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

by WilIiom }. Elvin
Studies of the effect of permit
ing trucks to use Shirley highway
how no reason why the heavy
'ehicles should be banned from
he 20-nile dual highway. the
Federal Bureau of Public Roads
aid today,
Herbert s. Fairbank, deputy
Of the bureaus re-
search branch, said that a COM
,arison of surveys made last May,
before through trucks were al
owed on the highway. and late
IN June, after the trucks had been
IN the road about a month, shows:
l. Passenger car traffic increased
more in the one-month period
tnan did truck traffic.
2. A higher percentage of Wash
ngton- Woodbridge traffic used the
in preference to other
routes in June than in May.
8. 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 MarchI
through May on the 4.3-mile sec
ton 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
was to relieve truck traf-'
ic through Alexandria.
The Arlington County Board
and School Board and other
groups in the county protested
to Gov. Battle that the
presence of trucks on the highway
was threatening property values
in the area and that noise from
the heavy vehicles was interfering
with classes in three schools.
Alexandria Opposes Ban.
The Alexandria City Council
however, went on record Tuesd
night, opposing a ban on trucl
on the Shirley highway.
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 a traffic hazard as would
Justify such action.
One reason that trucks should
be permitted to use the Shirley.
Mr.. Fairbank said. is that the
distance from Highway Bridge tol
Woodbridge is miles shorter
by the dual highway than by
Route /.
Trucks are doing less to con-
gest traffic on Shirley highway"
Mr.. Fairbank said, than on any
other road"
In a letter to the Arlington
County Board, Commissioner of
Public Road Thomas H. Mac
Donald recalled that the entire
cost of the highway through Arl-
ington was borne by the FEDERAL
Government and rs per cent Of
the cost of the portion in Fairfax
County was paid for with Federal
funds.
"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 cit
vas understood and agreed that
his highway would be an ALL
purpose one, that is a highway for
Doth passenger vehicles and
trucks"
Regarding traffic noise at the
schools, Mr.. Macdonald replied
that Oakridge School is so far
away from the Shirley that sit
does not seem possible that the
noise would be noticeable"
When Dolly Madison School and
the new Hofman-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- ,
signed and built to carry heavy
traffic. Accordingly, it does not
to be feasible to prohibit
truck traffic on the Shirley high
way" Mr.. Macdonald concluded.
In a letter to Representative
Howard w. Smith. the commits
Sioner commented on the difficulty
of school buses in crossing the
Shirley from Ridge road to CO.
lumbia pike.
Mr.. Macdonald suggested that
during rush hours these buses
might be able to use the bridge
under the highway at Country
Club road.