Evening star., 1950-02-02
.C.-BaItimore
PafkwayBacked
By Gen. Young
Maryland Ave. Bridge
Would Jam Traffic,
He Tells House Group

District Engineer Commissioner
Gordon R. Young today strongly
approved the proposed Washing
ton-Baltimore parkway. He said
the city would be able to connect
it with an extension of New York
avenue NE.
The Commissioner told the
House Public Works Committee
that any proposal to bring the
parkway through a bridge over
the Anacostia River at Maryland
avenue extended. however, would
overload the city's present traffic
arteries leading downtown.
Chairman Wilmington of the
committee announced as the hear
ings were closed that the COM
mittee would delay action on the
pending parkway bill until it
could receive amendments sug-
gested by the Bureau of Public
Roads and by Gen. Young.
Thompson Testifies.
Harry Thompson, assistant su-
perintendent Of National Capital
Parks, testified for the bill spon-
sored by Representatives Sasscer
and Fallon, Democrats, of Mary
land.
He told the committee that In
his estimation the National Park
Service, Of which his Office is a
unit, probably would assume the
responsibility for developing road
ways and other facilities in park
way areas to connect the Balti-
more parkway with the city street
system.
He agreed with Gen. Young on
the advisability Of the New York
avenue connecting link. He said,
however, that an amendment sug-
gested by Gen. Young to the bill
clarifying the Federal Govern
ment's responsibilities in the Fed
eral areas inside the District would
not be needed.
Others Back Bill.
Other witnesses favOring the
bill at today's hearing included
D. S. Brinkley, planning engineer
Of the District Highway Depart
ment; Fred w. Tuemmler, direc-
tor of planning of the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, and Washington
I. Cleveland of the American
Automobile Association.
The witnesses were questioned
at some length by committee
members. Several of these ques-
tions indicated the members
thought Maryland should contrib
ute something toward the sector
of the parkway proposed to be
built entirely by Federal money
from the District line to Jessups
road, near Fort Meade.
Mr.. Tuemmler stressed the
progress already made by Mary
land authorities toward actual
construction of that part of the
parkway from Jessups road to the
Baltimore City line.
The witness insisted that the
parkway was needed to relieve the
overcongestion and danger to traf-
fic on route No. /, the Baltimore
boulevard.
Route Is Proposed.
Under the program for the New
York avenue entrance to the Dis
trict as outlined by witnesses, the
Federal Government would bring
the parkway across the District
line into Anacostia park area
through a corner of the National
Training School for Boys, build a
bridge over the Anacostia River
and continue the dual lane road
to South Dakota aveue NE.
The District government would
pick the connecting link up at
South Dakota avenue, Gen. Young
explained, bring it southwark
overpassing the Pennsylvania
Railroad tracks and continuing to
Bladensburg road where New York
avenue now stops.
The cost to the District, for
the New York avenue part of this
connecting link, Gen. Young esti-
mated at $2,250,000.
- 81