Evening star., 1951-11-15
98 Pct. Of Land
Now Acquired
For fort Drive
Capital Planners
Review Progress
On Traffic Artery
By Nelson N. Shepard

By Nelson N. Shepard
Completion of SO per cent Of
the land acquisition for the 23-
mile Fort drive. long-planned in
termediary traffic artery connect
ing two proposed Potomac River
bridge sites at Nebraska avenue
and Alexandria, was announced
today by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
Actual land purchases started in
1925 for this express freeway,
limited parts of which are now in
use. Designed primarily to ring
the congested central area in
handling circumferential traffic,
this limited access road eventually
will distribute traffic on radial
routes. First conceived ~in con-
nection with the 1901 plan for
Washington, the whole character
of planning for the two-way dual
road has changed in recent years
to give Washington eventually an
inner ring route on a par with
similar roads in New York, Chi
cago and other large cities. !
Eastern Avenue Frontage.
The announcement at the
monthly planning session followed
approval of contract to purchase
three lots for the Fort drive 'front.'
age on the south side of Perry
street, near the intersection of
Eastern avenue at the District
line in the Northeast section.
Condemnation proceedings also
were approved to acquire .65 acre
OF Eastern avenue frontage of the
st. Joseph Home and School. This
property consists of two small
trlangles right at Eastern avenue
and Perry street.
Russell Macdonald, land-pur-
chasing officer for NCPPC, told the
group that with the exception Of
a few strips along Nebraska ave-
nue., the job of cleaning up all the
undeveloped land involved along
the entire route of the Fort drive
had been accomplished. In terms
or area the land acquisition is SO
per cent completed. he said. A
major project of the new COM
prehensive plan. the road will be
constructed at progressive stages
probably taking a good MANY
years, depending on appropriations
from Congress.
Stretches of Fort drive are now
ln use along Nebraska avenue. Mil.
itary road across Rock Greek Park.
parts of Eastern avenue and a
small stretch of Missouri avenue.
Eventually the drive will have a
minimum right of way of 100 feet,
as there is now along Eastern ave-
nue., to a maximum of maybe $50
feet. There will be two lanes Of
main traffic on each side of the
center parkway and, like the
Mount Vernon Memorial highway
and some other new parkways. ac-
cess to it will be strictly limited.
For this reason the sections now
being utilized eventually will be
made to conform to the planned
design.
Sites Not Approved.
The two bridge sites which Fort
drive will connect are planned
only on paper. Neither site has
been approved by either Congress
or the District Commissioners.
The proposed Alexandria bridge.
to connect with Shepherds Land
ing on the Maryland side, has
consistently been suggested by the
Planning Commission and the
need for it is held sufficiently
strong to warrant it's construction.
Recently there has been agitation
for a new bridge between the Kew
and Chain bridges and the vicinity
Iof Nebraska avenue near the
Georgetown Reservoir has been
discussed generally in official cir
cleS.
Washington is greatly in need
OF an inner circle route that would
speed traffic around congested
areas, John Nolen, jr., director
Iof NCPPC emphasized. Other big
cities are realizing this idea of
quickly routing traffic and the
Fort drive is being planned to
give Washington a thoroughly
modern speedway of this kind.
Fort drive takes its name from
the old Civil War forts and breast
works ringing the city which are
situated on the planned route.
Planning Consultant Attends.
Policy matters and some acute
planning problems affecting the
proposed redevelopment project in
the Southwest section were due
for consideration at the commits
sion meeting today.
Meeting with the commission on
these problems are the members
OF the District Redevelopment
Land 'gency. representatives Of
the National Capital Housing Au-
thority. and Harland Bartholomew
OF st. Louis. city planning con-
sultant for NCPPC. No actions are
expected to be taken, but a COM
mon understanding on policy ma
tiers and land. housing and rede.
velopment problems is sought to
permit the expedition of PLAN
ming for this initial project.
Chief concern, before any actual
work can be undertaken, is CEN
tered on the precise route the
proposed Southwest expressway
should take through the area.
It is supposed to cut through the
heart of the area, but no definite
location has been determined