Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-08
Third Of q Series

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Third OF q Series
is starting Immediately on u
system of wide, free-moving
expressways in both downtown
and outlying sections of the city
Not Complete Answer
Even enthusiastic highway Of
f1cials concede the new roads will
not be the complete answer to
the traffic dilemma. Even the
finest of super-roads. adequate
for traffic today. may become
damned in bumper-to-bumper
flows of the future. And even
the most free-moving roads must
feed traffic to downtown streets,
which already are approaching
Saturation.
Neither does the prospect of
more money-the main con-
struction barrier in the past
assure immediate building Of
specific projects. BY their very
size, the major projects will
generate heavy controversy al
ready seen in hassles over plans
for the new Constitution avenue
bridge and the route of down.
town eXpreSSWayS
But the highway men insist
that, without the magnificent
new roads, any approach to
traffic solution is impossible.
And in the new highway aid
program. they see the main
means of getting the roads built.
In one key approach to the
new program. the District plans
within the next three years to
parlay $50 million loan into
more than a third of a billion
dollars worth of new highway
construction.
SOC From U. S.
This plan is made possible by
the Federal Governments agree
ment to pay up to 80 per cent
of the cost of approved express
ways on the Federal Interstate"
system, a 4l,000-mile cross
country freeway network.
The Districts loan idea is
illustrative of the kind of care
full financing maneuvering cities
and States must adopt to take
full advantage of the liberal
new Federal grants and still get
their expansion programs off
to a running start.
Washington's greatest i'm
mediate need is for the new
interstate eXpressways-and the
80 per cent Federal money to
pay for them. City officials, in
fact. intend to spend $102 mil
lion worth of the interstate
roads by the end of 1860.
But the problem is that,
through 1860. the District will
receive only about $46 million
in interstate money from the
Federal Bureau of Public Roads
far below 80 per cent of the
$l02 million cost.
So. to the SAC million it will
get in Federal aid, accor ling to
Highway Director J. N. Robert
son. the District intends to add
about Sc million in regular city
funds and to borrow $50 raillion
to finish the $102 million worth
Of work. Authority 70 borrow Up
to $50 million in highway me ney
was granted by Congress in 1854
as part of the Districts 10-year
public works program.
Reimbursement Expected
Actually. therefore, the Dis
trict initially will be putting $50
million of its own money into
work for which the Federal Gov
eminent is willing to pay so per
cent Of the cost.
The beauty of the program.
however, is that the city can get
a reimbursement of 80 per cent
OF the SIS million at any time
1t desires in the future. And the
reimbursed funds then will be
available to apply as the city's
10 per cent matching contribu-
ton toward we'll over a third of
a billion dollars worth of inter-
state projects as larger amounts
Of interstate aid money become
available after 1860.
Thus, the District will get ad-
vantage of early construction of
some Of its greatest needs. with
out sacrificing any benefits of
the new highway act.
In addition to the $102 mil
lion for interstate projects, Mr..
Robertson said, the District
schedule calls for spending about
$37.5 million on other highway
improvements during the next
three years.
An illustration Of what this
could mean in new roads is the
fact that the city spent only
about $44 million in road capital
outlay during the entire 10 year
period after World War II.
Congress has allocated money
only for the first three years of
the new Federal 13-year pro-
gram. Future ALLEGATIONS will
depend upon studies underway
now to determine the relative
needs and costs Of roads in all
the States and the District. Be-
cause Of Washington's great
needs. the city expects to do well
in the new ALLEGATIONS. But Mr..
Robertson is not attempting to
schedule projects beyond 1860.
Expressways Added
The major difference between