Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-13
Street-LeveI
Approaches 10
Bridge Asked
Morring Of Beouty
In Memorial Area
Cited BY Seoton
ny GRACE BASSETT
Star stan Writer

Star stan Writer
Interior Secretary Fred A.
Seaton has asked District Com
missionerS to lower approach
roads to the proposed Con-
stitution avenue bridge to street
level.
Projected overpasses to the
bridge Of Rock Greek parkways
and the inner loop range from
tiS to "a feet high,
THAT means from the Lin
coin Memorial you would be
looking. into q great mass Of
structures through park land, "
said Mr.. Seaton. in explaining
his request put to city heads in
a two-hour conference on the
bridge last night.
The Secretary said his sug-
gestion to get approaches down
to ground level should not be
construed as a delaying tactic.
Fears have been expressed
both in Congress and the Dis
trict Building that the Federal
Government interest funda-
mentally is in a tunnel rather
than q bridge across the
lpot0mac
Put OF Three Years
Bridge building has been put
OF three years despite money
on hand to start construction.
Resolutions have been re-
introduced in this Congress to
Istymie the bridge pending final
action on an authorization for
a substitute tunnel. The SEN
ate District Committee has yet
to hear testimony on the reso-
Tuition. But the House COM
mittee has tabled it, and voted
Its sentiment" for immediate
CONSTRUCTION Of the bridge.
Mr.. Seaton holds q position
of power in the maze Of Fed
eral City interests because the
president told him to pass on
bridge approaches.
Secretary Seaton made II
clear his interest was two-fold
First. he wanted the bridge
built as "our one chance OF
Igetting transportation across
the river" At the same time,
The wants to guard against mar
lring the beauty Of the Lincoln
Memorial Watergate park area
Seeks Middle Course
GAS a Federal officer, / al
ways pay attention to congress
lsional resolutions" he said.
HBnt now we have conflicting
congressional recommendation
and resolutions. My course is
Ito find q way down the middle. I"
That middle course is to as
sure transportation without al
lowing even IAN accidental
architectural monstrosity," he
added.
He said he did not mean that
bridge approaches as designed
we're monstrosities.
| But he suggested that the
area aesthetics would be better
protected il. for instance. the
approaches could be tunneled
under parkways. Or the inner
loop might be set in a trench cut
between the Water Gate and
Lincoln Memorial, so approach
roads could remain at grade, he
said.
The Commissioners promised
to set aides to work to see if the
aesthetic consideration could be
met by engineering techniques.
Their answer is expected with
in a week.
Engineer Commissioner A. c.
yelling said his consultants,
Modjeski & Masters, would be
given the Secretary's ideas.
Col. yelling said that District
and Federal officials seemed
agreed on the Virginia APP
proaches and the type of bridge.
THE location is prescribed by
law. The height Of the bridge
is prescribed by both aesthetic
and hydraulic considerations, -
he added.
He explained that the bridge
itself could not be lowered be-
cause the "backwater effect on
the massive piers of a masonry
bridge already is severe. In lay
mans language, that means
that a lower bridge would have
the effect of creating a dam"
he said.
Questioned on Costs
Asked If lowering approaches
would affect bridge costs. Col.
yelling said that "at first
blush, the work would seem to
cut bridge costs" But the price
of the inner loop could go up
to jibe with new bridge APP
proaches, he added.
Both Col. yelling and Secre-
tary Seaton characterized the
conference as friendly and
profitable.
If the yelling engineers were
unable to satisfy the Secretary's
suggestions, Mr.. Seaton said the
failure would not foreclose
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