Evening star., 1962-04-05
Planning Body
Against Control
By Parks Unit
By ROBERT ]. LEWIS
Star Staff Writer

super-expreSsway to the Inter-
national Airport at Chantilly
was supported today by the Ma
tional Capital Planning Com
mission.
In a unanimous action, the
planners in effect opposed a
possible transfer of the four
lane highway now under con-
struction to the National Park
Service if such a transfer
would preclude" later con-
struction of two additional lanes
on either side of the road now
being built.
The effect of the action has
great significance to rapidly
booming residential develop
ments in the direction of the
airport. 1t will help assure a
system of general highways
and rapid transit to serve this
Virginia area in line with the
planners Year 1000 Plan,
rather than possible develop
ment of the route as a show
place parkway" limited to four
lanes of traffic.
FAA Building Road
A "dual-dual" expressway
such as envisaged by planners
is described as four two-lane
roads, two in each direction.
having three median strips in
between, with provisions for a
rapid-rail transit line in one
of the median strips.
The Fairfax Board of Super
visors and the National Capital
Regional Planning Council re-
Gently strongly opposed trans
fer Of the airport highway to
the National Park Service, as
would be permitted by a bill
now before Congress.
The present road is being
built by the Federal Aviation
| Agency, which would like to
have flexible authority" to
transfer it eventually, in whole
or in part, to appropriate Fed
, eral and State agencies for
maintenance.
Oppose Park Control
Fairfax officials and regional
planners have been concerned
that a possible transfer to the
park service might lead to a
kind of parkway treatment
that would prevent addition OF
two-lane service roads on
either side OF the main air.
port highway.
The commission action sup
porting the eight-lane system
along the 400-foot right-of-way
came on a motion Of A. M.
Woodruff, chairman of the
NCPC Transportation Commit
tee.
In it. the agency advised the
Federal Aviation Agency sit
favors the retention of park
like character of the highway
but does not sanction any ac-
ton with respect to the trans
fer of the airport access high
way which would. in any way,
preclude or foreclose the con-
Struction of additional outside
highway lanes. or other trans
portation facilities. . ="
Other Actions
In other actions, the COM
mission:
l. Authorized a study of the
feasibility of urban renewal for
an area around Howard UNI
versity. The study is to be
carried out by a consultant,
yet to be chosen, at a cost not
to exceed $4,000.
2. Approved a site develop
ment plan for a headquarters
building of the Trans american
H e alth Organization at
Twenty-second street and Vir-
ginia avenue NV. and ap-
proved a 110-foot height limita-
tion for the project.
8. Disapproved establishment
of a roof-top heliport on a
hotel-apartment building now
under construction at 1916
Rhode Island avenue NV. At
the same time the commission
decided to seek information on
Federal heliport policy in built
up areas from the Federal Avia-
ton Agency.
4. Heard a presentation by
officials of the Smithsonian In
stitution of a l0-year-plan for
the development of the National
Zoo. DR.. Leonard Carmichael,
secretary of the Smithsonian,
told the planners establishment
of the Zoo antedated creation
of Rock Creek Park and owes
its existence to the fact that
people gave animals to the
Smithsonian which were kept in
pens around our buildings on
the Mall. to the distress of some
persons during the hot summer
seasons in the past"