Evening star., 1946-06-09
'Dua|BridgeP|an
MayBeReported
Soon in House
Trumon's Support
Credited With Aidino
Speedy Action

-
Speedy Action
The Chapman subcommittee Of
the House Interstate Commerce
Committee will report a bill this
week favoring construction of two
four-lane spans to- replace the ex-
isting Highway Bridge it was pre-
dicted yesterday by a committee
source
There were indications that pres
sure would be put behind a move
for congressional action at this ses-
sion so there might be no unneces-
sary delay in improving the Potomac
River crossing, where traffic jams
develop daily during rush hours.
President Trumans statement Fri.
day recommending the $4,000
twin-span proposal instead of one
slx-lane bridge is given large credit
in breaking the long delay over the
hard-fought issue.
Truman Stand Praised.
A member of the Chapman SUBJ
committee said he thought the
President had expressed very
sound" judgment. This member
also voiced belief that a majority
OF the subcommittee would vote for
the tWo-bridge plan as advocated by
Highway Director H. C. Whitehurst,
the District Commissioners, the
Public Roads Administration and
the Fine Arts Commission.
In the long battle of the bridges"
the single-span plan was cham.
ploned by the Interior Department,
the Park and Planning Commission
and several architectural and plan.
ming groups. The lead in this was
taken by former Secretary of the
Interior Harold Ickes and Mai. Gen.
U. S. Grant, III, planning commits.
sion chairman.
The subcommittee, headed by
Representative Chapman, Demo-
crat, OF Kentucky, is scheduled to
make last inspection of the bridge
site and lower Fourteenth street
from the Washington Monument.
Wednesday morning.
Need Is Called Real.
While there was no announced
schedule for an executive session to
vote the bill out, action is expected
this week since leading members of
the subcommittee declare there is
real need for Congress to authorize
the project at this session.
This position has been taken.
among others, by both Chair
man Chapman and Representative
Holmes, Republican, of Massa-
chusetts. ranking minority member.
One member commented yester-
day: Il made up my mind long ago
and / think most other members
have also
Speed Is Necessary.
Speed is necessary if the bill Is
to be passed by this Congress, since
the, Senate District Committee has
been waiting for the House to act.
Since months will be required for
drafting detailed plans for the struc-
tture, the beginning of the project
would be seriously set back if the
authorizing legislation were deferred
until next year, member of the
Chapman group explained.
Once the bill has been approved
by the House. District officials look
for easy sailing in the Senate which
may even dispense with hearing
and accept the testimony given the
House in hearings that began year
ago last May.
Money for the project is carried
in the three-year Federal aid post
war highway program entering its
second year July l.
Young Given Credit.
To Commissioner John Russell
Young repeatedly goes the credit
for enlisting the White House sup
port for the two-bridge plan. Mr..
Young, it is said, discussed the
matter personally with the Presi-
dent when the Commissioner called
at the White House a few weeks
ago following his confirmation by
the Senate to a third term of Office.
Giving strength to the story il
the fact that announcement Of the
Presidents views was made in
letter to Mr.. Young rather than to
the congressional committee chair
men concerned with the bill.
The proposal calls for building one
bridge on the site of the present
Highway bridge which crosses the
Potomac at Fourteenth street NV.
The other span would go up down.
stream between the present bridge
and the railroad bridge.
Federal Grant May Lapse.
Engineer Commissioner Gordon r.
Young said yesterday that passage
OF the authorization bill this ses-
sion Is vital to permit letting of con-
tracts and thus prevent the lapsing
OF the Federal aid money allocated
to the project in this present fiscal
year. The ALLEGATION for this year.
it Is understood, is good provided the
contracts are let by July l, l947.
h Capt. Whitehurst estimates that
construction could begin by next
summer, if approval is given by Con-
gress before it adjourns. Compile
ton, he said, will take about three
years.
Capt. Whitehurst said that the
plan called for building the down.
stream bridge first, then opening it
to two-Way traffic until the Highway
Bridge is torn down and the Sec
ond span constructed.
I'VE must keep the flow of traffic
moving" he said.
Opponents of the plan have con-
tended it will damage the esthetic
features of the Mall and would be
too costly.
W0man's s Jaw Fractured