Evening star., 1951-10-12
Planners 10 Get
Regional Roads
Progress Report
KeniIworth Avenue
Widening Project
Gets Green Light
By Nelson N. Shepard

Approval having UecH given L1lC
widening of Kenilworth
venue by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission,
highway officials met with that
lgency today to outline progress
n the Districts regional highway
,lan.
District officials have adopted
he rather unusual practice Of
;ilencing the Commission with re-
,pect to divulging any discus
lions of the plan at this meeting.
Ordinarily the Planning Commis-
sion takes the responsibility Of
ssuing news from its sessions with
other officials.
One of the matters up for dis
,ussion, it is understood, is tieing
N Shepherds Landing, the Mary
and approach to the long pro-
posed Potomac River bridge from
with the regional
highway plan. NCPPC staff men,
bers said any statement coming
out of the meeting-if at all-will
have to come from District off,
cials.
Expressway Gets Green Light
NCPPC approval of plans to
widen Kenilworth avenue to l6O
feet into a six-lane divided ex-
pressway from the District line to
Benning Bridge gives the green
light" to the Highway Depart
ment with respect to initiating
condemnation proceedings for the
frontage required. The dual high
ways of mile and half actually
will have 10 traffic lanes. Two
lanes on each side of the main
highway will provide service and
parking roads.
Appointment of Charles Henry
Conrad, formerly of the Federal
Housing Administration, as City
Planner for NCPPC was an
nounced late yesterday. He has
served nearly two years with the
former agency as land planning
consultant, town planner and IN
the District FILA field office.
In his new position he will fill
the post recently vacated by j.
Ross McKeever.
Mr.. Conrad is familiar with re-
gional planning in the Washing
ton area. Prior to joining the
FHA he was the principal planner
for the Arlington County Planning
Commission from 1947 to early
1850. That was a period during
which the county's coming ord
nance was revised to meet the
changing conditions wrought by
the rapid population growth
and influx of business. Be-
fore World War II in which he
served four years with the Army.
Mr.. Conrad was on the staff Of
Harland Bartholomew and As
sociates of st. Louis, Mo-. the firm
that helped draw up the recent
Comprehensive Plan for the Ma
tional Capital and It's Environs.
Commission Staff Filled.
With this appointment, the COM
mission announced it has filled out
its staff under present budget al
lowances. A new vacancy, how
ever. will occur when Thomas s.
Settle. secretary and legal adviser.
retires October 81.
A committee will be appointed.
it was announced, to draw up
resolutions adequately recogniz-
ing" the services rendered by E.
"A. Demaray, acting chairman of
the Commission. Mr.. Settle and
William T. Partridge, consultant
architect, who retired recently.
Mr.. Demaray is leaving the Gov.
'ernment service December 6, va
eating the post of director of the
National Park Service. He was
acting executive officer, also, Of
the Planning Commission for
more than 10 years and since
year and a half ago when Will
liam w. Wooster resigned as
chairman, has been serving as
acting chairman.
The Planning Commission ap-
proved taking line revisions for
the Stead Playground in the
Northwest section. completing its
land acquisition. District officials
now may go ahead with its de-
|velopment. 1t is located in the
area of Sixteenth. Seventeenth,
Church and P streets.
A portion of Twenty-eight
street NV. south of Pennsylvania
avenue will be closed to help
clean up the area adjacent to
the proposed new improved en-
trance to Georgetown. The west
side of Twenty-eight street is
next to the Potomac Rock Creek
Parkway and propery belonging
to the washington Gas Light Co.
Alleys Ordered Closed.
Certain alleys also were Or
dered closed in the squares oc-
cupied by the Cardozo Playground.
Buchanan Recreational Center.
and the Logan School east of
Union Station.
A very satisfactory" joint ses-
sion was held. it was reported.
on the Commissions draft of its
reorganization bill. Meeting with
the Federal officials were mem
bers of the Northern Virginia Re-
gional Planning Commission, the
Maryland-NCPPC and the Upper
Montgomery County Planning
Commission.
A joint committee will be ap-
pointed to iron out differences
with respect to the controversial
Regional Planning Council. The
Planning Commission wants Con-
gress to provide specifically the
method of nominating council
members, define duties and areas
Of jurisdiction. It will also be
necessary to agree in advance Of
the legislation the membership