Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-28
Planners Seek
Accord on Span
All Cabin John
Planning Council
Names Group for
Hiqh-LeveI PurIey
Washington area planners have

launched a joint effort to nail
down location and construction
plans for a Potomac River bridge
at Cabin John, Md.
The National Capital Regional
Planning Council yesterday set
up a special committee to devise
ways to push the project. includ-
ing a possible high-level confer
|ence between officials of Mary
land, Virginia and the District.
Donald e. Gingery, Montgom-
cry County member. noted that
such conference brought agree
ment between the Jurisdictions
highway officials over RESPONSE
bilities for the Jones Point ALEX
andria) bridge.
Mr.. Gingery said he under
stood Maryland and Virginia
engineers have agreed within
about 1000 feet Of where they
want the Cabin John bridge to
go. With a little top-level push
ing. I think they could make
recommendations"
More Reasons Develop
Maryland, which owns the
Potomac at that point. has been
frankly reluctant to put high
way money into the bridge prof.
Iect in view Of rather low esti-
mates Of traffic that would use
Iit. Council members yesterday
however. said two factors have
changed the picture.
One is the Central Intelligence
Agency decision to locate its big
new headquarters at Langley
Va, down river from the bridge
site. The other factor is that
pending Federal highway aid
bills would permit Federal money
to pay for 80 per cent of the
bridge and proposed "outer loop
highways connecting to it.
Named to the special commit
tee were Max Wehrly of Airing
ton, Harland Bartholomew. rep
Iresenting the District. and Mr.
Gingery.
The Council members failed
meanwhile. in an attempt to get
Ian up-to-the- minute progress re-
port on design plans for the
Jones Point Bridge.
The House recently slashed
$13.8 million for the bridges con-
lstruction from the Interior De-
|partment appropriation bill. One
|of the reasons was controversy
over approach roads leading
through the old section of Alex
Iandria near. the bridge. City Of
ficials protested a Bureau Of Pub
lie Reads plan to build the ap-
|proach routes along residential
Fairfax and Lee streets. They
proposed. instead. that the ap-
proaches be built along Union
street. near the city waterfront
Denis Cahill, Alexandria plan
ner. told the council he pre-
sumed the Bureau of Public
Roads is studying the alternate
route. He said the bureau is not
consulting with the city. A bu-
reau official declined an invita-.
ton to brief the council on the
situation.
Reinstatement Asked
Roy c. Bragg. Alexandria dele
gate to the council. stressed
however, that Virginia has firmly
committed itself to funds for the
necessary approach connections
as far west as U. S. Route /. He
said he felt the only thing to be
worked out was the Union street
design.
On Capitol Hill, meanwhile
Interior Secretary Mckay urgec
Congress to reinstate the bridge
construction money.
In another action yesterday
the Regional Council ordered 9
committee to again review high
way. bridge. water and sewer
needs generated by the CHA in.
stallation at Langley. Purpose
Of the study will be to assess
each need in terms of District
Maryland and Virginia abilities
to pay for them.