Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-16
But Others
See Disaster
In New Delay
BY CHARLES d. PIERCE
Star staff Writer


They were presenting their
views on the $78 million Dis
trict road construction program
recommended for next fiscal
year by the Department of Gen
eral Administration.
Of this total, SIG million
would be paid by the District,
and $50 million by Federal
matching funds.
Walter N. Tobriner. president
of the District Board of Com
missioners, who presided at the
hearing, told approximately so
persons present that the Com
missioners have made no deci-
sion so far on the proposed
highway budget. He added
that the hearing record will
remain open until November 81.
Mrs. Polly Shackleton, Dis
trict Democratic National Com
mitteewoman, said the highway
department has had the "un-
believable gall" to propose in
next years budget projects
that could result in the ruth
less destruction of countless
homes and communities. :"
She identified these projects
as the East Leg, Northeast
Freeway and Interchange C.
Harsh Words
Mrs. Shackleton also accused
the department of pure una
dulterated arrogance" in re-
questing funds for the Inter-
mediate Loop and the North
! Leg of the Inner Loop.
The Democratic official de-
scribed plans by the Highway
S Department to remove the
ramps connecting Key Bridge
4 and the Whitehurst Freeway
: as an attempt at "blackmail'
to force approval for construc-
ton of the controversial Three
Sisters Bridge.
Mrs. Shackelton said the
Democratic Central Committee
favors the transportation plan
= proposed by the National Cap
ital Transportation Agency and
wants cut from the budget
funds for the East Leg, Inter-
change C, Northeast Freeway,
Three Sisters Bridge. Potomac
River Freeway. the North Leg
and intermediate Loop.
However, j. C. Turner, presi-
dent of the Greater Washington
Central Labor Council. said
that many, many thousands
of construction workers in the
District depend upon the high
way program for employment"
He warned that, unless the
highway program goes forward
month by month, there will be
severe unemployment this win
ter as well as in the winters to
follow.
Mr.. Turner said he is con-
WINGED the problem of relocat-
ing people can be handled so
that mo one in this commu-
nifty will suffer and the high
way program will 60 forward"
James H. Flanagan, vice
president of the D. c. Transit
System. said the District high
way plans have received the
approval of leading authorities
in highway planning and con-
Struction.
Now suddenly there appears
to be a roadblock thrown in
the path. If it is not removed
very soon, irreparable harm
will be done"
Better Transit Seen
He said the proposed high
way program would make it
: possible for D. C. Transit to
provide rapid, attractive
service"
A statement submitted by
Neil Phillips, chairman of the
Committee of 100 on the Fed
eral City, said the highway
budget for fiscal 1864 is "ideaP'
for the truck and highway
lobby but is "a blueprint for
disaster for the District of
Columbia"
He said that for many dec
AIDES washington has drifted
to an ever-increasing auto
dominant transportation sys-
tenn in which the interest Of
motor vehicles reigned domi-
nant and the interests of the
people - concerned with their
neighborhoodS, institutions, and
fiscal soundness CT their gov
ernment-stood neglected"
Arthur E. Miller, chairman
of the District Advisory Board
of the American Automobile
Association, said his board in
dorses the proposed new high
way program.
Even if the most modern
and advanced rapid transit
facilities which have yet been
devised we're to be provided
the Washington Metropolitan
Area tomorrow. it would now
and in the foreseeable future
take care of only a fraction of
the areas transportation re-
quirements and at an appalling
deficit" he said.
THE four rail lines proposed
for the District in the mass
transportation survey report of
1853 are scheduled to result in
an annual deficit of more than
SIC million annually.
"One can only imagine what
the deficit would be for the
proposed eight-lane rail rapid
transit system proposed by the
National Capital Transporta-