Evening star., 1955-01-09
Expert Asked
For Views on
Potomac Tunnel
U. S. Park officiuIs
Want Engineers
Unofficial Report
BY George Beyeridse

Federal park ofncialS are gath-
ering new expert opinion on
whether q tunnel instead Of d
bridge would be feasible to han.
die Potomac River trafic near
the Lincoln Memorial.
This was disclosed yesterday
by Representative Broyhill. Re-
publican Of. Virginia. who said
park ofiicia1s have asked for an
"unofiicial report" from Ole
Singstad. New York bridge and
tunnel expert.
District officials already have
fatty rejected various tunnel
ideas as unavoidable. And the
National Capital Planning Conn
mission acting on reports Of q
subcommittee headed by Federal
Parks Director Conrad L. Wirth
has indorsed plans for han
ding trafflc from q new Potomac
bridge, authorized by Congress,
ct the end Of Constitution ave-
hue.
Tunnel Proposals Pushed.
The Federal Fine Arts Com
mission, however. subsequently
urged more consideration be Civ
en- to q tunnel as an alternative,
and is holding to that position.
Mr., Broyhill said he under
stood Mr.. Wirth asked for the
opinion from Mr.. Singstad simply
to supplement evidence already
in hand about the persistent
tunnel proposals.
The legislator said the opinion
win not be q formal report for
which money will be paid. He
said the opinion is expected
within q week or so.
I'm In entire accord with this
further exploration Of the tunnel
idea" Mr.. Broyhill said. But
I'm not optimistic about the pos
sibility because Of the problems
involved. At the same time. this
will not delay plans already
under way for the bridge"
Why Tunnel Was Rejected.
A prime reason why the Dis
trict turned thumbs down on the
tunnel idea was q conclusion that
above-ground connections be-
tween a tunnel and major roads
near the river front would be i'm
possible. This conclusion was
reached after talks with Ralph
Emillie. another New York tun-
mel engineer, several months ago.
Mr.. Smillie had been asked by
Mr.. Broyhill to look into the
tunnel prospects.
Mr.. Broyhili said he under
stood Mr.. Singstad was asked
to take a look at this traffic prob
lem as well as tunnel costs.
Mr.. Singstad. oficials said,
was associated with construction
Of Manhattan's Battery Tunnel
and Is now working on the pro-
posed trafiic tunnel beneath the
Baltimore harbor.
: District officials have given
top priority to the new Consti-
tuition avenue bridge. "A contract
for detailed plans is expected to
be signed soon with a consulting
firm.
President to Ask Funds.
Meanwhile, President Eisen-
hover is expected next week to
ask Congress for initial PLAN
ming funds for the Jones Point
(Alexandria) bridge. the con-
struction Of which Congress
authorized at Federal expense
at the same time it approved the
Constitution avenue span.
A request for about $650.000
to plan the Alexandria span.
The Star learned, is expected to
be In the budget which the
President win send to Capitol
Hill, January II.
In addition. the budget Is ex-
pected to contain more than
100000 for the first work in
extending the George Washirig-
ton Memorial parkway upriver
from Chain Bridge on the Mary
land side Of the Potomac.
These funds reportedly would
be for grading and drainage
work from Chain Bridge to
Cabin John. The parkway's ex-
tension from Canal road has
been planned for many years
Land acquisition for 1t is about
80 per cent completed to Great
Falls.
No construction funds are ex-
pected this year for the park
ways extension beyond Spout
Run on the Virginia side. In any
event, condemnation suits on
the Virginia portion are not yet
settled.
kee,,end nf vnkinn