Evening star., 1955-06-18
DC. Engineers
Rush Plans for
Island Bridge
Seek Feasible Way
To Fix New Route
For Proposed Spon
BY GEORGE BEvERDGE

EoT TToPOSSo SPuH
BY GEORGE BEvERIDGE !
District highway engineers are
working overtime today and to-
morrow to find feasible way to
build Washington's new Potomac
River bridge over the northern
tip of Roosevelt Memorial Island.
The search. fraught with prob.
lens. is the first step in a fran
tic merry-go-round which Dis
Itrict officials hope will end
Wednesday in firm decision on
the confused bridge controversy.
Senator Stennis, Democrat. Of
Mississippi has given the District
until Wednesday to come up with
Ia report on possibilities of ian
Iall-around agreement" among
the myriad Of agencies involved
i'm the bridge squabble.
The only possibility appears to
be the northern crossing of
Roosevelt Island. indorsed con-
ditionally by the Theodore
Roosevelt Association as a sub
stitute for the Constitution ave-
nue. span Congress already has
authorized.
Broyhill Urges Funds
Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican, of Virginia, meanwhile,
urged Senator Stennis' Appro-
priations subcommittee to ap-
prove SIS million item in the
District budget request for an
immediate construction start on
the authorized bridge.
Mr.. Broyhill, in a letter to the
Senator, said the span has been
"beclouded and delayed" by "the
fiddle-faddle between various
official agencies and at least one
unofficial organization"
The Virginian said these
groups only could be brought
into agreement by "a divine
power" and urged that Congress
stick to our guns" in insisting
that the authorized bridge be
built. ...
District officials-privately, at
least-have strong reservations
themselves about whether the
proposed northern bridge will be
feasible agreeable, serve traffic
adequately and not cost too
much. But they appear deter
mined to give the alternative
suggestion every benefit of the
doubt.
The highway engineers speci-
fic proposals for the bridge cross
ing the upper part of the island
will be handed to the Commits
sioners Monday morning.
Senator Stennis agreed yes
terday to hold up a budget de-
cision until Wednesday, after
requests for delay by the Com
missioners and Federal Budget
Director Rowland Hughes,
Senator Stennis said that by
Wednesday the Commissioners
are to report on two things:
The. possibilities of IAN all
around agreement" by all the
agencies involved.
A fairly detailed report on the
feasibility of the new location
from the standpoint of engineer
ing and of service to the public,
as well as the cost thereof"
District officials refused to
comment until Monday on what
specific plans they are drawing
up.
Route Most Likely
The most likely. however, will
be a sweeping-curve route that
would head north from about E
street NV. to the up-river part
of Roosevelt Island, cross the
island roughly parallel to its
northern shoreline, then dip
sharply southwark to join with
Arlington boulevard near Fort
Myer drive.
This route would pass through
Ia heavily developed section OF
industrial property in Virginia.
north of the new Arlington Tow
Iers Apartments.
At the Washington end, the
highway, engineers also may
show connections north of e
Istreet-possibly at H and I. It
lis understood, however, that they
consider a main approach near
IE street would serve traffic bet.
ter than any other.
Generally, the bridge could be
Ia low-level one, as requested by
the Roosevelt association. Until
lit passed the island, its height
could be no higher than that of
Arlington Memorial Bridge. Be-
yond the island, however, 1t
would have to rise fairly sharply
to clear the George Washington
Memorial parkway and railroad
tracks to the west.
One of the most important
jobs of the engineers this week
end will be to determine esti-
mates of cost--especially through
the Virginia commercial area.
AS Of now, officials said, they
have no data on which to even
hazard a guess. About a year
ago, a route which went nearer
to Rosslyn was estimated to
cost about $39 million-as
against a $24.5 million estimate
for the Constitution avenue
span.