Evening star., 1955-06-17
By GEORGE BEVERIDGE

The District Commissioners
presumably will ask Senators to-
day to leave construction money
for Washington's controversial
new Potomac River bridge in the
city budget for next year.
The city heads were scheduled
to take up the problem this
Afternoon with Senator Stennis,
Democrat, Of Mississippi. chair
man of an Appropriations sub
committee handling the budget.
Up for discussion will be the
Theodore Roosevelt Memorial
Associations conditional ap-
lproval yesterday of a possible
new bridge location across the
northern tip Of Roosevelt Me-
mortal Island, as a replacement
for the Constitution avenue span
Congress already has authorized
downriver from the island.
Pressing for Decision
The Commissioners refused to
comment on what proposal they
will make to Senator Stennis
who has been pressing for a de-
cision on whether to delete SIS
million in bridge construction
money previously requested.
It seemed most likely, how.
ever, that the Commissioners
would ask the Senate to leave
the money in the budget with
an understanding that it would
not be spent until new bridge
studies under way are COM
lpleted.
| One possible hitch, If this ar
gument is put forth today, how.
ever, is that Senator Stennis has
taken the position that the
money should not be left in the
budget unless it be for the pre-.
else bridge Congress already has
approved
District Highway officials
meanwhile, have promised tc
present to the Commissioners
studies of possible new loca-
tions over the island on Monday
Want Detailed Plans
! IN their action, trustees of the
Roosevelt Association insisted
upon a later look at detailed
plans when-and if-District
highway officials can design 6
feasible new bridge location.
They also insisted that:
/ l. Both the National ParE
Service, the National Capita
planning Commission and the
Federal Fine Arts Commission
Ialso have the right to approve
the final character and design
Iof the bridge and its location.
| 2. The bridge be named "Tht
Theodore Roosevelt Bridge"
8. The bridge be a low-leve
lone. preferably OF masonry con
Istruction similar to the Arling.
ton Memorial Bridge.
The new bridge location, if ont
can be agreed upon, would be ar
ALTERNATE for the Constitution
Avenue Bridge Congress has al,
ready authorized.
One of the most serious as
ipects Of the associations actor
today appeared to be its insist
lence on a low-level bridge. A
fairly high span probably woult
be needed near the Virgins
shore in order to rise from tht
river to connect with Arlington
boulevard north of the new Ar
|lington Towers Apartments. City
officials had hoped for a clear.
cut yes-or-no position from tht
Association so they could decide
Immediately on Constitution
Iavenue bridge money. The &C.
ton did little to help them dt
that.
Letter Sent to Finley
) Hermann Hagedorn, Roosevelt
Association director, transmitted
the action in a letter to Davic
E. Finley, Fine Arts Commis.
sion chairman.
Mr.. Finley had urged strongly
that the association go alonl
with the proposed new location
on grounds that it would do les!
harm to esthetic values near thu
Lincoln Memorial. BY legisla'
ton, location of the Constitu'
ton avenue bridge would havt
Ito be between Arlington Me
mortal Bridge and the down
river tip of Roosevelt Island.
! Mr.. Hagedorn made plain tina
his group would not approve any
span near the middle Of th'
island, such as the e stree
bridge originally backed by thu