Evening star., 1955-07-16

District Yields
Strong Voice 70
U. 5. on Span
Changes in Law
To Permit Selection
/ OF Location, Design
By GEORGE BEvERDGE

| of Location, Design
BY GEORGE BEvERmGE
The District Commissioner.
have acceded to Federal oficials
desires to have q major voice in
location and design plans fol
/ iWashington's new Potomac River
bridge in the Lincoln Memorial
area.
The city heads. with the In
dorsement of Budget Bureau and
Federal park oficials. intend te
lsend to Congress either today o.
Monday q proposed amendment
Ito the bridge act, requesting
changes to:
1. Permit the bridge to be bull
over the south end Of Roosevelt
Memorial Island. The existing
lact requires that the bridge stay
lof the controversial island, but
1.-THE islands trustees since have
waived their objections to q
Icrossing.
2. Give both the Federal Fine
Arts Commission and the In
terror Department broad powers
lof approval over plans for the
bridge. its approaches and con-
meeting roads. The existing act
would require no such approval
There has been virtually no
opposition to the first request,
provided a route over the island
can be found to be feasible engi-
|neeringwise.
Less Damaging Upriver
The reason this change is be-
ing requested Is that by moving
the span further upriver. OIL
cials feel it would do far less
damage to esthetic values in the
carefully planned Lincoln Memo
rial area.
And, under the proposed legis-
lation, the District would be
able to revert to the original
location between Roosevelt Is
land and Arlington Memorial
Bridge In the event q satisfac-
tory location over the island
should not work out.
AS the proposed legislation is
interpreted by officials, how
ever. the new powers OF approval
for Federal agencies would ap-
ply in. the case of either site.
And some city officials frankly
ARE apprehensive about this. The
main reason is that they reniern-
Der Federal District squabhles
over the bridge during the last
three years, which were resolved
only when Congress stepped in
and authorized the Constitution
avenue bridge last year.
Assuming No Delay
Brig. Gen. Thomas a.. Lane,
Engineer Commissioner. said he
was assuming. however. that
this approval we're asking will
not. delay the bridge in any way
He said he hopes to have a
specific plan for a bridge route
over the Roosevelt Island tip To
place before the National Capital
Planning Commission at its
August 2 meeting, provided
Congress rushes through the
"quickie" amendment to be sent
to Capitol Hill.
The proposal will 60 to the
chairmen of the House and Sem
ate District Committees. Gen.
Lane said.
In q discussion with Federal
park officials earlier this week,
the Commissioners indicated
they wanted only to seek per-
mission to cross the southern
end Of Roosevelt Island. The
park officials contended, how
ever. they should have a strong
voice in the plans. because they
directly involve park lands ION
both sides of the river.
Backing up their arguments
was a statement by President
Eisenhower. made when the
President signed the bridge act
last year. that Interior Secre-
tary Mckay should have what
ever powers are necessary to
protect Federal lands involved.
Unprecedented Powers
Gen. Lane told reporters the
authority requested for Federal
officials was unprecedented so
far as Washington bridge legis-
lation is concerned. But he said
the Commissioners agreed to It
because Of ID the Presidents
statement and (2) a recognition
of the unusual esthetic values
involved in the Lincoln Me-
mortal area.
The main provisions Of the
proposed amendment would re-
quire:
/. That the Theodore Roose-
welt Association agree to any
crossing of Roosevelt Island
agreed upon by the others in
volved.
Q. That the general plan and
profile" Of the bridge be subject
to approval Of the Fine Arts
Commission.
8. That the general location
of the bridge, approaches. inter-
changes and connecting roads on