Evening star., 1955-06-27
.SayIor Plans
Plea
For Tunnel
House eMemberWouId
Tie In Project With
Rooches Run Spun
BY GEORGE BEvERIDGE


llcan, of Pennsylvania, said to-
day he intends to make a last
ditch effort in the House to get
a Potomac River tunnel instead
of a bridge built in the Lincoln
Memorial area. .
The effort will be made, he
said, when the House takes up
the Senate-approved District ap-
preparation bill. giving the city
81 5 million to start building the
six lane Constitution avenue
bridge.
Under the Senate version, the
bridge could be built:
Either at its already-author-
lied location between Arlington
Memorial Bridge and South Is
land, a small piece of land at the
bottom of controversial Roosevelt
Memorial Island.
Or, with approval by the Theo-
dore Roosevelt Association.
slightly upriver across a partN OF
South Island. The association
would have to give permission by
August l under this alternate.
Wirth Plan Backed
Mr.. Saylor, rejecting any
bridge in that area, said he
would propose in the House q
dual recommendation by Conrad
L. Wirth, National Park Service
director, that:
/. The District spend the $24.5
million authorized for the Con-
stitution avenue bridge to build
a six-lane bridge at Reaches
Run. south of the existing Four
teenth street bridges.
2. That the Interior Depart
ment build a four lane tunnel
at Federal expense in the Lin
coin Memorial area.
This proposal was made by
Mr.. Wirth in a letter to Mr.. Say
ior today, written at the Con-
greSsman's request. Mr.. Saylor
said he had wanted reasons why
Mr.. Wirth did not go along with
the National Capital Planning
Commissions Endorsement of the
Constitution avenue bridge last
week.
Most Needed Span
Mr.. Saylor said the two-cross-
ing idea he favors backs up views
of the Planning Commission and
expert CO MS III AN is that the
Reaches Run is the most-needed
span. At the same time, he said,
it would provide an additional
crossing.
An earlier proposal that a tun-
mel instead of the bridge be built
was rejected by the administra-
ton. because of costs involved.
At that time, however. the. tun-
mel was not tied to concurrent
construction of a Reaches Run
span.
Mr.. Wirth's letter said the tun-
mel and its "im m e diate ap-
proaches" would cost about $22.5
The most-often-quoted
tunnel costs have been about $36
for four-lane and about
$50 million for a six-lane tunnel.
Mr.. Wirth argued. however, that
the $14 million difference was
for extensive road improvements
which shouldn't be charged to
the tunnel itself.
City highway officials figured
the same extensive approaches
in it's $24.5 million bridge cost,
however.
More Crossings Needed
Mr.. Wirth wrote that it was
evident that more than one river
is needed" and that some
steps are needed to relieve traf-
t1c on Memorial Bridge, but he
added:
"A bridge at Constitution ave-
nue., no matter how well designed
Or how much traffic relief it
might give the Arlington Memo.
rial Bridge, would be greatly de-
of more important ma
tional values"
The Federal Fine Arts Com
has taken the lead in
the Constitution ave-
nue. SPANS impact on esthetic
values in the Lincoln Memorial
area.
Commission members, however.
feel that a large amount of their
objection would be removed If
he Roosevelt association would
permit the bridge to cross South
Island. They feel the island
would screen part of the low
evel bridge from the area they
want to protect.
Roosevelt association officials
we're understood to be consider
ng the new possibility today. but
here was no indication of their
'eaction.