Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-14
Burke Residents
Ask Explanation
|0fAirportChoice
Community Wants
Sawyer to Appear
At Special Meeting
By ChorIes J. Yorbrouoh

BY Chorles J. Iorbrough
A stormy protest brewed today
as land-holders on the site Of
Washington's new supplemental
airport in Fairfax County, Va,
objected to the selection.
Announcement that the Com
merce Department had put its
finger on a 4,500-acre tract near
Burke Station on the Southern
Railroad came late yesterday from
Secretary Sawyer. Within a few
hours the Burke Civic Association
had voted to ask the Fairfax Coun-
ty Board of Supervisors to call q
special meeting.
The Association wants an ex-.
PLANTATION of how the selection was
made and wants to pool it's pro-
tests. 1t asked that Secretary
Sawyer and Representative Smith,
the Districts House member be
invited.
Announcement of the selection
land plans to acquire the site by
purchase. lease or condemnation
was made late yesterday by Sec
Rotary Sawyer. less than "a hours
after night meeting with the
Fairfax County Board of Super,
IviSorS.
The 4,500-acre tract is 171a miles
from downtown Washington and
I5R miles west of the new, high
speed Shirley highway. The South
Iern Railroad forms the sites
northern boundary with Burke
Station in the northeast corner.
The approximate cost will be
$14 million-a figure which will
include a f1ve-mile access road
to Shirley highway. Present plans
lcall for four-lane grading on the
access road. but for paving Of
only two lanes. The access would
turn off Shirley highway almost
midway between the Southern
Railroad crossing and Franconia
troad.
Secretary Sawyer authorized the
Justice Department to open con-
domination action to prevent
speculation. with a consequent
increase in land values if this
location is publicly discussed at
length before any action upon it
is taken"
To Confer With Planners.
However, he said he will con-
fer with the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
l"as to the conformity of the pro-
posed location with the commits
lsion's plan for the National Capt.
tai" He said he will ask the
commission for a report and rec
lommendation."
Immediate entry rights to the
tract have been approved by Fed
eral District Court in Alexandria
in order to allow engineers to
make preliminary surveys.
It will be many months before
occupants will be vacated the
Secretary said. Start of construc-
ton is set for next year.
First plans call for a north.
south runway 10000 feet long.
with a second one the same length
paralleling it eventually. The east
west runway would be between
1000 and 5000 feet.
BY comparison, National Air.
ports longest runway-the north
south instrument land strips
$3.50 feet long. Nationals area is
730 acres, but only $50 of them
are used for landing space.
Congress approved the areas
second big commercial airport last
year after studies pointed out an
anticipated 40 per cent increase
in air traffic here by 1855.
rs Minutes From City.
Completion of the supplemental
held will give Washington one
of the largest in the country, both
from the standpoint of area and
runway length.
Secretary Sawyer said the &C
cess road and Shirley highway
will bring the new field within IS
minutes from Washington's hotel
area. Limousines and taxis now
require an average of 20 to 80
minutes from National Airport to
the Hotel Statler.
BY comparison, Baltimore's 81
O66-acre Friendship Airport is IL
miles from the city; New York's
Idlewild. with 1900 acres, is II
miles and approximately As min
utes away from uptown Manhat-
tan. and New York's La Guardia.
with SIS acres, is 10 miles and Is
minutes.