Evening star., 1955-06-17

Chairman Stennis of the Sem
ate District Appropriations Sub
committee today was due to con-
fer again with District Commits
Isioner Samuel Spencer in an
effort to learn Just when a final
decision on locating the new Po-
Itomac River bridge will be forth
coming.
The latest in the recent series
Iof such meetings is prompted by
the qualified approval yesterday
by the Theodore Roosevelt Me-
mortal Association to permit
construction of a bridge across
the northern tip of Roosevelt
Island.
While it was problematical
just when District and Federal
Itop-level officials would be ready
Ito give Senator Stennis the in
formation. he wants. all signs
point to a Monday deadline.
On that day. the Mississippi
Democrat said, the subcommittee
intends to complete its markup
of the 1856 District appropria-
itions bill.
To Get District Survey
And the District Highway De-
lpartment, charged with the job
iof restudying possible bridge
sites in the central Washington
area, revealed its survey is due
to be ready that day.
The Roosevelt \ Associations IS
qualifications of acceptance of
the north-end bridge almost GER
Itainly would delay the bridge
and raised questions about
whether District officials and
members will go along.
In their action. trustees of the
island, wilderness insisted upon
a later look at detailed plans
when-and if-District highway
officials can design a feasible
new bridge location.
They also insisted that:
l. Both the National Park
Service, the National Capital
Planning Commission and the
Federal Fine Arts Commission
ialso have the right to approve
the final Character and design
of the bridge and its location.
/ 2. The bridge be named The
Theodore Roosevelt Bridge"
3. The bridge be a low-level
one. preferably OF masonry con-
Istruction similar to the Airing
ton Memorial Bridge.
i The new bridge location, if one
can be agreed upon. would be an
alternate for the Constitution
Avenue Bridge Congress has al
ready authorized.
Low-Level Span Is Issue
One of the most serious as
poets of the associations action
today appeared to be its insist
ence on a loW-level bridge. A
fairly high span probably would
be needed near the Virginia
shore in order to rise from the
river to connect with Arlington
boulevard north of the new Ar
tlington Towers Apartments. City
officials had hoped for clear
cut yes-or-no position from the
association so they could decide
Immediately on Constitution
avenue bridge money. The ac-
tion did little to help them dc
that.
Hermann Hagedorn, Roosevelt
Association director, transmitted
the action in a letter to David
IE, Finley. Fine Arts Commits
sion chairman.
I Mr.. Finley had urged strongly
that the association go along
with the proposed new location
on grounds that it would do less
harm to esthetic values near the
Lincoln Memorial. BY legisla-
/ ton. location of the Constitu-
ton avenue bridge would have
to be between Arlington Me.
mortal Bridge and the down
river tip of Roosevelt Island.
! Mr.. Hagedorn made plain that
his group would not approve any
span near the middle of the
island. such as the E street
bridge originally backed by the
: District. He said yesterdays &C.
ton was taken by nine Execu.
tive Committee members of the
associations Board of Trustees
Senator Stennis did not say
; SO, but it was apparent his pa
tience is growing thin.