Evening star., 1954-05-26
.kearns 10 Poll
House Unit on
Bridge Needs
Jones Point Span
Gets Attention
Of Subcommittee
By George Beveridqe

BY George Beveridge
Chairman Kearns Of a House
District subcommittee decided
today to poll members by mail
on new Potomac River bridge
proposals. after he failed to get
q quorum for q meeting this
morning.
Mr.. Kearns made it evident.
at the same time, that the sub
committee is centering its at
tention on a bridge at Jones
Point, Alexandria, rather than
on proposed spans at E street
NV. and at Reaches Run.
Representative Broyhill. Re-
publican, of Virginia brought to
the meeting an amendment to
his Jones Point bill. proposing
that the Federal Government
pay for the main six-lane bridge
structure on condition that
Maryland, Virginia and the Dis
trict pay for its approach roads.
His amendment, authorizing
the District to build the bridge.
said construction could not start
until the. State of Virginia and
the State of Maryland have
taken such steps as the Com
missioners deem adequate to give
assurances that there will be
constructed and maintained, by
and in such States, such ap-
proaches as will be reason
ably adequate to make possible
the full and efficient utilization
of such bridge"
$24.3 Million Cost Seen.
A cost breakdown Mr.. Broy-
hill showed reporters listed the
total cost at $24.3 million. This
was divided between $14.8 mil
lion for the Federal share, $7.3
million in Virginia, $685., 900 in
Maryland and $1.2 million in
the District.
Virginia has shown reluctance
to spend that much money on
the bridge but has suggested that
the span could function with
fewer approaches. Maryland and
the District have indicated they
will go along with their share,
although the $1.2 million is not
provided for in the Districts cur
rent highway program.
Mr.. Kearns said his mail poll
of the other eight subcommittee
members will ask these three
questions:
/. Will you support the need
for another Potomac bridge?
2. What location will you sup
port?
3. Would you consider favor
ably the compromise amendment
submitted by Mr.. Broyhill on the
Jones Point proposal?
The Pennsylvania Republican
said he would call another sub
committee executive session for
$3.50 am. on Thursday, June 8.
He said he hoped those not able
to attend the meeting would re-
spond to the questions he will
send them.
Two Proposals DeadlOcked.
Chances for either the E street
or Reaches Run proposals this
year noSe-dived when the two
proposals became bitterly dead
locked in dispute between Dis
trict officials and the National
Capital Planning Commission.
The city heads favor E street and
the planners countered with the
Reaches Run idea.
Mr.. Broyhill said he was
optimistic about getting approval
for the Jones Point project, but
both he and Mr.. Kearns said a
bridge in the downtown area will
be needed eventually.
In the future" Mr.. Kearns
added. II think the city might
go to a tunnel beneath the river.
If the cost of that is prohibitive
we will probably have to resort
to a toll system because another
central area bridge is needed"
District officials, meanwhile,
have suggested that if neither
the Reaches Run nor E street
bridges are allowed. the Jones
Point span be built and drastic
improvements be made to exist
ing bridges. This alternate pro-
posal included provision for i'm
mediate replacement of the old
trestle-top Fourteenth street
span.