Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-09
Virginia Held
/
Willing 70 Aid
J
f Street Span
Confused Statement
Seen as Postponing
Jones Point Decision

The Virginia State Highway
Department apparently is willing
to work on a plan for approaches
to a Potomac River bridge at E
street. but rejects at this time
similar work on approaches for
a bridge at Jones Point, !.
A week ago. Virginia highway
authorities told a House District
subcommittee there was no pos
sibility the State could pay for
the approaches to the bridges.
Representative Broyhill, Repub-
lican. of Virginia arranged con-
ferenceS with highway officials to
get this stand clarified.
Yesterday afternoon Virginia
Roads Commissioner James A.
Anderson issued a statement CIV
ing the departments position but
it created some confusion over
how far the department was will
ing to go in the bridge financing
situation
Calls 1t Reversal.
Mr. Broyhill then issued a
statement saying that he consid-
cred MIR. Anderson's statement a
reversal Of the previous position |
and expressing the view that Vir-
ginia was preparing to Coop |
crate.
Mr. Anderson. called in Rich
mond by The Star. today said the |
memorandum delivered to Mr.
Broyhil yesterday was neither
reversal nor a restatement of the
departments previous position /
but q Qualification,
1--WE went into that hearing
not knowing just what the Sit
uation was" Mr.. Anderson de-
clared.
I'VE now find that most of |
the money we've been spending
up there lin ArlingtonJ for years |
may be considered as providing
approaches to the bridge"
Jones Point Later.
Mr.. Anderson said that since
the E street bridge appeared |
likely to be built first, the prob
lem of Jones Point approaches
would be considered later. |
The memorandum declared:
1.-THE principal arterial high
way to be affected by the E
street crossing is Arlington
boulevard. U. S. Route so. The
maintenance and improvement |
of this highway south of Ar |
lington Ridge road is the re-
sponsibility of the Virginia De-
partment Of Highways. 1t will |
continue to be the departments |
responsibility. :" 40 -'~e--
Mr.. Anderson cited some 81
million worth of work now under
way on Arlington boulevard as
an example Of how the Highway
Department is contributing to |
the bridge approaches.
Although his letter to the Ar
lington Republican discussed the |
types of approaches needed for |
the proposed Jones Point bridge,
it said nothing about who would
pay for them.
When pressed for more con-
crete answers on the matter, Mr.. |
Anderson said:
i just don't want any con-
troverSy with anybody-and I'm
not afraid of a fight, either.
when there is some reason to I
fight"
.3-Page Memorandum.
In the three-page memoran- |
dunn the highway commissioner |
said:
with respect to the proposed |
two new crossings of the Po-
tomac River, the situation in
Virginia is substantially as fol- |
lows:
e street crossing-the prin-
cipal arterial highway to be af-
fected by the E street crossing is
Arlington boulevard. U. S. Route
so. The maintenance and inn
provement of this highway south
OF Arlington Ridge road is the |
responsibility of the Virginia De-
partment of Highways. It will
continue to be the departments
responsibility should an E street
bridge be constructed unless
some portion of the highway
south of Arlington Ridge road |
should become a part of Fed
orally owned land or become in
corporated as part of some city. |
1.-THE department in its long
range plans has always recog-
nized the need for the develop |
ment of Arlington boulevard |
south Of Arlington Ridge road as
traffic demands in the subject |
area increased. Already millions |