Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-01
{ Street Bridge
Urged byD.C.a at
House Hearing
Gen. Prentiss Says
Spun Would Ease
Congestion Until 1875
By George Beveridee


gress today to authorize a six
lane E street bridge as the "only
sound solution" to Potomac
River traffic problems. and esti-
mated it would relieve bridge
congestion in the downtown area
until 1875.
The plea was the opening gun
in hearings before a House Dis
trict subcommittee, climaxing
nearly two years of bitter con-
troverSy over the most desirable
sites for pew bridges.
Limited to Two Bills.
Subcommittee Cha rm a n
Kearns said the first three days
of hearings would be limited to
two bills-one for the E street
bridge and one for a span from
Jones Point. Alexandria. He said
hearings will be resumed later if
necessary to hear all witnesses.
Today's session. devoted en-
tirely to the Districts case for
the E street bridge, was opened
by District Engineer Commits
sioner Louis w. PrentisS. He was
followed by District highway de-
partment experts. each covering
a different phase of the bridge
problem.
Only four of the nine-member
| subcommittee attended today's
hearing, and for the most part
only Mr.. Kearns and Represent
alive Broyhill, Republican, of
Virginia, were present for long
periods. The other two mem
berS were Representatives Auch-
incloss. Republican, of New .Jer-
sey, and Morrison, Democrat, CT
Louisiana.
The hearing room was about
half filled with spectators but
most of them were witnesses who
are scheduled to appear later
either in support or protest to
i the bridge measures.
Gen. PrentiSs stressed that the
District favored the Jones Point
crossing later-as well as one at
Nebraska avenue-hut that the
highest priority must be given
E street in order to meet critical
downtown congestion snarls.
Prentiss' Testimony.
In highlights of his testimony
Gen. Prentiss:
/. Emphasized that the E
street bridge is designed to
handle morning and evening
peak hour traffic loads. He said
a Jones Point bridge would divert
only 7l2 or per cent of the
total peak-hour river crossing
volume. and that the total num-
Der of cars crossing the Potomac
is expected to increase by nearly
that much annually.
2. Stressed that District of.
| ficials are satisfied that the
! street bridge approaches in both
the District and Virginia can be
made to handle new traffic gen.
Grated by the bridge without un-
due congestion.
3. Declared that studies show
tunnel beneath the Potomac
would be impractical both be-
cause of cost and the river front
terrain.
| j. N. Robertson, District high
way director. told the subcom-
mittee that the 10 lanes on ex-
listing Potomac River bridges
carry 100000 cars a day. a.
against 10 lanes over the Ana.
costa River which carry 10000
cars daily. Despite this differ.
ence. he said, a new six-lane
East Capitol street bridge already
is under construction to boost
| Anacostia bridges capacity
Mr.. Robertson pointed out also
that the seven lanes of the two
Fourteenth street bridges carry
100000 cars daily, the highest
concentrated bridge traffic in the
world. He said the closest COM
petitor" is the Oakland bridge
in California. which carries be-
tween 10000 and 10000 cars.
Mr. Robertson said the bridge
would cost an estimated $50
million, most of which would be
financed by District revenues
and Federal highway aid. He
said he hoped Virginia would
pay for about 81 million for
connections with State highways
G. I. Sawyer. District bridge
(See BRIDGES. Page A.6O