Evening star., 1945-05-16
Alexandra 0ks
Potomac River
Crossing Site
Resolution Puves
Way for Request
For FWA Funds


passed resolution to be forwarde,
to the State Highway Department
expressing its approval of a Potoma
River bridge or tunnel from Secon,
street in Alexandria to Shepard
Landing and indicating its willing
ness to cooperate in securing tn
necessary right of way from Henr
street to the river.
City Manager Carl Budwesky, il
presenting the resolution to tn
Council for its consideration, state,
that the approval of the city woul,
pave the way for the State Highwa
Department to submit to the Publ
Roads Administration its recommen
dation for such river crossing, a
we'll as request to the Fedora
Works Agency for the immediat
ALLEGATION of funds to purchase tn
necessary right of way.
While stating that he does no
believe the construction of such ;
crossing is in prospect in the imme
diate future, Mr.. BudweSky pointet
out that the owners of property ir
what would constitute the right o
way should be advised of its pos
sibility and that the land involvet
should remain unimproved, if tn,
right of way is to be secured at {
reasonable cost.
Approach Provided For.
He reminded the Council that
when the Riverview Apartment prof.
ect was constructed north of Second
street and on the east side of the
Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
a setback of 119 feet more than was
actually required was provided, with
a view to future acquisition of the
land for the approach to the river
crossing, and that developments
Of other property owners have been
held up pending approval of the
proposed project.
He informed the Council that
present plans call for a four-lane
access road constructed under the
boulevard at a depth of "a feet at
the Second street circle.
After receiving petitions from
members of the Trinity Methodist
Church, on Cameron Mills road
the Parent Teacher Association of
the George Mason School, the
Northridge Citizens Association
and other residents of the area ad-
jacent to Cameron Mills road, the
Council voted unanimously to re-
scind the action taken on May l,
and reaffrmed on May 8, to pur-
chase portion of the Delaney tract
on Cameron Mills road for fire.
house site.
Protests were presented by large
delegation headed by Ralph Knee
land of the Northridge Citizens As
sociation, Joseph Leverenz of the
George Mason P-TA, the Rev. John
Blakemore, jr., pastor of the Trinity
Methodist Church; the Rev. A. P.
Williams, R. R. Skagerberg and
w. B. Silcox of the church board,
and were supported by statements
by the Rev. DR.. Ernest Frederick
Campbell, pastor of the First Baptist
Church, and the Rev. DR.. Hawes P.
Clarke, pastor of the Washington
Street Methodist Church.
Churchmen Cite Hazards.
All speakers pointed out that a
flrehouse in the neighborhood would
not only interfere with church
services, but would limit attendance
at the Trinity Methodist and the
nearby Westminster Presbyterian
Church by making parking in the
neighborhood impossible, as well
as creating serious hazard to
children attending the George
Mason School during the week and
the church schools on Sundays.
It was pointed out that the street
is a narrow one used by buses and
that 50 cars and 3 buses were
counted parked by the school on a
recent weekday, while 78 cars were
parked in the neighborhood last
Sunday.
While members of the Trinity
Methodist Church pointed out that
VIC 1OSdb1OlI Va Vic III CllOUOC Oll OllC
street would interfere with the fu-
ture growth of the church, DR.
Clarke called it a definite hindrance
to the religious life of the COM
munity.
Mr.. Budwesky was instructed to
negotiate with the National Associa-
ton of Fire Underwriters for a sur
vey to determine suitable location
for firehouse in that section. The
association recommended the pro-
posed site in 1941, before the
churches had been constructed or
before Parkfairfax, the adjacent
housing project, had been built.
Mr.. Budwesky said he did not
anticipate any difficulty in post
poning the start of construction, for
which contract has been awarded
to the Lee T. Turner Co. of Wash
ington at an approximate cost
of $4,000.
Veterans Center Continued.
The Council passed, on second
reading, an appropriation of IS 900
for the operation for a year of a
veterans information center. The
need for such a center had been
brought to the attention of the
Council some time ago by the Vet
erans' Postwar Employment Com
mittee, and was affirmed last night
by Lowell Rainey, veterans repre-
sentative of the United States En-
ployment Service, and F. Clinton
Knight, service officer of American
Legion Post "a and a member of
the State Legion's Rehabilitation
Committee.
The Civitan Club was granted per-
mission to use the Municipal Sta
dium for horse show on June 8
and the Kiwanis Club was granted
the same privilege for July 4.
The Council appropriated, on first
reading, the sum of $4,000 for con-
struction of a sewer to serve Epis-
copal High School and of $4,000 to
construct storm drain to serve the
area of Alexandria and De Witt ave-
nues. In addition, $750 was appro-
priated, on first reading, to construct
a sewer in the HOO block of Prince
street.