Evening star., 1946-10-18
Planners Deny
NeedingLandfoI
Streets al GAO
Widening Project
Will Not Encrouch
On Private Property
By Rudolph Kouffmonn II

OF U ana n streets NV. and the
700 blocks Of Fourth and Fifth
streets NV, were assured today by
the National Capital Park and Plan.
ming Commission that widening o1
these streets for the new General
Accounting Office building will not
require taking any private prop
erty.
This was announced by Thomas
S. Settle, commission secretary, aft
er the planners had approved the
following proposed widenings Of
these streets as part of GAO build
ing plans:
The 400 block of G street, from SO
to TO feet; the 400 block of H street
from so to 66 feet; the TOO block OF
Fourth street, from 31k to A feet,
and the TOO block Of Fifth street
from As to 60 feet.
Mr.. Settle said both sides of all
four streets would be widened, but
that the work would not extend
back of the building line.
Action on Freeway Delayed.
BY noon today the commission
had taken no action on a request
from Montgomery County that traf-
fic on its proposed Northwest Free
way be allowed to use the proposed
George Washington Memorial Park
way from Cabin John to Georgetown
when the two super-roads are built
1t did recommend, however, that
old military roads in the Fort
Myer-Arlington Cemetery area be
turned over to the Federal Works
Administration by the Army.
Among such roads are parts OF
Arlington Ridge road and Wash
ington boulevard, where they cross
Federal land.
MIR. Settle explained the Army has
been anxious for some time to dis
pose OF its responsibility for these
roads.
Mr.. Settle said the planners had
approved the action of the Fine
Arts Commission in giving green
light to location. Of Washington S
750-bed veterans hospital on the
Ncvius tract in Arlington.
The planners spent the entire
afternoon yesterday discussing the
controversial northwest freeway.
They also made tour of the Cabin
john Georgetown area.
1t has become increasingly plain
that If the freeway is to full
fill its intended function - that
of by-passing Gaithersburg, Rock
vile, Bethesda and the crowd
ed Wisconsin avenue area of
the District-some way will have to
be found for commercial vehicles
using it to get from Cabin John
into town. Pleasure cars would be
able to use the parkway.
Before tackling the freeway
problem yesterday, the commission
decided to confer with the Dis
trict Commissioners and Brig. Gen.
Albert L. Cox on how proposed
legislation to set up operating prac-
tices for the Districts National
Guard Armory could be worded SO
as not to endanger plans for Ma
tional Sports Center on land sur
rounding the armory building.
Other Action Taken.
The commission yesterday also:
l. Proposed to add part of Blue
Plains now occupied by temporary
housing, and also Camp Simms and
part of the land around Dalecarlia
Reservoir to any Capital clearance
legislation proposed to the next
Congress. Such legislation would
setup a three-man commission to
determine whether land in the Dis
trict now used by the Soldiers
Home, st. Elizabeth's Hospital and
other institutions could not better
be used for other purposes and the
institutions moved out of the Dis
trict.
2. Decided that the Marshall
Heights area, bounded by Central
avenue, Forty ninth street NE. and
the District line, would still be
suitable for redevelopment work
done under the Districts new slum
act.
3. Announced it would call in
Harland Bartholomew, nationally
known st. Louis city planner, who
has acted as a consultant for the
commission in the past, to help it
create an advisory transportation
plan for the city. The plan would
De turned over to the Commissioners
special committee making a master
transportation blueprint for the
city.