Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-16
NY. Avenue
ExpreIssway
In Road Plan
l3-Yeor Program
For District to Cost
$375-$450 Million
BY JAMES G. DEANE

A limited-access elevated ex-
pressway on New York avenue
NE. is included in plans for the
mammoth bodybuilding program
which the city hopes to carry
&. out with Federal-aid funds in
the next Is years.
District highway planners have
virtually completed a blueprint
for the program, which is ex-
pected to carry price tag Of
between $375 million and $3.50
million, Douglas Brinkley. high
way department planner, said
yesterday.
The New York avenue NE.
project would connect with the
Observation-Disclosures parkway.
This project alone will be tagged
at around $31 million. Mr..
Brinkley said.
The plan also includes bridges,
other freeways connecting with
major gateways to Maryland
and Virginia and the projected
elaborate. long-wanted inner
loop.
Estimate Nearly Ready
The District must submit q
specific cost estimate on the
giant road program to the Fed
eral Bureau Of Public Roads by
July l. This estimate has now
all but been completed. Mr..
Brinkley said it Is expected to
be ready early this week.
In the next six months. the
city must follow up the cost
figure with detailed reports on
various aspects Of the road plans.
These reports are hsing collected
by the Federal agency from all
parts of the country in order to-
provide Congress with informal
ton needed for carrying the
huge national program forward.
The Federal Government Isl
expected to shoulder the major
share Of the bodybuilding cost.
The District must also put up
funds Of its own, however.
Major Addition
The New York avenue express
way is a major addition to the
city's highway plans.
The new roadway Is planned
to extend from Florida avenue
to Bladensburg road NE. at the
entrance to the Baltimore park |
way. This would connect the
parkway with the inner loop
projected to bypass congested
downtown.
The city has just received
drawings and cost estimates on
the big project from a consult
ing firm which has been collab-
Grating with city engineers
The firm has been asked to sub
NIT q finished report by July is.
The plans provide for six lanes
for most Of the expressway's
length. The major access would
be through two or three inter-
changes, but there would also
be access ramps connecting with
intervening streets, Mr.. Brinkley
said.
Highway Under Study
New York avenue, besides con-
Meeting with the Baltimore
Washington parkway. has been
looked upon UP to now as the
link also with a possible new
expressway between Washington
and Baltimore. Such a new high
way is under study by Maryland.
But Mr.. Brinkley disclosed
that the highway department is
about to launch a new study
looking toward a possible differ
ent connection with any Sucn
road. The usefulness Of New
York avenue as such a link is
limited by the capacity Of the
present Kenilworth interchange,
he said.
Under the Federal highway
program the Federal Govern
ment would pay 80 per cent of
the cost of the New York avenue
project, as part Of the inter-
state highway system.
No timetable for the project
has been proposed.
A few Of the projects In the
13-year program already are
under way or about to start.
These include the Southwest
freeway, to connect South Capt.
toll street and the Fourteenth
street bridges, and the Anacostia
freeway, to link the Kenilworth
interchange with the projected
Jones Point bridge.