Evening star., 1948-06-28
Hiohwuys-the Next Phase

The Highway Departments interesting
report on twenty-four years OF progress IN
street and bridge development in Wash
ington shows that three major phases OF
the highway program have about been
completed. The fourth phase lies ahead.
It involves the design and construction OF
a system of limited d-access highways to
channel heavy traffic loads quickly and
smoothly through or around congeSeo
sections The Importance OF the fourth
phase is obvious to any one who must
contend with today's traffic troubles In
downtown Washington.
The report covers roughly the period
since creation of the gasoline-tax method
of financing highway improvements here
What Transformation has come over the
city in those two dozen years! Phase one
of the program, the report points OUT was
the basic job of getting Washingtons
motorists out Of the mud and dust OF the
old road system. 1t was the task Of laying
concrete and macadam or other durable
coatings over streets of gravel or cobble-
stone which still existed In many parts OF
the city 1t called, also, for rebuilding OF
bridges and other structures so that they
could withstand the weight and vibration
OF rapidly increasing traffic loads. The
second step in the program involved ex-
tensve street-widenng operations and
Institution of traffic-control measures.
The third phase which is continuing into
the present, has been to modernize streets
and bridges to enhance safety and capac-
ity. This has been done and is being done
through grade-separation projects like
those at Thomas Scott and Dupont Circles,
through new bridges like those at South
Capitol street and at Fourteenth street
extended and through various channellza-
ton and realignmeht projects.
Actually the fourth phase already
has Begun to merge with the pres
ent phase The development of limited
access boulevards has been started. The
Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway was
among the first OF these "freeways" to
serve the city. The K street elevated ap-
proach to Key Bridge and to points in the
District northwest of that bridge is well
under way The proposed Arizona avenue
project, connecting the Northwest resi-
dental areas with K street and the Rock
Creek and Potomac Parkway is future
part of the K street viaduct layout.
Beyond these, study is being given to
proposals for a system of eXpreSsWayS,
preferably of the depressed type, to carry
traffic around the traffic c-congeSted buSi-
ness district These expressways would
enable through traffic to avoid congestion
thus relieving it in the business district
At the same time they would afford con-
venient outlets, through limited feeders
for traffic to and from the heart Of the
city.
The improvement program for the future
probably will be modified by changing
conditions. 1t provides pattern for plan
ming and for budgeting of highway funds
as they become available. Just as in the
past, the program of necessity will proceed
more slowly than harassed motorists would
like to have it proceed. But twenty-four
years of past progress give hope for steady,
though piecemeal, improvement of Wash
ingtons traffic system. Progress depends
not alone on funds Gncluding the ability
of the public to pay for what is needed,
but on intangibles of labor and materials.
1t is encouraging to learn that the High
way Department looks to the future with
confidence and optimism. The record
shows that the program is in good hands.