilities. They also will study plans
for the proposed employees cafeteria
which were considered at the last
meeting.
From the airport, commission
members will go over. the new high
way to inspect Federal building
projects in Suitland, Md, and thence
to Andrews Field. They are inter-
ested, particularly, in the Suitland
parkway, which they had planned,
and in the military highway con-
meeting Andrews and Boiling fields
Thoroughfare Report.
At tomorrow's session, Max Wehr-
ly. landscape architect, will present
preliminary report on the thor
oughfare plan for the District which
has been under consideration for
some time. This plan win outline
new proposed traffic highways and
other improvements. A representa-
tive of the District Highway De-
partment also will present the final
1946 highway improvement program,
including the K street overpass
project.
The $19o,00o,000 public building
program for the District, now the
subject of hearings before the House
Public Buildings and Grounds Com
mittee, also. will be discussed by w
E. Reynolds, commissioner of pub
lie buildings. The preliminary prof.
ects OF this huge program had been
presented to the commission last
spring, in accordance with its plans
for the orderly development of the
postwar Capital. Mr.. Reynolds will
go into details of the plans for the
development of East Capitol street
and the parallel B streets north and
south of it, which are to be extern
sions of Independence and Consti-
tuition avenues.
Downtown Parking.
John Nolen, director of planning,
will make progress report tomor-
row on the work of the Joint Com
mittee on Downtown Parking Fa-
cilities. Chairman of the commit
tee is F. w. Lovejoy of the Bureau
of Public Roads. The report will
comprise study of parking areas
to be established for the relief of
present conditions.
He will also present a proposal
from the Aero Club of Washington
for the construction of an airplane
landing strip on one of the islands
in the AnacoStia River close to the
national stadium site.
The commission intends to act on
a number of small land acquisition
contracts for extension OF the
George Washington Memorial Park
way. Details were not given in ad-
vance.
Another matter scheduled for the
closing session is the location of
an intercepting sewer in Maryland
that will tap Cabin John Bridge,
Glen Echo. and other nearby COM
munities. Mr.. Nolen has been in
conference. with various Maryland
agencies on this matter and will re-