Evening star., 1950-02-05
New BidsSought
For Spout Run
Parkway Link
Third and Lost Try
To Be- Made to Get
Satisfactory Price
By Nelson M. Shepord

A third and final attempt will
be made February 81 to get a
satisfactory" low bid to complete
the next scenic link in the George
Washington Memorial parkway,
through Spout Run Valley above
Key Bridge.
Since last summer, the costly
grading Of the dual highway on
the Virginia side has been at
standstill while property owners
and motorists chaffed at the de-
lay. Federal road and park off,
cials had rejected all bids for
surface paving of the 1,.6 mile
stretch as excessive and unreason-
able.
In re-advertising for bids, off,
cials indicated their own i'm
patience and threatened to take
things into their own hands if
paving costs haven't decreased
sufficiently.
We'll make one more try at
getting an acceptable bid but if
that isn't possible. we will do the
work ourselves on a forced con-
tract basis" said Harry T..
Thompson, Assistant Superintend-
ent of National Capital Parks.
Direct Route Provided.
Park officials had long counted
on the Spout Run link as remov-
ing all doubts as to the beauty
and utility of scenic route along
the Potomac Palisades all the way
to Great Falls. For motorists Of
Cherrydale. Lorcom lane and COM
munities farther north, the drive
gave hope of a more direct route
to both the Key and Arlington
Memorial bridges.
The Importance of the Spout
Run route was one of the main
reasons for its undertaking. for
park and District officials long
had felt the need of relieving
traffic congestion at Rosslyn Cir
Gle and over the Key Bridge. This
is exactly what the new drive will
do" the Bureau of Public Admin
istration explained.
Eventually the drive will con-
meet with the Arlington County
road system at the terminus Of
Lorcom Lane. Traffic will con-
tinue to connection with the
Lee highway in the vicinity Of
Kirkwood drive.
Access to the road is possible
from Key Bridge and it extends
up the river to a point off the
Three Sisters Islands before cut
ting abruptly into the valley.
The dual parkway will take WASH
ington- bound traffic down one
side Of the small stream valley
and Virginia bound traffic up the
other side.
Funds Available Withheld.
Mr.. Thompson said the Bureau
of Public Roads and the National
Capital Parks were quite capable
of doing the paving job them
selves if the new bids weren't
satisfactory. The job will cost
several hundred thousand dollars.
Officials prefer to withhold the
amount earmarked for the job
at this time SO as not to influence
bidding, they explained.
In addition to surface paving,
Mr.. Thompson said it will be
necessary to connect the parkway
with other roads. Road officials
estimate the remaining work to
complete the Spout Run link win
take 180 days. They seem con-
f1dent it will be completed by late
summer.
To keep the drive from deterior-
ating during the months of watt
ing it has been covered with
gravel. But it Is not open to
traffic.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, which is
acquiring the land for the George
Washington Memorial parkway in
conjunction with Virginia and
Maryland, is pressing to complete
acquisitions up to Great Falls. Il
is project of major consider
alton. The route of the parkway
will follow the Virginia shore line
of the Potomac Palisades as close
to the water as possible.
Few property owners are In the
path of the highway above Spout
Run. Most of the route chosen
extends through areas owned by
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