Evening star., 1955-07-16
District Yields
Strong Voice ID
US. on Span
Chunoes in Low
To Permit Selection
OF Location, Design

To Permit Selection
| OF Location, Design
By GEORGE BEvERIDGE
The District Commissioners
have acceded to Federal ofiicials
desires to have . major voice in
location and design plans for
Washington's new Potomac River
bridge in the Lincoln Memorial
area.
The city heads. with the in
dorsement Of Budget Bureau and
Federal park officials. intend to
Isend to Congress either today OF
Monday q proposed amendment
Ito the bridge act, requesting
lchanges to:
l. Permit the bridge to be built
lover the south end Of Roosevelt
Memorial Island. The existing
lact requires that the bridge stay
loff the controversial island. but
1.-THE islands trustees since have
waived their objections to .
lcrossing.
2. Give both the Federal Fine
lArts Commission and the In
terror Department broad powers
of approval over plans for the
bridge, It's approaches and con-
meeting roads. The existing aci
would require no such approval
There has been virtually nc
Opposition to the first request,
provided q route over the island
lean be found to be feasible engi-
neeringwise.
Less Damaging Upriver
The reason this change is be-
ling requested is that by moving
the span further upriver. OFF,
cials feel it would do far less
damage to esthetic values In the
carefully planned Lincoln Memo
Trial area.
And. under the proposed legis-
Ilation. the District would be
liable to revert to the original
location between Roosevelt Is
Hand 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
lever. the new powers OF approval
flor Federal agencies would ap-
fply in the case of either site,
And some city officials frankly
Iare apprehensive about this. The
main reason Is that they remem-
Iber Federal District souabbles
lover the bridge during the last
three years. which were resolved
only when Congress stepped In
land authorized the Constitution
avenue bridge last year.
Assuming No Delay
Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Lane
Engineer Commissioner. said hi
was assuming, however, thai
this approval we're asking viii
mot delay the bridge in any way
/ He said he hopes to have {
SPECIFIC plan for a bridge route
lover the Roosevelt Island tip tt
lplace before the National Capita
Planning Commission at it
August Q meeting. provided
Congress rushes through tht
t"Quickie" amendment to be sen
Ito Capitol Hill.
The proposal will go to the
tchairmen of the House and Sen.
ate District Committees. Gen
Lane said.
/ In a discussion with Fedora
park officials earlier this week
the Commissioners indicated
they wanted only to seek per.
mission to cross the southern
lend of Roosevelt Island. The
park officials contended, how.
lever, they should have a strong
voice in the plans. because they
directly involve park lands or
both sides of the river.
Backing up their arguments
WIS a statement by President
Eisenhower, made when the
President signed the bridge act
last year, that Interior Secre-
ttary Mckay should have what
ever powers are necessary tc
protect Federal lands involved
Unprecedented Powers
| Gen. Lane told reporters the
authority requested for Federal
officials was unprecedented SC
far as Washington bridge legis-
Ilation is concerned. But he said
THE Commissioners agreed to II
because of ID the President.
statement and (2) a recognition
of the unusual esthetic values
involved in the Lincoln Me.
Imorial area.
/ The main provisions of thu
proposed amendment would re.
Iquire::
/. That the Theodore Roose.
|velt Association agree to any
Icrossing of Roosevelt Islanc
(agreed upon by the others in
Ivolved.
2. That the general plan ane
profile" Of the bridge be subject
Ito approval Of the Fine Art
lCommiSsion.
| 8. That the general location
lof the bridge, approaches. inter
changes and connecting roads OF
lands under the Jurisdiction o
1.-THE Secretary of the interior
lshall be subject to his approval.
4, That the bridge and all it
connections be built to retain. 81
far as possible. "the monumental
setting and the. artistic design O.
Ithe Lincoln Memorial. the Ar
Ilington Memorial Bridge ant