Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-02
House 10 Seek
Virginia Share
Of Span Costs
Stote Official
Testifies Today
On Bridge Plan
By George Beveridee

A House District subcommittee
prepared to ask Virginia high
way officials today how much the
State is willing to spend for its
share Of the proposed E street
bridge.
District officials hope the State
will put up about $2.2 million.
on structures to connect
bridge approaches with existing
Virginia highways.
The rest of the spans $32 mil
lion total cost. including struc-
lures and roads over Federally
owned land on the Virginia side
of the river, would be paid for
Jointly by District taxpayers and
Federal highway aid.
If past stands Of Virginia
highway officials are any guide.
however. it is likely that they
will balk even on the $2.2 mil
lion expenditure. and contend
that no such funds are available
for this area.
Broyhill Confident.
Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican. of Virginia. author Of
bills before the subcommittee
calling for bridges both at e
street NV. and at Jones Point.
Alexandria, said he firmly cx-
poets the State to meet any
legitimate responsibility for ap-
proach roads
Mr.. Broyhill's E street bridge
bill would authorize a cost Of
$24.5 million. He said he in
tends to amend 1t to cover re-
vised costs of bridge approaches.
except for whatever portion Vir-
ginia would agree to pay.
Virginia Highway Commission
Chairman James A. Anderson
was to be the subcommittee
first witness today. It was
learned. however, that he has
designated Frank Smith. the
commissions urban engineer. to
appear instead.
Mr.. Smith was expected to
join other Virginia officials and
Washington citizen-leaders in
voicing support for the proposed
E street span, which would cross
Roosevelt Memorial Island on
its way from northwest WASH
ington to the Virginia side Of
the Potomac.
District Highway Departmept
officials told the House unit yes
terday the. E street project. is
the only sound solution" TO
growing Potomac bridge con-
gestion affecting the central
part of the District. They esti-
the bridge would provide
relief until 1975-by which time
the total daily Potomac cross
ings are expected to have
from the present 210. 900
trips to 100000.
Opposition Seen.
Strenuous opposition win be
lodged against the e street span
because it crosses Roose-
welt Island and on grounds that
other bridge locations could do
a better job. =
It appeared certain today,
however. that the opposition will
not get its chance until next
week.
Subco m mittee Chairman
Kearns said tomorrow's hearing
will devoted entirely to testimony
on the Jones Point bridge, which
is largely non-controversial. Mr..
Broyhill's bill calls for the Fed
eral Government to pay for its
$40 million estimated cost.
The House unit will recess
after tomorrow and hearings
probably will be resumed early
next week to get testimony from
opposition witnesses on the e
street project. Mr.. Kearns said.
Witnesses listed by the SUBJ
committee for testimony today
as E street proponents included.
besides Mr.. Smith. Clifford G..
Stoneburner. Arlington County
highway engineer; Mrs. Leone
Buchholtz, Arlington County
Board of Commissioners; Leon
r. Johnson. Arlington Develop
ment Committee; William Press,
Washington Board OF Trade;
p. Y. K. Howat. Washington
Building Congress; H. j. Spell
man. Federal Bureau Of Public
Roads; r. M. Watkins, National
Capital Regional Planning Coun-
Gil; Ernest Brett, Keystone Auto
mobile Club. and John A. Remon.
Washington civic leader.
Here. meanwhile. is the off,
cial breakdown Of the 1925 mil
lion cost estimate for the E
street bridge and its approaches:
Bridge proper, $11,624.580.
Virginia approaches. $5.063. 1874.
OF this, $2.848. 084 involves road
ways and structures on Federal
property. The structures include
an overpass and connections to
Jefferson Davis highway and
ramps to Wilson boulevard and
the George Washington Memo
rial parkway. The remaining
$2.215.25O is proposed as Vir-
.I~~l Dill.