Evening star., 1953-08-01
PressurePut
On KeniIWorth
Rail Bridge Bill
Faces Doubtful Fute
In Congress; Transit
Offers New Plan
A-24 THE EVENING STAR
I" Washington, D. G.
SATURDAY, AUGUST I, 1858
By John v. Homer

pressure was maluCalueO III
Congress today for passage OF a
bill permitting a railroad bridge
to be built over Kenilworth ave-
nue. NE. between the Benning
road plant of Potomac Electric
Power Co. and the Pennsylvania
Railroad tracks.
The legislation would have an
important bearing on District
plans for converting Kenilworth
avenue into a six lane express
way connecting the new East
Capitol Street Bridge with the
Baltimore Washington parkway
Meanwhile, Capital Transit
Co. tossed some new expressway
proposals at the District High
way Department. 1t urged a
series of changes in plans for
the thoroughfare. The COM
pany declared its suggestions
would save taxpayers money but
highway engineers appeared
skeptical.
Fate of Bridge Bill in Doubt.
Fate of the pending bridge
bill remained in doubt as Con-
gress pushed toward adjourn
ment. Senator Holland, Demo-
crat, Of Florida, had made no
move to withdraw objections by
which he blocked action several
days ago.
The Senator said he held up
action because he wanted to get
the views of Capital Transit Co.,
whose principal stockholders are
Florida residents. Presumably,
construction of the bridge would
terminate Capital TranSit's con-
tract for hauling coal cars from
the Pennsylvania tracks to the
power plant.
4S,5OO Vehicles Daily.
Highway engineers estimate
the expressway will handle
48,500 vehicles a day when it
opens two years from now. They
want to eliminate railway grade
crossings and other traffic haZ-
ards by establishing controlled
access road.
Earlier this week, the District
suffered a partial defeat on its
plans. Although Congress appro-
priated 81 million toward the
construction of a Kenilworth
overpass at Deane street, it Or
dered the District to leave some
other Capital Transit tracks
where they are.
Over these tracks, the transit
company hauls coal to Pepco
from a terminal Of the East
Washington Railway Co., just
east of Kenilworth avenue at
Deane. This coal is brought here
by the Baltimore & Ohio Rail-
road and switched onto the East
Washington yards. 1t is picked
up there by the transit company.
The action saved a lucrative
business for the East Washing
ton Railway-and for Capital
Transit. At the same time, it
created new problems for the
Highway Department. It also
cost District taxpayers an esti-
mated $3.50, 900, because express
way plans must be revised and
additional land acquired.
New Proposals.
Meanwhile, Capital Transit has
come up with new suggestions
for the Kenilworth project.
These proposals were submitted
to the Highway Department and
are being studied by its engineers.
Among other things, Capital
Transit wants the District to
permit two-way traffic on a Serv-
ice road that parallerS Kenil-
worth avenue on the west side.
The company proposes to operate
buses in both directions over the
service road, and not use the
expresSway.
Transit spokeSmen said most
Of its passengers who use these
buses live on the west side of
the service road. Under its
proposal, the passengers would
not have to cross the expreSSway.
The company also recon-
mended that no traffic be ad-
mitted to the expressway be-
tween Deane avenue and Ben
ming road. In other words.
drivers west of Kenilworth would
be required to travel on the
service road.
District engineers immediate
ly questioned the wisdom of these
proposals, although they reserved
final Judgment until their study
is completed. They said the 26-
foot service road probably would
have to be widened for two-way
trafic, and said a large number
of citizens would be incon-
venienced If no traffic could enter
the expressway at the side
streets.
Bus Routes.
Capital Transit proposed to
operate its buses over the serv-
Ice road all the way to the Dis
trict line. It contended this
would enable the District to save
money, by eliminating some OF
the pedestrian passagewayS that
will overpass Kenilworth. CPres-
ent plans call for two such pass
aReways between Benning road
and Deane avenue. and three
more north Of Deanne avenue.
District engineers said Capital
Transit apparently had failed t.
take into consideration the fact
that persons other than bus pas
sengers must get from enc side
Of the expressway to the other
via pedestrian overpasS.
that VN,nnO