Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-11-30
.BigLossSeen
In 'IndecisiOn'
On Planning
Robertson Offers
4-Point Program
| Covering NCPC
BY HECTOR MCLEAN

operation by the National Capt.
tai Planning Commission is
costing District taxpayers mil
lions of dollars, City Highway
Director j. N. Robertson charged
today.
He testified before the Com
Imissioners Citizens Advisory
Council. which is studying
recommendations by former
Commissioner Samuel Spencer
that the five citizen members of
NCPC should be appointed by
the District Commissioners
rather than by the President.
In a point-by-point reply to
charges by NCPC Chairman
Harland Bartholomew that the
Spencer suggestion would over
ride Federal interests in the Ma
tional Capital. Mr.. Robertson de-
clared retention of the seven
ex-official members Cor NCPC) +.
five of whom hold Office by
virtue of presidential appoint
ment, is certainly adequate to
protect the Federal interest,""
FOur-POint Program
The highway director himself
urged a four-point program:
Il. That NCPC be transferred
to the administrative control of
the Board of Commissioners.
20. That the District of CO.
Ilumbia budget cover the require
ments of the NCPC.
-. That appointments to the
NCPC be made by the Board of
Commissioners.
a. That membership of the
NCPC be increased by two said
additional appointments to be
from citizens of the District of
Columbia. resident in said city"
This would bring total mem
bership of the commission to IA
instead of IL.
/ Mr.. Robertson commended that
delays in obtaining definitive
action by the National Capital
Planning Commission have con-
S.stently resulted in retarding
the highway program of the
District of Columbia; have pro-
duced continued economic
hardship on the motorists of
this area by delaying the con-
struction of needed projects and
may very well cause the District
fof Columbia to have certain
Federal funds withdrawn unless
allocated monies are soon obli-
gated"
/ Highway Bridge Dispute
| Recalling the seven-year con-
ltroversy over construction of the
Highway Bridges at Fourteenth
street. he said rising costs dur
ing that period will add SIG
million to the ultimate cost. He
was referring to the cost of the
new Highway Bridge north
boundD and the proposed re-
placement for the southbound
bridge.
Had the District received
greater cooperation and under
standing from the planning
commission" Mr.. Robertson
said. the District taxpayers
would have been saved millions
of dollars"
+ Describing the long contro-
versy over construction of a
proposed Connecticut avenue
bridge across the Potomac. Mr.
Robertson insisted, 1T has cost
the taxpayers many thousands
of dollars thus far on this pro-
ject without a bridge having
been started in this area"
He set the total for the f1gure
at an estimated 100000 and de-
clared "this expenditure can
hardly be justified as a means OF
satisfying the NCPC simply be-
cause they doubt the integrity
or capabilities of responsible
public officials or their consult
ants"
He discussed a current con-
troversy over location of the
west leg of the proposed inner
loop freeway, once approved by
the NCPC and now being recon-
sidered.
Shifting of this route. he said
See ROBERTSON. Page Al