Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-12
AIexandrians Battle
Bridge Connections
Use of Foirfox,
RoyoI Streets
Stirs Protests

Scores of Infatuated "old town"
Alexandrians are due to storm
the. City Council Tuesday to pro-
test the use of Fairfax and Royal
as connections to the pro-
posed Jones Point Bridge.
Alexandria's businessmen who
overwhelmingly favor connec-
tions with the bridge somewhere
east of Washington street are
expected, on the other hand. to
ask postponement of any official
consideration of the matter.
William H. Dorsey, jr,, attor-
ney and spokesman for three
civic associations, asserted last
night he will oppose efforts to
delay council action.
Historic Homes Periled
Although only preliminary
plans for the connections have
been prepared. Mr.. Dorsey de-
.clared:
Now is the time to stop this,
not after thousands of dollars
have been spent on detailed and
final plans"
The citizens, many of them
residents along the historic
streets that could be used as
bridge approaches. fear that the
value of properties as homes
would be destroyed. According
to Mr.. Dorsey, already narrow
streets would have to be widened
and their surfaces improved.
/ This, he said, would bring
heavily trafficked thoroughfares
to the very doorsteps of scores
Iof dwellings and many historical
structures standing since Colo
tnial times.
/ The businessmen strongly favor
east Alexandria access roads to
the bridge as a shot-in-the-arm
to their trade. D. c. Book, execu-
tive vice president of the Alex
andria Chamber of Commerce.
said the city's businessmen never
would have supported the bridge
project it, it was not to serve
partly as a funnel for customers
from across the Potomac River
in Southeast Washington and
the nearby Maryland communi-
ties.
/ Merchants Back Approaches
: Mr.. Book said that the Cham
her of Commerce is mot pre-
pared to commit itself before
the council at present. He said
a membership referendum or
special meeting must be held
first.
I The Alexandria Retail Mer-
chants Association already has
voiced approval of the east side
approaches. Mr.. Book said that
about go per cent Of the retailers
belong to the Chamber Of Com
merce.
This aspect of the Jones Point
: Bridge project is the only one
to arouse a major haSsle to date.
) From the very inception of
Federal legislation authorizing
lit. the 5,500-foot crossing of the
Potomac to link Maryland. Vir-
ginia and the District of Column
bia has had a smooth course.
Still in Planning Stage
! Regarded principally at least
as a bypass of the congested
sections of the Metropolitan
area, the $14.9 million bridge
proper is now in the early plan
ming stage in the Federal Bureau
Iof Public Roads.
! Both the District Highway De-
partment and the Maryland
State Roads Commission likewise
are moving ahead with plans for
the bridge approaches. The Dis
trict's link will be the Anacostia
freeway to the District Line
where Maryland will take over.
The Free State also will con-
struct connection between the
bridge and Indian Head road.
/ On the Virginia side, the Alex
andria Council has authorized
funds for two bridge approach
connections west of Washington
street. A Federal Bureau of
Public Roads plan shows a full
cloverleaf interchange at U. S.
Route ! near the intersection Of
Church and Patrick streets. The
second is partial interchange
of the main bridge approach at
Patrick and Alfred streets.
1 The Council has yet to take
a stand on whether it favors
bridge approaches east of Wash
ington street.
I H. j. Spelman. division en-
! gineer of the Federal Bureau Of
Public Roads, yesterday disclosed
the divisions best thinking" on
the Alexandria approaches.
/ Mr.. Spelman emphasized that
the present plan. shown else
where on this page. is purely
preliminary. 1t was prepared,
he added, at the request of the
Virginia highway department
and the Alexandria Council.
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