Evening star., 1950-08-04
Planners View
New Friendship
Airport Today
Trip May Aid Choice
OF Site for Proposed
New Civilian AirfieId

Baltimore's new Friendship Air
port was being inspected today
by members and technicians Of
the National Capital Park and
Commission who will
have a hand in determining the
location of the proposed $14 mil
lion additional civilian airf1eld
for the Washington area.
Commission members have been
studying available airport sites in
the Washington area for several
years and expect to pick up some
new ideas as a result of their
Baltimore trip.
The inspection trip brings the
August planning session to close.
The next meeting will be held
14-15. On the way to
Friendship Airport, the planners
will pass over the route Of the
Baltimore Washington parkway
to see the sections already graded
and improved. They worked for
years to help put the parkway
over.
President Truman yesterday
singed a bill for completion Of
the Federal section of the express
way. This section runs from Jes-
sups road near Fort Meade, to the
District, a distance of about 10
miles. The Maryland portion Of
the dual-lane parkway stretches
IL miles from Fort Meade to
Baltimore and includes a spur
linking it with the new airport.
Delay Seen on Report.
A delay of several more
months" may be expected in pub
lication of the commissions So
called comprehensive plan for the
metropolitan area. 1t may be
November before the summary of
the report rolls off the press.
At the conclusion Of yesterdays
deliberations, the Commission
directed it's Co-ordinating Com
mittee to meet with Fred Kramer,
assistant to the Architect of the
Capitol to map extension Of the
Capitol grounds to conform with
long-range plans decided on de-
cade ago.
These include construction Of
the proposed Constitution and In
dependence avenue underpasses
previously Endorsed as part of the
plan for the East Capitol street
parkway.
The commission is also desirous
of comforting about the tunnel
that eventually will serve new
Senate Office Annex. Earlier in
the day approval was given bill
authorizing the District Commits
Sioners to widen and improve
Independence avenue and B street
in the vicinity of the Capitol
grounds.
Two Bills Endorsed.
Endorsements also were given
two other pending bills. One Of
these affects the proposed Poto-
mac River parkway from Great
Falls to Cumberland, Md. The
other is for protection of the Mt.
Vernon highway from private real
estate encroachments below Alex.
andria.
The commission is interested in
preserving the route of the old
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal to
Cumberland and for this reason
is supporting legislation author
izing the Interior Department to
accept lands from Maryland to
widen the proposed parkway along
this route. The bill recently was
reported favorably from the House
Public Lands Committee.
Below Alexandria, in the vicin-
ity of Hunting Creek, it was said
the Mt. Vernon highway is pro-
tected by only a narrow strip Of
land. A bill introduced by Rep
resentative Bolton, Republican,
Ohio. would authorize the pur-
chase of 80 acres between the
highway and the river. It was
believed the acquisition is neces-
sary to prevent private encroach-
ments on the scenic parkway.
Soldiers Home Tract.
John Nolen. jr., planning direc-
tor, made progress report on
proposed improvements in the U.
S. Soldiers Home tract. The Dis
trict Commissioners intend to hold
a public hearing soon on the plan
to extend North Capitol street
through the grounds to hook up
with other streets. It would be
given width of 100 feet through
the grounds and a 100-foot width
in the vicinity of Taylor street on
the north. The proposed extern
sion would be 11a miles.
The effect of the public hearing
would be to determine if the North
Capitol street extension is to be
placed on the Districts highway
plan. A veterans hospital to be
erected on $50 acres of the tract
which would increase traffic con-
Other matters receiving ap-
proval at the final session in
cluded suggested setbacks for the
new wings to be erected for the
National Museum on Constitution
avenue. Sufficient allowance will
be made for the future Twelfth
street underpass through the Mall.
The wings on each side of the
museum building would be of
equal length.
Satisfaction was expressed with
,he plans outlined by the newly
Upper Montgomery
county Planning Commission.
Fred Gutheim, a member, ex-
blamed the master plan which
he group recently approved.
VI.