Evening star., 1953-08-02
Planners Study
n. Y. Parkways
For Ri. 24O Kew
2-Doy Visit Aimed
At Solving Dispute
On Rock Creek Use
By George Beveridee
StoF Stoff Correspondent

tngton area planners and road
builders, locked in controversy
over the proposed extension of
Route 240 into the District
through Rock Creek Park, today
ended f1rst-hand inspection of
New York's vast parkway system.
Officials making the unpub-
1ished trip wanted to see what
New York is doing about putting
highways through parks. They
wanted to see what the effects
were on the parks, and on resi-
dental areas.
They learned:
l. That New York strongly re-
sists construction of big traffic
arteries through parks if there's
any other alternative. But they
saw. in two instances, that por-
tionS of large important parks
are giving way to necessary new
highways.
2. That, whenever existing
parks are invaded by highways,
meticulous care is taken to mini
mize the park damage.
3. That miles of "shoeString
parks with beautiful land
scaping and recreation areas, can
be created where no parks exist
ed before. These new areas bor-
der modern, limited-acceSS, six
lane parkways.
Property Values Raised.
4. That, according to city park
and construction officials, such
parkways have enhanced prop
erty values.
5. That New York, in contrast
to Washington. has learned to
resolve differences involving
parklands on the merits of each
project. In some cases, parks
have been held inviolate against
highway preSSureS. In others,
highways have been found too
important to be stopped.
Officials making the tWo-day
New York trip. accompanied by
a reporter of The Star, we're:
Norman Pritchett and Frank
V. Dreyer. location engineers of
the Maryland State Road Com
mission: William C. Burrage and
Warren Jiauque, planning en-
gineers of the Maryland-Na-
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission; Blair Lee, III,
executive officer of the National
Capital Planning Commission;
William F. Boardman, of the
District Highway Department,
and Joseph E. Barnett, Federal
Bureau of Public Roads urban
conSultant.
The officials, except for Mr..
Barnett, represent principals in
the Route 240 impasse.
The Maryland Roads Commits
sion intends to bring a leg of
240 through the Maryland sec
ton of Rock Creek Park to dead
end temporarily at the East
West highway. It's intention is
that the District Highway De-
partment later should continue
the route through the western
section of the park to downtown
Washington. The Maryla d
planning group indorses the
project. The National Capital
Planning Commission opposes it,
and threatens court action to
stop it.
None of the solutions the Wis
itors saw in New York solves
the Rock Creek problem. New
York officials stressed that diff
ferent conditions dictated the
solutions in each case.
Nevertheless. some of the fac
tors are similar. In New York.
as in Washington, storms of
protest have arisen whenever
highways have threatened to en-
croach on parks. This situation
Is at the root of many of WASH
1ngton's development headaches.
Moses Given Credit.
New York officials credit much
of the solution of such problems
to Robert Moses, who has domi-
mated their park and highway
development scene for two dec
AIDES
Mr.. Moses wears several Off
cial hats to do his job.
AS city construction co-ordi-
nator. he has a mighty voice in
building roads where they are
needed. Sometimes they are
needed through parks. AS the
city park commissioner, he has
a major say in whether the parks
can be used. When the city
planning commission sits to con-
slider all new development plans.
Mr.. Moses is one of the seven
members.
He also is chairman of the
Triborough Bridge and Tunnel
Authority, which has built and
runs a dozen major toll bridges
and tunnels. Tremendously sue
ceSsful, it had a revenue of $28
million last year, and now is
spending $50 million to improve
arteries connecting with the toll
facilities.
Since he was brought into the
city picture by Mayor LaGuardia
in 1884. Mr.. Moses has been
named to numerous authorities.
at times as the sole. member.
While he draws salary only as
city park commissioner, his
other jobs include chairman
ship of the State Council of
Parks. the Long Island State
Park Commission and the Jones
Beach Authority.
ParkwayS Inspected.
AS a major purpose of the
trip. the Washington officials in
Spected some of the hundreds of
miles of parkways in which MIR.
Moses has had a hand. They
paid special attention to prof.
ects involving two of the city's
biggest parks. Van Cortlandt
and the Bronx Parks.