Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-03-30
Approac|1esSet
Lower at Bridge
Constitution Avenue
Spun Details Given

District ofncials yesterday
made public the details of new
unprecedented plans for the
Constitution avenue bridge
which were submitted last
week to Interior Secretary
Seaton.
Engineer missioner Al
win C. yelling said the new
plans involve significant re-
auctions" in the elevations Of
roadways and overpasses in the
Lincoln Memorial area. The
three District Commissioners.
he said, believe the proposed
construction would not mar the
memorials surroundings.
The revised plans. prepared
at Mr.. Seaton's request, were
handed to the cabinet off1cer
on Tuesday. A spokesman said
Friday that the plans were ur-
der study by engineers and that
action on them probably would
not be taken for at least a few
days. Mr.. Seaton has not yet
commented on them publicly.
Earlier Plans Criticized
Mr.. Seaton had objected to
earlier plans on the ground that
they allegedly would have re.
suited in obstructing vistas
around the memorial.
The new drawings. officials
disclosed, provide for lowering
the contemplated network Of
bridge approaches near the
memorial by from az to ofz
feet.
Highway Director John n.
Robertson said it is planned to
slope the entertainments along .
the roadways in order to give
the area the appearance Of
gently rolling terrain, in a fur
ther effort to meet objections.
Photos Show "COncealment"
Mr.. Robertson also made
available a series of six photo
graphs, submitted on Tuesday
to Mr.. Seaton, which the high.
way chief and his aides said
show that the proposed road
ways would not harm present
vistaS.
The photographs. according
to the highway officials, were
taken from key points on the
routes of the proposed con.
struction. One purpose in sub.
hitting them. the officials said.
was to show that the memorial
is only slightly visible from
these points, If at all. Another
purpose was to demonstrate
that virtually all the new roads
would be concealed by existing
trees and shrubbery from view.
ers at the memorial itself, they
asserted.
Bridge Design Altered
The design Of the proposed
bridge itself has been altered
slightly in connection with the
changes in approach roads. 1t
was disclosed. It's eastern end
would slope somewhat more
than planned originally.
In addition, the easternmost
arch Of the bridge would be
altered. Army engineers, fer
reasons of flood control, urged
that the spring line Of all piers.
or the point at which each
bridge arch starts to curve in
ward, be above the maximum
recorded flood level. The east
ernmost pier, under the new
plans. would violate this rule.
Army spokesman have ag; eed
to allow this variance. officials
asserted.
Roadways under four APP
proach structures at the bridges
eastern end also would be up
to six feet below the maximum
flood line, officials said. This
would necessitate an estimated
$500, 900 extra expenditure for
pumps. The flood mark was
set in 1912.
Effect on Memorial View
City planners said the pro-
posed bridge approaches would
not add any new obstruction to
present views Of the Lincoln
Memorial except along 400 feet
of Rock Creek and Potomac
parkway. The memorial already
is completely obscured on the
parkway from 300 feet above
Constitution avenue northward.
and is partly obscured by trees
south OF that point. they said.
Douglas s. Brinkley, high
way planning engineer, said
sidewalks along the new APP
proach4 roads might give pe.
destriaN A better Flew of the