Evening star., 1949-08-28
NewYork Ave. Church.
Protest IS Awaited on.
H Street Cut-Throuqh

Trustees of the New York Ave-
nue. Presbyterian Church may file
a protest this week on grounds
of possible traffic hazards as well
as aesthetic considerations against
the plan for a traffic channel
through a small park in front OF
the church..
In contrast to several hearings
and official announcement thai
preceded construction Of traffic
channels being built at Fem.
sylvania and Constitution avenues
there was no advance public no
tice of the project for the parl
cut-through at New York avenue
and H street NV.
s In the case of the Pennsylvania
ana Constitution avenue channe4'
there aIso was pTior discussion q
remove fears that the channel.
ization might interfere with OF
detract from fountain to be
erected in front of the National
Gallery of Art. The hearings were
held by the District Joint Board
consisting of the Commissioners
and the Public Utilities Commits
sion.
Committee Studied Plan.
The idea for the channel
through the grassy area near the
church originated several months
ago in a committee of the District
Highway Department and the De-
partment of Vehicles and Traffic.
1t went before a co-ordinating
committee of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
That committee is an advisory
group consisting of the following
District and Federal officials: AS
Sistant engineer commissioner
highway director, director of sani-
tary engineers, surveyor, fire
marshal, and a representative OF
the District zoning commission
the superintendent of the Ma.
tienal Capital Parks, head engi.
neer of the District Army engi.
neers, the administrative assistant
of the Public Buildings Admins.
tration, and the director of plan.
ming, landscape architect and sec.
retary of the National Capita
Park and Planning Commission.
A permit for the channel re.
quires the signature of Irving c
Root, superintendent of Nationa
Capital Parks. Mr.. Root, who die
not attend the committee meet.
ing at which the project was sub.
mitted, indicated he would sigr
the permit. He said he believed
the project will go through "be.
cause the highway department
knows what is most needed from
the standpoint of traffic ane
safety" ..
Called Minor Project.
The New York avenue channel
ization, officials indicated. falls il
the category of minor project
not considered necessary for sub
mission to the full commission.
AS for aesthetic appearances
Mr.. Root said the, little park viii
be as attractive as ever when tn,
cut-in is made. It will have ap'
proximately the same amount o.
park space because H street will
be narrowed from 40 to % feet
along top side of the spark, hi
explained. r
District officials said the Law
requires public hearings for GER
tain types of major street changes
There is no provision for public
notice or hearings on minor
changes. Commissioner Guy Ma
son said yesterday the Commis-
sioners use their. discretion in such
cases.
I'VE could not hold a public
hearing on every street change
that is made or we would have
time for nothing else" he said.
Excavation Made.
While the New York avenue
channel job apparently is mark
ng time pending possible hear
ngs. an excavation has been made
n the park. Barney B. Hall, jr.,
engineer on the channelization
project. said no trees or shrubbery
we're removed. He explained that
,he excavation was for relocation
# u,oter lines tn nrovide outlets