Evening star., 1953-10-29
Broyhi|I Sees
Planners, Asks
Truce on Spans
Seeks to Assure
Projects by Ending
Fight Over Sites
By George Beveridqe

Representative BrOyhlll, Re-
publican, of Virginia, stepped
into the peacemaker role today
in a bid for National Capital
Planning Commission support of
new Potomac River bridges,
both in the downtown Washing
ton area and Jones Point, Alex
andria.
He appeared at a closed ses-
sion Of the commission's regular
two-day meeting to urge the
two-bridge support when Con-
gress tackles the latest round of
the bridge battle next January.
The commission has opposed
bitterly an E street bridge,
which the District Commission
ers have proposed to Congress
as deserving top priority. There
has been no evidence the plan
ners intend to let up in their
dissent.
Rather. the key question ap-
peared to be whether the plan
ners will support an alternate
site for a downtown bridge. Such
a location. extending across the
Potomac just south of the Four
teenth street railroad bridge has
been suggested publicly by COM
mission staff members and is
expected to come before the
commission today.
Fears for Both Projects.
Mr.. Broyhill. who has spon.
Sored the Jones Point project
and favorS the E street proposal.
said it is senseless to jeopardize
both by "squabbling over specific
locations.
He did not say whether he
would ask the planners to in
dorse the E street project or an
alternate downtown site. but he
called for a little give and
take" on the downtown bridge
question.
Later today the planners were
to decide whether to take any
new action on the removal Of
Washington's unsightly tenn
porary Government buildings.
John Nolens jr.. commission
director. said the planners had
to approve locations of the
tempos during the war. But the
commission did so, he said, with
the understanding they would be
removed when the emergency
was over"
Mr.. Nolen emphasized that
the commissions traditional
position has been in favor Of
removing the buildings as soon
as possible. He said the matter
would arise today because Of
recent widespread interest in the
subject.
Face Two Big Issues.
At tomorrow's final commits
sion session, meanwhile, these
two important issues will be
brought before the commission:
l The Maryland Roads Com
mission will ask the planners to
reScind opposition to conStruc-
tion of southeast leg of Route
240, which would pass through
Maryland parts of Rock Creek
Park and North Chevy Chase, to
terminate at the East West high
way.
2. The National Capital Re-
gional Planning Council, in
closed session, will attempt TO
resolve differences with the
planning commission over ap-
pojntment of a director for the
council Officials of both groups
were optimistic that a director
could be selected who would be
responsible primarily to the
council.
The planners have not Sched-
uled the. basic issue in the Route
240 fight as the main subject Of
their Joint meeting with the
roads commission.
Instead, Mr.. Nolen said the
groups would take up the loca-
ticn of nearby Maryland's inter-
county belt highway. The belt
road is slated to use the same
Rock Greek Park portion be-
tween Wisconsin avenue and
Forest Glen as the Route 240
southeast leg. The planners have
submitted proposals as to just
what route this belt highway
should take through the park.
and staff members have met
Jointly on the route.
Answer in Mails.
Roads Commissioner Russell
H. Mccain said an answer to
the road belt proposals was
mailed to the planning commits
sion yesterday. Thus. the PLAN
ners will have a day to look it
over before talking to Mr., Nc
Cain.
Mr.. Mccain said he fully in
tends to raise the question Of
the controversial 240 southeast
leg as we'll. however. when he
arrives tomorrow.
On other matters. meanwhile.
the commission will:
/. Consider site plans for a
medical clinic building at Howard
University.
Q. Hear reports on redevelop-
ment programs here and on
proposals to outlaw alley dwell
ingS here.
3. Consider a report on a bill
introduced by Representative
Oakman, Republican, of Mich
igan to make the site of the
present Civil Service Commission
Building available for parking
structure location.
Arlington Halloween Fair
A Halloween Fair sponsored
nv the Oakridpe Parent-Teacher