Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-28
Airport
CongestionHeld
Greatest in U.S..
| Burke Site Is Only
Logical Solution,
Alta Official Says

Alta Official Says
An airline spokesman report
ed here yesterday that National
Airport is now burdened with
the heaviest traffic congestion
in the United States.
Conditions here, he said, are
about 80 per cent worse than
at Chicago, where a new air.
port is being completed to re-
duce the load on present IA
cilitieS.
Milton w. Arnold, vice presi-
dent of the Air Transport AS
ISOLATION, told the Aviation Com
mittee of the Washington Board
of Trade that National Airport
affords no possibilities of ex-
panSion.
Mr.. Arnold, an expert on OPP
erations and engineering, de-
clared that a second airport at
the controversial Burke site in
nearby Fairfax County, Va, is
the only logical solution to a
problem becoming more acute
each year.
Thorough Studies Cited.
The speaker pointed out that
Congress authorized a new air
port at Burke in 1850 "after
the most thorough engineering
and air traffic studies, consider
ing soil and terrain, safety, ex-
pansion potential and all other
pertinent factors"
After the Civil Aeronautics
Administration had spent al
most 81 million dollars on plans
and land purchase, however,
Congress last year refused to
appropriate more funds. The
project had been opposed by
the Maryland delegation in
Congress and most of the Vir-
ginia delegation.
Maryland politicians fought
the Burke site on the ground
that the new Friendship Airport
at Baltimore should be used as
an alternate for National.
Ground Time Factor.
Mr.. Arnold pointed out that
it takes at least an hour and IS
minutes to drive to Friendship
from downtown Washington
during rush hours and about SIS
minutes at other times. Speak
ing for the scheduled airlines
he said:
"The very simple answer is
that we are convinced that
Friendship is not suitable as a
second Washington airport due
to the ground time alone"
Chairman Howard c. Drake of
the aviation group declared his
committee and the Board Of
Trade. as a whole, will not give
up the fight to obtain adequate
air terminal facilities for the
National Capital.
Mr.. Drake said virtually all the
pressure put on congressional
delegations came from opponents
to Burke. He suggested that
residents of Maryland and Vir-
GINA who favor the Burke site
make their views known.
Sees Land Values Rising.
Mr.. Arnold. referring to oppo-
sition in Fairfax County, pointed
out that land values around La
Guardia Airport multiplied 20
fold in few years. He cited
figures on increases in property
values at Denver, Austin, Tex:
Kansas City and San Francisco.
Mr.. Arnold noted that gross
receipts for all services at Ma
tional Airport amount to about
$78 million a year. He estimated
that additional revenues brought
in by the proposed Fairfax
County airport might approach
a $75 million figure Gin the not
too distant future"
AS an example, he said, II am
informed that Melpar, Inc. an
engineering firm employing 800
persons, has DEFINITE plans to
build a major laboratory near
the Burke site in order to be close
to the airport for experimental
work."
Mr.. Arnold told the luncheon
meeting in the Mayflower Hotel
the Burke site is logical for these.
reasons:
l. It is easy to reach by car.
2. It will have great economic
value to the greater Washington
area.
3. It will enhance real estate
values in Fairfax County.
4. It will provide monetary
gain for land owners in and near
the site.
S. It will increase tax returns
in Fairfax County.
6. It is the least expensive site
available in the area.