Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-21
House Expects
Heated Debate
|0n Tunnel Bill
By DON S. WARREN

0CNCAOR OOAAAO4AOW al bAAC 11OuoC
when it takes up q bill for q
four-lane tunnel under the Po-
tomac River in line with Con-
stitution avenue.
Critics Of the plan are ex-
pected to argue that q four
lane tunnel will be filled to
capacity the day it is opened
and that there is no reason why
the Federal Government should
pay the whole cost of the
project.
The Senate has passed a
tunnel bill rejecting the argu-
ments of District and Federal
roads experts that traffic de-
mands a six-lane bridge. with
or without a movable span.
After the Senate reached
that decision, which likely will
have a major effect on Ma
tional Capital financing for
years to come. involving, Incl
dentally, who is to pay the cost
of the projected inner-loop
Washington trafficway. tn e
House District Committee
unanimously" reported out its
own version of the four-lane
tunnel.
Calls 1t Crazy
But it now develops that not
all members of the House COM
mittee are happy about the
tunnel plan. One key member
who could not attend the House
District Committee session told
the Star he thinks the tunnel
plan sis perfectly crazy"
While stressing that he was
not a traffic expert, he said il
didn't make sense to him %o
spend $40 million more for a
four-lane tunnel than a six
lane bridge would cost and then
wind up with a facility that
traffic experts say will be filled
to capacity the day it is opened
This member was undecided
last night what, if anything. he
would do tomorrow in the
House. He asked that his name
not be used, but suggested that
the best solution right now
might be for no bill to be passed
by the House. He took the view
that maybe some solution still
could be worked out.
DOuble-Barreled Error
And if the House should in
siSt on loading a big share Of
the cost of this $25.5 million
project on the backs of District
taxpayers" he said, that woulc
be a DOUBLE arreled mistake.
Representative Gross, Repub-
lican of Iowa, said he would
oppose the House Committee
bill and that he would come up
with an amendment. Just to
what point he did not specify
But he declared:
Il don't know why the State
Of Virginia should not have to
pay half the cost Of this tun-
mel or bridge. 1t serves Their
residents over there, doesn't
/ t?"
Asked who would pay the
other half of the cost, Mr.
Gross said he wouldn't care il
that was placed on residents OF
the District.
Virginia. he continued, only
reluctantly agrees that the
State should pay for the cost
of necessary approach roads
After ALL" he declared. "Vir-
ginia owes something in this
deal"
Meet on Wednesday
The Senate District Com
mittee has scheduled a meeting
for Wednesday at 10 am. on
three matters.
One bill is for the provision
of a second judge for Juvenile
Court to enable it to keep pace
with a case load that has dra-
matically increased in the past
10 years.
On this the committee plans
to hear argument from Senator
Frear. Democrat of Delaware,
who holds some critical views.
Another measure is the
House-paSsed resolution of
Representative Hyde, Republi-
can of Maryland, providing for
a House-Senate District Com
mittee examination of all the
major problems affecting the
metropolitan area.
The education committee of
the House District Committee
has scheduled a hearing for
Monday at 10 am. on a bill to
permit the granting of masters
degrees at District Teachers