Evening star., 1952-08-31
Neviius Tract
Swap Is Urged
In Span Project
| Plan Would Reduce
ArIington's Share in
E Street Bridge
By John w. Stepp

sSSe Sss0SV
By John W. Stepp
The possibility of a swap of the
Federally-owned Nevius tract for
an adjoining tract of private
property to facilitate construction
Iot the proposed E street Bridge
across the Potomac has been
raised by Washington area au-
thorities.
officials in Arlington and the
District either kept mum or were
not available for comment on the
prospects yesterday. But it was
learned that the suggestion has
been made to high-level officials
in both Jurisdictions.
Purposes of the property swap
would be to cut Arlington's share
in the bridge project cost to a
bare minimum, and at the same
time give the country the con-
troversial Nevius tract that it has
long sought for tax-producing de-
velopment.
Conflicts With Survey.
Here is the picture:
The bridge was proposed last
Thursday to the District Commits
sioners as an all-important link
between Arlington, near the juno
ton Of Arlington boulevard and
Arlington Ridge road and WASH
ington. in the vicinity of E street
and New Hampshire avenue NV.
The structure would cross Theo-
dore Roosevelt Island.
This proposal. to ease the traffic
flow from Virginia to downtown
Washington, is in direct conflict
with the report of a separate con-
sultant firm to the National Park
and Planning Commission. The
NPPC consultant fatty opposed
an E street bridge, on grounds
that it would encourage more
traffic and lead to greater traffic
congestion in the central area of
the District.
Aside from this initial drawing
of battle lines, the big factor Of
cost is raised. The total estimate
given the Commissioners is 1928
million. .ss
d. C. Would Put Up SIS Million.
AS the plan now stands, the
bridge extends from District soil
on the east to private land under
the jurisdiction of Arlington in
Virginia. On the face of it, this
would mean that while the Dis
trict, with Federal highway aid.
would put up about SIS million for
the Washington approaches and
the bridge itself. Arlington. with
Virginia State aid, would still
have close to 81 million to produce
for its bridge approaches alone.
The intricate system of ramps
and cloverleaf "interchanges" on
the Virginia side would cost more
than So million. And since the
present proposed location Of these
approaches is private property, the
county and State would have to
institute condemnation proceed
ings to gain title to the land itself.
This cost is estimated at 81 mil
lion.
How Swap Idea Figures.
The swap" idea figures at this
point. Just across Arlington boule-
ward south of the bridge approach
site, lies the 27-acre Nevius tract.
It was obtained for SIG million
by the Federal Government
through 1948 condemnation pro-
ceedings. A plan to develop it into
a huge veteran hospital collapsed.
however. and the tract has re-
manned untouched ever since.
With this in mind, proponents
|of swapping the two tracts feel
that the Federal Government
would acquire property that could
be put to exemplary use for the
IL Street Bridge approaches. In
the Nevius tract, Arlington would
get land on which apartments or
other tax-producing developments
might be built.
What's more, If the bridge ap-
proaches were Federal ground, q
greater Federal share in the State
and county cost conceivably would
be forthcoming. Especially. as one
source points out, since the bridge
project would aid national defense
in time Of emergency.
To date, all the Potomac River
crossings from the District to Vir-
ginia have been paid for either
by the Federal Government alone
or on a $3.50 share basis between
the Federal and District Govern
ments. The District boundary ex-
tends across the Potomac just of
the Virginia shore, most of which
opposite the city proper is con-
trolled by the Federal Government.