Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-20
Porkwoy-Then and Now

The National Capital Planning Com
mission Is being realistic in deciding to
restudy its 1899 plans for extension Of the
George washington Memorial parkway
to Great Falls on the Virginia side of the
Potomac River. Conditions have changed
since the planners drew q tentative route
on their charts nearly two decades ago.
Then the area through which the dual
lane parkway was to be built was largely
a wilderness-a scenic delight which the
parkway would open to all the people.
The land then could have been bought
for fraction Of the cost today, and few
property owners would have been dis
turbed. In fact, the general reaction Of
property owners to the first announce
ment Of the parkway program was one
Of elation, for they foresaw the value Of
their land being greatly enhanced by
the project.
The value Of their land has been
enhanced so much, as matter Of fact,
that the cost Of completing the parkway
has risen to record heights in recent
years. This rise In property value was
the result not alone Of the parkway plan
but Of the steady growth of Fairfax
County and the development Of a resi-
dental boom along the Virginia shore.
The Governments long delay in acquir-
ing rights Of way needed for the park
way has added substantially to the esti-
mated cost Of the big undertaking. During
this 18-year hiatus lot Of the property
along the general route tentatively chosen
for the parkway has changed hands a
number Of times, always at increased
prices. Homes have been built In the
area and others have been planned.
Today the planning commission faces
a serious problem in its move to begin
buying land for the anal stretch Of the
road, from the CHA site near Langley
to Great Falls. The problem has several
facets. First, there Is the economic ques-
ton Of coping with today's high-level
real estate prices for the land required.
In this era Of governmental economy,
the cost factor Is important, both from
the Federal Governments and from Vir-
ginia's standpoints. (The State and Fair
fax County will split half of the cost of
the right Of way, the Government paying
the other half.) A second factor Is the
growing opposition to the original route
from county authorities, conservation
lists and owners Of property through which
the parkway presumably would be cut.
The county is worried about the cost, park
conservationists object to the "bulldozing"
Of trafic artery through the forested
palisades Of the Potomac and some prop
erty holders say their homes or home
plans would be destroyed.
Under the circumstances, the plan
ming agency is justified in taking a new
look at the old plan-as 1t has promised
to do In q letter from Chairman Bar
tholomew to the Senate Appropriations
Committee. Any such restudy should not,
Of course, involve any abandonment of
the 1899 plan for carrying the parkway
all the way to Great Falls. But there are
new factors bearing on the route to be
followed that call for careful considera-
ton, both to protect the interest Of the
several governmental jurisdictions In
volved, the interest Of home owners af-
fected and the interest Of the public at
large. Perhaps some feasible shifting of
the route, with a modification Of the
parkway design, could be worked out
that would serve the interests Of all
concerned.