Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-12-03

and improvement Of approaches
ON the new Fourteenth. street
span; widening Of Key Bridge
and approach improvements on
both. sides of the river. to In
crease its capacity by Is per
cent: improved approaches to
Memorial Bridge to raise its
capacity by 10 per cent.
The report proposed q 1860
second stage" program, includ-
| ing construction Of a Reaches
Run bridge down-river from the
Fourteenth street bridge net
work; improved approaches to
Chain Bridge. and construction
of the newly authorized Jones
Point bridge at Alexandria.
It said a 1865 eventual con-
struction" program should cover
construction of a bridge at Cabin
John, Md, which would serve
along with the Jones Point span
| as river links in an outer belt
highway encircling Washington.
The Three Sisters bridge idea.
which did not even come in for
extensive study by Congress this
year, has long been considered
a possibility by Federal planners.
It also won favorable comment
from the Wilbur Smith firm in
consultant report prepared
| last year for the Virginia State
Highway Commission.
The consultants, in the report
| released yesterday, related the
Three Sisters span to a number
of Virginia highway improve
ments they proposed in last
years Virginia report. Virginia
authorities have taken the posi-
ton they have no funds to carry
out most Of the big projects
recommended in the foreseeable
future.
The report did not make a
firm choice between the Con-
stitution avenue and the Three
Sisters spans. It said the Con-
stitution avenue one would be
"better adapted" to trips to
downtown Washington and that
the other appears to have bet
ter long-range planning posi-
bilities."
Advantages and Disadvantages.
In a listing of advantages and
disadvantages for each it said:
/. Three Sisters is the only
proposed bridge that would give
good connections between Vir-
ginia and outer Northeast WASH
ington. But to make adequate
connections to the inner-loop it
would require very expensive
connections.
2. Constitution avenue would
give direct access to the central
area. But it would create prob
lens on washington streets. gen.
crate restrictive traffic volumes
on already crowded Arlington
boulevard and involve esthetic
values in the Lincoln Memorial
area. L.,
The consultants. noting that
the Fine Arts Commission objects
to this esthetic impact and in
stead proposes that a tunnel be
built. declared:
This type Of facility "a tun-
neD would be very costly anc
> would, because of grade, preclude
contact with the inner loop. AL
traffic would tend to be unduly
concentrated ON Constitution
avenue. Extensive appro /
roadways would be required
The report said 224.000 cars
a day now cross existing Potomac
bridees-lnore than double thu
volume Of 1910. - It estimated thu
volume by 1870 would zoom tt
i $4,000 daily If fully adequate
; approach roads" are built and tx
, $4,000 if they are not. TIL.
! 375.000 figure. it said. would re-
! quire IA additional bridge lane
! to the ones existing. III
, BY 1870. the consultants said
, more than IS per cent Of all the
crossings would be on 'centra
! or intermediate" bridges, with
less than Is per cent using thu
/ Jones Point, Chain and Cabir
: John bridges.
E All tho eyictipU hriduoc nou