Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-01
Eisenhower Asks
Mckay 10 Safeguard
Bridge Site Area

bIl0ge Die AIRED
President Eisenhower has
called on Secretary of Interior
Mckay to recommend executive
action and amendments neces-
sary to correct defects" in the
new legislation authorizing two
new bridges over the Potomac.
For one thing. the President
wants to make sure the Districts
central area bridge, to be located
upstream from Memorial Bridge
and southfof Roosevelt Memorial
Island, will not mar the fiAonu-
mental and artistic layout Of its
setting.
For another, he would relieve
the Interior Secretary of the re-
sponsibility of constructing and
operating the other bridge. to be
constructed from a point in
Maryland just below the District
line to Jones Point. Va.
Tine Presidents statement,
said:
'"I have today signed H. r.
1880, bill authorizing the con-
struction of two briggs over the
Potomac River, one from a point
at or near Jones Point, Virginia,
and the other from the vicinity
of Constitution Avenue in the
District of Columbia to- the Vir-
ginia side.
81 have signed this enrolled
bill because it provides, In Title
I, a compromise solution for the
long-standing controversy as to
the location of a central area
bridge across the Potomac. The
bill, however, contain serious de-
fects which should be corrected
as soon as possible. Certain Of
the defects can be corrected by
Executive action In the form of
instructions, whereas others will
require amendment of the legis-
lation.
little Of the enrolled bill, in
providing for the construction Of
the central area bridge by the
Commissioners of the District Of
Columbia, fails to provide statu-
tory recognition and adjustment
Of the relationship of the bridge,
together with its approaches and
connecting roads, to existing and
potential improvements on park
lands.
1.-The bridge, with its high traf-
fic volume, will have a serious
impact on some of the most i'm
portant of the national n1ei1aori-
ais. 1t can affect Importantly
the effectiveness of the memorial
concept of Arlington Memorial
Bridge, which symbolizes the
reunion of the North and South
and provides a monumental APP
proach to Arlington National
Cemetery. It can infringe upon
the Water Gate design as a mon
umental entrance to the Mall
from the Potomac River. Most
serious of all could be the effect
of the bridge on the beautiful
setting of the Lincoln Memorial.
I'm order to minimize the pos
sible impairment of the monu-
mental design and artistic set
ting of the Lincoln Memorial
and other monumental struc-
lures in that area, the Secre-
tary of the Interior should con-
tinue to keep control and juris-
diction over all park lands in
the vicinity of the bridge except
the actual bridge structure and
the road and street surface be-
tween curbs necessary for MAIN
tenance by the District Of
Columbia.
1.-THE Secretary of the Interior
also should be authorized to ap-
prove all plans for the bridge
and for approach roads and
interchanges at both ends of the
bridge since park structures and
land are involved. Trucks
should be prohibited on the
bridge and its approaches. and
all passenger-carrying buses now
utilizing the Arlington Memorial
Bridge should be required to use
the new bridge upon its compile
ton.
IT feel that Title II of H. r.
1880 improperly vests in the Sec
rotary of the Interior the re-
sponsibility for the construction.
maintenance and operation of
the Jones Point bridge. There is,
in my opinion. no logical basis
for the performance of these
functions by that department
since it is not a construction
agency and the bridge will not
primarily concern or serve areas
administered by that depart
ment. The responsibility for the
construction, maintenance and
operation of this bridge should
be placed in the Bureau of Pub
lie Roads, Department Of Com
merce, or in the Corps Of En-
gineers of the Department Of
the Army.
st am requesting the Secre-
tary of the Interior to submit to
me recommendations for execu-
tive action and amendments Of
the act necessary to correct these
defects in this legislation"