Evening star., 1960-10-09
Arlington Board
Kills Freeway Plan
Army Navy Club
SIicing Avoided
In Angry Fight
By JOHN BARRON
Star stan Writer

q,
The Arlington County Board
yesterday buried a proposal to
build a freeway through the
Army Navy Country Club, but
indicated it may dig it up again
in few years.
The controversial southSide
freeway plan again fell before
barrage of citizen protests
during a nearing in which two
board members angrily de-
nounced a campaign by some of
its proponents as disgraceful.
However, after rejecting the
81 million thoroughfare for the
second time in four months, the
board agreed to try to buy a
2.3-acre tract to keep open the
projected right of way.
Door Left Open
We're leaving the door open
and we'll be in a better position
to make a decision four or five
years from now when this thing
doubtlessly will come back to
haunt u.s." Chairman Herbert
Brown said.
Rear Admiral P. B. Niebeckes
declared the freeway posi-
lively would sterilize and neu-
tralize the northern part Of
the club property amounting to
80 acres"
Referring to suggestions that
the club could keep it's golf
course mostly intact by con-
structing tunnels under the
four = lane thoroughfare, he
said:
I'VE may go underground to
get away from fallout but We
don't go underground to play
golf. We would become thA
first club in the country with
a freeway as an obstacle
course"
Homes ImperiIed
Lutrelle Parker, a member
of the planning commission
which twice has disapproved
the project, noted it would re-
quire demolition of 36 to Sc
Negro homes. He said the FAM
lilies displaced would have no.
where else to go in Arlington.
He argued that the plan
should be shelved until the
effects of the new bridge. high
way improvements and mass
transit programs in Northern
Virginia can be gagged.
County Highway Director
Clifton Stoneburner contended
the freeway is essential to re1
lieve congestion on Columbia
pike and prevent increased
flows Of traffic from inundat1
ing neighborhood streets.
The Apartment Owners ASS
sociation, Northern Virginia
Builders Association and the
Chamber of Commerce re+
ferred to his arguments in
urging reinstatement of the
freeway in the county's master
thoroughfare plan.
The Citizens Committee for
the Southside Freeway," con-
sisting of seven businessmen
warned that Arlington traffic
problems threaten to promotS
an exodus of high-income FAM
lilies to Washington.
This group last week distrib-
uted to voters several hundred
form cards addressed to Mr.,
Brown containing an indorse-
ment of the freeway. The cards
stated that most of the land
for the right of way has been
acquired and that the remain
der would cost only 100000.
Brown Raps Grady
This statement aroused ths
wrath of Mr.. Brown and Board
Member Ralph Kaul. who said
that much Of the land has not
been obtained and that ac-
QUESTION costs would far ex-
ceed 100000.
This kind of a card is a dis
grace to YOU and the countN
hoard" Mr.. Brown said td
Thomas Grady, chairman of
tho committee,
The freeway has become a.
major political issue in the
county board campaign be-
tween Democratic Incumbent
Lucas Blevins and his opponent,
Thomas Richards, of the nom
particen coalition, Arlingto-
MEMS for a Better County.
DR.. Blevins who last july
voted against the freeway, pro-
posed last month that it he ro-
considered. He said imminence
Of apartment construction on a,
2.3 acre tract near COLUMBIA
pike between Rolf and Scott
streets made a review neces-
sery.
DR.. Blevins today Joined all
four other board members in
voting not to reinstate the free
way but said that purchase Of
the tract would achieve his pur-
pose of preserving the right Of
way should the thoroughfare
be needed in the future.