Evening star., 1954-11-06


Photo Dioerom Of Bridge Troffic Pro-
posal. Paae A-2e
~---~---
yesterday when the National
Capital Planning Commission
unanimously approved a new
scheme for handling traffic from
both the new span and Arlington
Memorial Bridge.
The real significance of the
action is that the commissions
approval was voiced jointly by
District and by Federal planning,
park. public roads and public
buildings officials.
The basis of the agreement
was a carefully worked-out plan
that will assure both the Arling-
ton Memorial and the new bridge
will have it's own set of streets
to carry off bridge traffic.
Main Features of Plan.
It's. main features:
/. New three-lane roads would
be built paralleling the Lincoln
Memorial Rejecting Pool to
carry traffic to and from the
Lincoln Memorial Circle and
around the Washington Monu-
ment to connect with existing
Mall roads east of Fifteenth
street NV.
2. These new roads would
serve only the Arlington Memo
rial bridge, but would be capable
of handling all the rush hour
traffic using the bridge. They
would require demolition of the
Navy and Munitions Buildings
on Constitution avenue and
other tempos on the Monument
Grounds and south of the Memo
rial Rejecting Pool.
8. The new Constitution ave-
niue bridge. located about 1900
feet upriver from Memorial
Bridge, would connect directly
with Constitution avenue. It
also would route traffic south.
ward to Independence avenue
and northward on a proposed
"Twenty-f1fth street expressway"
! to feed such eaSt-WeSt streets
as E, H and I.
i The basic conflict between
District and Federal planners
over the new bridge had been
the connections it would make.
| The planners insisted it should
connect with Constitution ave-
nue.. District officials, however.
argued that Constitution already
is jammed by Memorial Bridge
! traffic. They contended that II
the new bridge also linked with
the big avenue. rush-hour traffic
would stop using Memorial
Bridge.
Extra Routes Solve Problem.
BY giving each bridge its own
traffic escape valves, the problem
was solved to every ones salts
| faction.
Probably the biggest headache
raised by the new Mall road
proposal is the proposal to de-
molish the tempos.
Public Buildings Administrator
Peter A. Strobe1, member Of
the commission, said the answer
to the old buildings removal "is
money, either in the form Of
appropriations or approval to
apply the new Federal lease-pur-
chase law to provide space some
| where else for the present popu-
lation of the tempos."
But yesterdays bridge agree /,
ment. Mr.. Strobel said, "can and
will be used as an argument for
elimination of the tempos."
1T would naturally take time"
he added. "The administration's
policy to obtain a balanced
budget will be very important
consideration. Even using lease.
purchase, it will involve large
additional expenditures"
evil Take Time"
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss,
District Engineer Commissioner,
said construction of the bridge
also will take time"-enough
time, he hoped, to work out the
tempo problem.
Gen. Prentiss said he will in.
struct City Highway Director j.
N. Robertson to begin immedi-
ate negotiations with a consult
ant for design plans.
Ironically, the extension of the
| Continued on Page A-28, Col. 10