Evening star., 1951-08-15
Council Opposes
Shirley Highway
Ban on Trucks
Alexandria Action
Calls for Study Of
Area Traffic Ills


Shirley highway, but favors a
careful study of area traffic prob
lens.
A resolution adopted unani-
mously by the council last night
protests recent requests for ban
ming trucks from the super high
way at this time, and recommends
that both Shirley and Route l be
kept open to passenger and truck
traffic.
Mayor Franklin P. Backus. who
sponsored the resolution, COM
mented that most truck drivers
chose to use Shirley highway since
it was opened to them, thereby re-
Ilieving downtown Alexandria Of
many trucks.
Council Cites Reasons.
Entering the Shirley highway
traffic dispute for the first time.
the council gave the following rea-
sons for it's position:
/. Shirley highway was built for
truck use.
| 2. Shirley highway is a dual
highway, while Route / is only 40
feet wide where 1t passes through
Alexandria.
8. Route / cuts through the
heart of Alexandria business
section.
4. An overload of truck traffic
in downtown Alexandria would up
set the recently-inStalled one-way
street system. Il
S. Passage of trucks over Route
l in Alexandria creates a traffic.
hazard because they must ma
neuver four right-angle turns.
Two schools are located directly on
Route /.
s. The truck route in Alexandria
passes through some residential
areas and in several instances Is
within 20 feet of homes.
Cover Engineers Points.
/ Many of the same points were
covered in a report by the city's
traffic engineer, Kenneth w.
Smith. He said that there were
Al intersections along Route
within the Alexandria city limits,
and that eight of the city'S arterial
streets cross the route.
He added that much of Route /
IN the city badly needs reconstruc-
ton, as does the Potomac Yards
Bridge. Several turns must be re-
designed for safe use by trucks, he
said.
Since January /, 1850, when the
| traffic division was set up, Mr..
Smith reported that there had
been 233 accidents on Route in
the city-a majority of them in
volvlng trucks.
Even with Shirley highway now
being used by trucks, Mr.. Smith
reported that 160,351 vehicles
passed over the Potomac Yards
bridge in a Seven-day period.
Fears Prohibitive Load.
I I am sure you can see that
with normal increase in vehicu-
lar traffic, the additional load Gre
ated by rerouting trucks from
Shirley highway would be prohibi-
tive" declared Mr.. Smith.
A letter from Schools Supt. T.
: C. Williams confirmed that two
city Schools-Lee and Charles
Houston-are on Route / and that
IA third elementary school is pro-
posed where Route l enters the
city. Students attending four
other schools have to cross Route
l, he added.
Charles M. Dawson, chairman of
the Municipal Affairs Committee
of the North Ridge Citizens Asso-
citation, sought to stave of the
councils action.
i Wants New Bridge.
!. Mr.. Dawson said commuters
used to have one safe route to
Washington over Shirley highway.
but now they have to put up with
trucks on both main routes into
the Capital. He said he favored
keeping trucks off Shirley high
way during rush hours.
"Of course. the long range
answer is very clear-build the
new Shepherds Landing BRIDGE
said Mr.. Dawson.
The resolution suggesting an
area traffic study was offered by
Councilman Albert A. Smoot after
he voted to oppose the Shirley
} highway truck ban las the lesser
of two evils"
Suggested Study Approved.
Il am sure the council recog-
nizes that the problem is not to
be solved by shifting trucks back
from one highway to another. +"
said Mr.. Smoot. 1--WE might note
that the matter has been brought
to head by this dispute, and ask
the Northern Virginia Regional
: Planning Commission to make a.
thorough study with the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
: mission to arrive at a permanent
solution. I so move"
Councilmen agreed to include
SIS million in new bond issue
within several months to cover
Hooffs Run after they received a
petition from Rosemont area resi-
dents protesting unhealthy condi-
tions. Rats and foul odors were
attributed to the creek. Several
residents thought their children
had become i'll because of the dirty
water and rodents that infest the
creek bed.