Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-25
FAA Abundons
Controversial
Access Plan

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tional Airport at Chantilly, Va.
Administrator E. r. Quesada
said the Smile section will
follow the original Route B be-
tween Route 7 Ieesburg pike)
and Hunter Mill road.
Discarded was the so-calied
Southern route, selection Of
which stirred raging con-
troversy that extended to
Capitol Hill.
1T is most regrettable that
any route must of necessity
have an adverse affect on some
people and their property" Mr..
Quesada said in his announce
ment.
Disruption to Minimum
"The selected route, however,
will keep disruption of homes
and on property in the area to
the lowest possible minimum.
The route announced today
requires demolition of one
dwelling, compared to the II
which would have had to come
down for the southern site. The
selected one traverses II owner
ships, compared to 81 on the
southern.
Since the overall cost to
the Government of the selected
route will be approximately the
same as the more southerly
route" Mr.. Quesada said, "the
f1anl determination was made
on the basis of impact on land
costs"
Actually, the road finally
selected by FAA has an overall
price tag $4,000 cheaper than
the one discarded. The con-
struction cost is higher. but
the land acquisition price is
much lower because of the
scarcity of buildings.
Routes Compared
Four dwellings stand within
200 feet of the right of way
announced today. Nineteen
stand within 200 feet of the
right of way of the southern
route.
These comparisons are con.
vincing and overriding" Mr..
Quesada said. The impact
upon the community is reduced
to the minimum and this is our
sincere and genuine objective"
The agency will ask the JUS
tice' Department to dismiss the
condemnation proceedings re-
quested on the southern route
and start condemnation on the
new one when exact right-of.
way limits have been deter
mined.
The new route is in accord
with recommendations of the
Fairfax County supervisors and
the Planning Commission and
meets all standards of the
Highway Department for roads
included in the interstate sys-
tenn.
History of Dispute
The controversial section Of
the access road runs between
Route 7 and point near Sum
set Hills Farm east of the air.
port.
After public hearings in
August, 1858. the Federal Avia-
ton Agency announced a To-
cation for the access road last
December. In June. FAA an
nounced that the four and-a-
half-mile section was being
shifted about a mile south Of
the original location.
Tho shift Immediately drew
the wrath of residents living
along the route. They pro-
tested that the shift was
made without public hearing
and without consultation by
FAA with any other Federal
or local Governmental agen-
cies.
The citizens protested that
the southern route was COM
pletely outside any of the wide
corridors discussed at the Au-
gust, 1858, public hearing. They
carried their fight to Congress
and under pressure from Vir-
ginia legislators another public
hearing was called by FAA.
Protest at Hearing
At the new hearing July II,
the protesting group said the
southern route would result in
destruction of IL homes and
that ZIG persons live within 500
feet of it. They said only one
house would be taken on the
original route and only AZ per-
sons live within 500 feet of that
one.
Particularly affected by the
southern route would have been
the subdivision Holly Hills and
Carriers Grove.
The Fairfax County Plan
ming Commission also opposed
the southern route. The COM
mission said the original loca-
ton would have less impact on
the community because it passed
through generally open country
rather than residentially de-
veloped areas.
CONVENTIONS