Evening star., 1961-11-09
LOOP
Continued From First Page

Continued From First rage .
the east leg to run frcm the
interchange northward to Flor
ida avenue paralleling Elev-
enth street.
Planning and engineering of I
the center leg to run through
the heart of downtown north
ward from the Southwest free
way.
a one-year delay Of new
construction has been urged by
c. Darwin Stolzenbach, head
Of the National Capital Trans
portation Agency.
Directive Cited
Testifying today, Mr.. Stolen
bach emphasized that his agency
has a directive from Congress
to re-evaluate all transporta-
ton planning for the entire
region.
Mr.. Stolzenbach told the COM
mission that delay of the Three
Sisters Bridge across the Po-
tomac above Key Bridge and
the large Southeast interchange
lis absolutely essential if any
serious re-evaluation is to be.
made" of the mass transporta-
ton survey issued in 1859.
He argued that the 1859 plan
was based on continued urban
sprawl but that the more recent
Year 1000 Plan calls for a de-
velopment along corridors and
"postulates a whole new set of
assumptions as to the. future
gfowth of the region"
Mr.. Stolzenbach asked: DO
we want a strong central city?
Do we want to limit urban
sprawl?
If we do, we have to design
a transportation system to ac-
complish these goals. The 1859
transportation plan made no
such effort. 1t is merely a step
ping stone"
Studies Underway
He said the questions of what
parts of the highway programs
should continue or be elimi-
mated will be answered by stud
les his agency is now making.
The important point is that
the agency and others con-
cerned with reginal planning
should have a years time in
which to develop recommen-
dations," Mr.. StolZenbach de-
elared.
There is no pressing need
for either of these projects
fthe interchange or the Three
Sisters Bridge. Both are links
connecting roads whose con-
struction will not begin until
fiscal year 1966-four years
from now.
Ion the other hand. con-
struction Of these two projects
will mean that the 1859 trans
portation plan has become a
reality"
Truck Problem Mentioned
Strongly supporting the find
fngs of the 1859 study, Joseph
Barnett. an alternate member
of the NCPC and an official
of the Bureau of Public Roads.
said failure to complete the
Inner Loop may mean the pro-
posed Three Sisters Bridge and
the otomac freeway leading
into the K street expressway
may have to be eliminated from
the Interstate highway system.
This, Mr.. Barnett said. raises
the horrible prospect" that
truck traffic NAV have to be
allowed on the Theodore Roose-
welt Bridge and roadways sur
founding the Lincoln Memorial
area. Under present plans,
trucks are to be barred from
crossing the bridge and the
Lincoln Memorial roadway.
However. without the north
and west legs of the Inner Loop
there would be no continuation
of Interstate Route Sc which is
to cross the Potomac River by
way of Three Sisters Bridge and
reach the loop by way of the
Potomac River freeway.
y Mr.. Barnett said it is the
commissions responsibility ito
support. rather than hinder. the
agencies new executing the very
plan we ourselves helped TO
create and which we approved.
He said it would be sheer
folly and a waste of funds" to
halt construction Of the Inner
Loop.
In a telegram to the NCPC
Gov. J. Millard Tawes Of