Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-08-16
Shirley Highway
Ban on Trucks
Held Unneeded
Public Roads Bureau
Reports on Studies
OF 20-MiIe Route
By William J. EIvin

BY William J. ElvIn
Studies of the effect of permit
ting trucks to use Shirley highway
show no reason why the heavy
vehicles should be banned from
the 20-mile dual highway, the
Federal Bureau of Public Roads
said today
Herbert S. Fairbank, deputy
commissioner of the bureaus re-
search branch, said that a COM
pariSon of surveys made last May,
before through trucks were al
lowed on the highway, and late
in June, after the trucks had been
on the road about a month. shows:
l. Passenger car traffic increased
more in the one-month period
than did truck traffic.
| 2. A higher percentage of WASH
ington- w oodbridge traffic used the
Shirley in preference to other
routes in June than in May.
3. Rush hour traffic speed
through Arlington was higher in
June than it was in May.
Only 3 Trucks in Accidents.
Mr.. Fairbanks said that there
were "a accidents from March
Through May on the 4.3-mile Sec
tion of the highway from High
way Bridge to Leesburg pike. near
Alexandria. Trucks were involved
in only three, he added, and these
trucks were small.
In further support of the bu-
reau's position, Mr.. Fairbank said
that Arlington officials have
known for 10 years that part Of
the reason for construction of the
highway was to relieve truck traf-
fic through Alexandria.
The Arlington County Board
and School Board and other
, groups in the county protested
Monday to Gov. Battle that the
presence of trucks on the highway
was threatening property values
o in the area and that noise from
q the heavy vehicles was interfering
i with classes in three schools.
Alexandria Opposes Ban.
The Alexandria City Council.
however, went on record Tuesday
night, opposing a ban on trucks
a on the Shirley highway.
a State Highway Commissioner.
James A. Anderson, told the Arl-
= ington delegation he doubts
= whether he has the authority to
- ban trucks unless he can show
. such traffic hazard as would
= Justify such action.
,.' One reason that trucks should
- be permitted to use the Shirley.
Mr.. Fairbank said, is that the
i distance from Highway Bridge to
~ Woodbridge is 2 miles shorter
- by the dual highway than by
Route /.
le Trucks are doing less to con-
- sest traffic on Shirley highway,
Mr.. Fairbank said, than on any
= other road"
Y In a letter to the Arlington
County Board, Commissioner of
st Public Road Thomas H. Mac
re Donald recalled that the entire
IL cost of the highway through Arl-
lg Iington was borne by the Federal
If Government and rs per cent of
the cost of the portion in Fairfax
n County was paid for with Federal
= funds.
le "All-Purpose" Agreement.
From the time when plans for
the highway were drawn in 1941
and 1912, Mr.. Macdonald said,
the county was consulted and ''it
was understood and agreed that
this highway would be an all
purpose one, that is a highway for
both passenger vehicles and
( trucks"
Regarding traffic noise at the
schools, Mr.. Macdonald replied
that Oakridge School is so far
away from the Shirley that "it
does not seem possible that the
noise would be noticeable. "
- When Dolly Madison School and
the new Hoffman-Boston School
were planed, Mr.. Macdonald said,
= it was known by the county that
~ truck traffic would use the high
~ way.
1.-THE Shirley highway was de-
p signed and built to carry heavy
l. traffic. Accordingly, it does not
l. appear to be feasible to prohibit
truck traffic on the Shirley high
es way" Mr.. Macdonald concluded
le In a letter to Representative
Up Howard w. Smith. the commits
Or sioner commented on the difficulty
of school buses in crossing the
it, Shirley from Ridge road to Co.
I'd lumbia pike.
t. Mr.. Macdonald suggested that
n during rush hours these buses
ir might be able to use the bridge
under the highway at Country
- Club road.