Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-01-11
Expert 10 Back
Practically Of
Tunnel Here
Report BY Sinsstud
Expected TO Reopen
Bridge Controversy
BY George Beyerides

By George Beseridse
Ole singstad. New York tunnel
expert. win advise Federal ofti-
cials at . meeting here within
q few days that he considers It
feasible to build q tunnel under
the Potomac River near the
Lincoln Memorial.
Mr.. Singstad. it was learned,
has been studying the practi-
cability of such q tunnel for
several weeks. at the behest Of
the District Chapter, National
Society Of Professional Engineers.
His tentative and informal re-
port this week is expected TO re-
open the entire controversy over
whether q tunnel sl1ould--and
couId--be built. instead Of the
Potomac bridge Congress has
authorized to extend from the
west end Of Constitution avenue.
Not Discouraged.
Don't expect a complete and
final report" Mr.. Singstad told
The Star in a telephone inter-
view today. "But I'm not dis
couraged about the prospects Of
q tunnel, and I'll be in WASH
ington to exchange Views"
He said that, while tunnel pro-
posals present complex prob
lens. especially on the Virginia
side of the river, ] don't see any
thing insuperable about it as
far as I've gone"
He has not gone far enough.
he said. to talk about costs in
anything but the most general
terms but he indicated he will
continue studies leading to that.
Other officials here who have
spoken with him. however. are
satisfied his cost estimates will
be far below $50 or 500 million
figures which have been tossed
around In the past.
Has Baltimore Project.
The meeting, to be set up for
the end of the week, is expected
to be attended by Federal park
and planning officials. represen-.
tatives Of the engineering so.
ciety, Fine Arts Commission
leaders, city highway experts
and Capitol Hill leaders.
| Mr.. Singstad is former chief
engineer Of the New York Tun-
mel Authority. Either independ-
emily or with his firm, Singstad
a. Battle, he worked on most
Of New York's big tunnels, in
Guiding the Holland and Brook.
lyn-B Battery prajects. He ID
now handling design and super.
yisory engineering for the pro-
posed tunnel beneath the Balti-
more Harbor.
Representative Broyhill. Re-
publican. of Virginia, disclosed
to The Star Saturday that Mr..
Singstad was making the WASH
ington study. at no cost, for
Federal officials.
While park officials are work.
Ing closely with him, however.
Mr.. Singstad was first requested
to make the study by the engi-
neering society. The local chap.
ter. last November i6. took a posi-
ton In favor of tunnel. II one
were feasible. The next week.
Oscar Beasley. the chapters vice
| president and civic affairs COM
mittee chairman, was authorized
to write to Mr.. Singstad request
ing the study.
Mr.. Beasley said his group
made the request because Mr..
Singstad was regarded as the
top authority in his field.
D. C. Opposes Tunnel.
District officials have turned
thumbs down on the tunnel idea
and are working now toward
preliminary plans for the new
bridge Congress has authorized.
The District has money In sight
for the $50 million -plus span. A
major hurdle was crossed re-
Gently when city and Federal
| planners agreed on approach
routes for handling trafiic TO
and from both the new and the
Arlington Memorial bridges.
However. the Federal Fine
Arts Commission. which strongly
supports a tunnel, has made
plain 1t will try to block the
bridge on grounds that 1t would
irreparably harm the esthetic
value Of the historic Lincoln
Memorial area.
The District officials definitely
rejected the tunnel possibility
after talks last year with an
other New York tunnel author.
ity. Ralph Smile. who origin
ally was brought into the pic
ture by Mr.. Broyhill.
One Of the main objections
the city engineers said Mr..
Smillie cited was the difficulty
in making connections between
a tunnel and major traffic
arteries on both sides Of the
river. Specifically. they said. the
tunnel--rising from the river
bottom would reach the surface
far inland from the roads with
which 1t would have TO connect.
And they said they were strongly
advised against the only alterna-
tive Nv merging trafdc In ramp
tunnels beneath the river.
Hopeful Of Solution.
Mr.. Singstad said he Is aware
Of this problem and feels, on the
basis Of his preliminary studies,
that 1t could be worked OUT
engineering-wise on both sides
~ The Pok0rnafs