Evening star., 1961-03-03
New River Spun,
I'd Choin Bridge
Deck Probable
By GILBERT GINIBLE
star staff Writer

projects.
District highway planners,
after reviewing the Presidents
proposal for financing the
interstate road system, have
determined that the plan would
allow the city to obligate about
$75 million for road building
in fiscal 1862.
This amount compares to
only $50 million that the Dis
trict can expect to get at the
current Federal aid level.
Projects Could Start
If the Kennedy program is
adopted by Congress then the
construction program in the
coming months will include:
/. Start Of the Three Sisters
Island bridge and an inter-
change at Foxhall road. This
had been planned for 1866.
2. Construction Of a three
lane deck on Chain Bridge,
doubling the spans capacity. /;
8. Speed-up of the multi
million dollar Potomac River
freeway which would run from
the K street expressway, now
under construction, to the
interchange planned at the
Three Sisters Island bridge.
The Potomac River freeway
would connect with the George
Washington Memorial park
way now under construction to
q point just west of Chain
Bridge. This parkway has still
to be completed to the Foxhall
road interchange where it will
meet the proposed freeway.
Busy Year Regardless
Even if the Kennedy pro-
gram doesn't win approval. the
number of road Jobs that will
get underway in the District In
fiscal 1862 is still expected to
mark it as one Of the busiest
years.
ALREADY planned are these
projects: kf7
"a new Eleventh street bridge
over the AnacoStia River. to be
cbmp leted with approach
reads in 1864.
The E Street expressway. a
depressed freeway from the
Theodore Roosevelt Bridge to
Twentieth street NV.
Remaining substructure Of
the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge,
that portion over the Little
River channel on the Virginia
shore. Erection Of the super
structure will also begin with
completion Of the entire span
in mid-1963.
Completion Of the Anacostia
freeway, which will run from
the Woodrow Wilson Bridge at
Jones Point to the East Capitol
street Bridge.
Ramps connecting South
Capitol street with the South
west freeway dncluding an
overpass structure at South
Capitol.
Bureau of Public Roads Of
ficials have Informed District
planners that the Kennedy aid
scheme would allow release of
some $50 million. This amount,
which would normally have
been given the District about
a year ago, has been frozen be-
cause Of depletion Of the Fed
eral highway trust fund.
But President Kennedy's
plan to increase taxes on
truckers and retain the present
4-cent gasoline tax, or, in the
alternative, increase the gaso-
line tax to 41a-cents, would
mean the Federal aid program
could get back on schedule.
Congress is due to review the
highway financing proposals
and the apportionment rates
that the Bureau of Public Roads
has recommended for the vari-
GUS States and the District. The
bureau has approved $478 mil
lion as the Districts share Of
the interstate highway system.
$14 Million From DC.
Of the SITS million the Dis
trict would be able to obligate
next fiscal year, some $14 mil
lion would have to come from
the city's own funds. Accord
ing to Harold L. Aitken, the
District highway director.
these matching funds will be
available.
The Presidents proposed i'm.
petus for the interstate high
way program came as District
Engineer Frederick j. Clarke
was making studies on how to
give the city's road program a
financial shot in the arm.
Gen. Clarke plans to talk
to Virginia State roads officials
in Richmond soon to see how
much it would cost to bring
Route 66 all the way to the
Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
with a spur to the new Three
Sisters Island bridge) and to
bring the Dulles Airport road
to Route 66.
1t is expected that Virginia
highway officials, in light Of
the new Kennedy proposals,
will now be urged to use some
OF the additional Federal aid
funds for a speed-up IN Route
66 construction and for the
approach roads to the bridges