Evening star., 1950-08-11
Lack Of Cement
Delays Parkway
Unit Opening
Four-Lone Project
Deud-Ends Near
Lee Highway

A cement shortage, described by
Virginia highway engineers as criti-
cal, may postpone use of Unit 3
of the George Washington Me-
mortal Parkway until late this
year.
Unit 3 extends from the pres
ent terminus at Rosslyn Plaza and
runs beneath Key Bridge upstream
on the Potomac River shore to
Spout Run and then up the creek
valley to connect with Lee high
way near Kirkwood road.
The Federal Bureau of Public
Roads now is nearing the end OF
its paving of a four-lane divided
highway strip. But the Federal
project dead-ends at the Wash
ington and Old Dominion rail-
road tracks less than two-tenthS
of a mile from Lee highway.
Short Stretch of Road.
1t is this relatively short stretch
-.172 mile, to be more exact
that the State says it cannot COM
plete at present.
The cement shortage did not
delay starting the work because 1t
already has been put under way,
a spokesman at the Department
of Highways in Richmond said.
Inability to obtain cement has
necessitated a shutdown" the
spokesman said. THE project,
costing around 100000, is being
done by State convict road forces.
Completion was scheduled for
July or early August, but has been
delayed until cement can be OBJ
tanned.
"The cement shortage in Vir-
ginia, incidentally, is not due to
the war effort. 1t is in short sup
ply because of strikes, heavy de-
mand and the Buggs Island dam
project near Roanoke"
Admits Supply "SpOtty".
H. ]. Spellman of the Bureau
of Public Roads said he could not
understand why Virginia was un-
able to obtain sufficient cement
to complete the work although he
acknowledged that the cement
supply is "spotty."
Mr.. Spellman said, however
that delay on the part of Vir-
ginia would undoubtedly force
delay in opening the new link
which is expected to take lot OF
traffic off the RoSslyn circle dur
ing rush hours.
Traffic from Cherrydale, Falls
Church and other communities
westward in Arlington and Fair
fax Counties are expected to use
the new link.
Arlington now is widening Lor-
com lane which will enter the
parkway about one-quarter mile
down the valley from the point
where the present concrete pave
ment ends. Some traffic will feed
into the parkway from this artery
but Mr.. Spellman said he does not
believe that its completion would
make possible an earlier opening
of Unit 3.
This, he said, Is because the
heavy volume of traffic, leaving
the parkway and travelling up Lor-
com lane, would find itself bottle
necked on Kirkwood road and
other narrow streets leading to
Lee highway.
Other projects, including work
on the Leesburg pike and North
Washington boulevard, have been
under partial shutdown since June
because of inability to secure ce-
ment, the highway department
said.
Burton Marye. jr.. assistant
chief engineer, said recent major
road contracts which may be Seri-
ouSly affected by the shortage in
clude a 7.1-mile project on Route
IT west of Fredericksburg; Route
$50, the Shirley Highway on which
a contract was recently let to
build the last 4.6 miles on the
northbound lane and complete
the express route; and Route SO
west of South Hill where a con-
tract was let in June for 40 miles
of concrete roadway and four
bridges.
Large quantities of cement are
needed for all bridge work and
for concrete road construction in
many parts of the Old Dominion.
Nearly 5000 barrels are required
for a mile of heavy-duty concrete
highway. The Shirley project of
4.65 miles, for instance, will re-
quire 27,600 barrels, Mr.. Marye