Louisiana Avenue was constructed as a new marginal avenue, 160 feet wide and 2,134 feet long, with a paved roadway 76 feet wide, extending diagonally and southwesterly from Union Station Plaza to Constitution Avenue and terminating at a point between First and Second Streets NW., as a part of the enlargement of the Capitol Grounds development in 1931. Only minor repairs have been made to the surface of this roadway in the past 30 years and the point has now been reached where the roadway, from the Union Station Plaza to New Jersey Avenue, has become so badly disintegrated, broken, and full of holes that the surface of the roadway should be replaced without further delay. This is a major thoroughfare and carries a very heavy stream of traffic at all times. The deteriorated condition of this roadway has been further aggravated by the severity of the weather of the past winter. The first or base course of this roadway consists of a slab or mat of reinforced concrete, 8 inches in depth, the base being reinforced with a steel wire mesh. The second or binder course consists of an asphaltic concrete, made up of a compacted mass of broken stone, sand, and asphalt, placed directly upon the concrete base in a layer about 21⁄2 inches thick, rolled and compacted to 2 inches. The third or top course consists of a sheet asphalt surface mixture made up of sand, mineral filler, and asphaltic cement, placed directly upon the binder course in a layer 14 inches thick, rolled and compacted to 11⁄2 inches; the surface being brushed with pulverized stone dust to seal the top course. The base and binder courses are still in satisfactory condition. It is the top course that has deteriorated gradually over a period of 30 years of heavy traffic and is proposed to be renewed under the allotment of $21,000 requested for 1962. The estimate is based on the cost of other similar work done in the Capitol Grounds, at $2.05 per square yard. Repairs and replacement, sections of sidewalks and curbing surrounding two House Office Buildings-nonrecurring item_ An allotment of $18,000 is requested for 1962 to replace defective sections of the concrete sidewalks surrounding the two House Office Buildings-eight street areas, in all; also, for resetting curbing that is out of alinement. Sections of these sidewalks have over a long period of time gradually become broken, raised, or severely cracked and should be replaced with new concrete sections in the public interest; also, to avoid the possibility of Federal tort claims arising from personal injuries through accidents The estimate is based on replacing 2,530 square yards of concrete sidewalk sections at $6.50 per square yard-a total of $16,400; and on resetting 350 lineal feet of curb at $4.50 per lineal foot-a total of $1,600. Supplies and materials increased from $8,500 to $10,000-----For 1961, $8,500 was allowed. For 1962, $10,000 is requested-an increase of $1,500 asked to meet increased maintenance costs, in order properly to take care of current requirements. No increase has been provided under this allotment for the past 6 years. 69462-61-10 18,000 1,500 Equipment: Purchase of a street sweeper, nonrecurring item__ Total estimate for 1962 9,000 +61, 100 446,000 Mr. STEED. Mr. Stewart, if you will take each item as we did this morning and discuss it briefly. Mr. STEWART. For this item we are requesting a net increase of $57,700. DELETION OF ITEMS FROM 1961 APPROPRIATION There are two deductions, one of $200 for maintenance of the Taft Memorial, which is decreased from $600 to $400. The other deduction is for replacement of a 1949 112-ton dump truck with a new 2-ton dump truck, which is a nonrecurring item allowed for 1961 but not required for 1962. That was $3,200. That accounts for the total deductions of $3,400. WAGE BOARD, WITHIN-GRADE, AND OVERTIME INCREASES Wage-rate increases authorized by Public Law 763, 83d Congress, $8,000, broken down as follows: An increase of $6,482 is requested for 1962 to meet on a full-year basis the cost of increased wage rates established for these wageboard positions as a result of a general survey of Government and industrial employees' wage in the Washington metropolitan area, conducted during the past year. The new rates went into effect December 25, 1960, in accordance with the provisions of Public Law 85-872, 85th Congress. This increase is necessary in order that the Capitol Grounds wage-board employees may be compensated on a full-year basis in the fiscal year 1962 in accordance with present prevailing rates. The gross cost of these changes is $9,600. Of this cost, $3,118 is being absorbed through savings. An increase of $1,518 is requested for 1962 to meet the cost of within-grade promotions falling due in that year, authorized by Public Law 763 under the wage-board system, for employees compensated under that act. The next increase is within-grade promotions authorized by the Classification Act of 1949, as amended, for employees compensated under that act, $600. Overtime and holiday pay increased by $1,000 to meet increased pay costs under that allotment resulting from base pay increases under Public Law 763 and the Classification Act. GENERAL ANNUAL REPAIRS General annual repairs increased from $8,450 to $10,450, an increase of $2,000. This increase is requested for 1962 to meet increased maintenance costs, in order properly to take care of current requirements. No increase has been provided under this allotment for the past 10 years. Again we are faced with rising costs of materials. RESURFACING PORTION OF LOUISIANA AVENUE We have an item for resurfacing Louisiana Avenue, New Jersey Avenue, NW., to Union Station. This is a nonrecurring item of $21,000. An allotment of $21,000 is requested for 1962 to renew the asphalt surface of Louisiana Avenue, from New Jersey Avenue NW., to the Union Station Plaza, by heater-treatment method. Under this method, the upper surface of the roadway is heated by an oil burner, then the burned asphalt is scraped off and new asphalt and sand mixture is spread over the scraped surface and rolled into place. Mr. STEED. IS Louisiana Avenue inside the Capitol Grounds? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. It was constructed and made a part of the Capitol Grounds in 1931. It is in bad shape, as more fully explained on our blue sheet. Mr. STEED. Is it in any worse shape than the plaza in front of the Capitol? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. We are gradually resurfacing the plaza areas. We put a top coating in the center section last week. Mr. STEED. I did not know if you could do much until you got the work completed on the building or not. Mr. STEWART. Insofar as the surface is concerned, it is in fairly good shape. WIDENING INDEPENDENCE AVENUE Mr. STEED. What will they do over here on Independence Avenue between the New and the additional House Office Building? Mr. STEWART. The width of Independence Avenue will be widened to a four-lane avenue by setting the curb back on the additional House Office Building side. That will give the avenue a width of 44 feet. The full benefit of that width will not be noticeable until the streetcar tracks are removed. However, 1962 is the year in which the streetcar tracks are scheduled to be abandoned, and orders have been issued by the District Commissioners to remove the streetcar tracks and repair the avenue as soon as possible. I think it will depend on the removal of the streetcar tracks when they can go to work on the avenue. FREEWAY ROUTE Mr. STEED. What is the situation with regard to that freeway and the entrance to it? Mr. STEWART. There has been much controversy over the freeway. One group, the National Capital Planning Commission, together with the group that represents Washington Year 2000, have insisted from the beginning that the route of this freeway ought to cross over part of the Capitol Grounds. At the request of your committee and Mr. Kirwan particularly, some years ago I was requested not to let them go over the Capitol Grounds, particularly where the Botanic Gardens greenhouses are located. Since then, the Engineer Commissioner, General Clarke, and I have suggested a plan by which we skirt the Capitol Grounds and go up Fifth Street rather than Third Street. It is straighter and easier to develop and I am hopeful that plan will be accepted. If so, there is only one point where it would infringe on our properties. If it is used for that purpose, permission must be given by the Congress. WIDENING INDEPENDENCE AVENUE Mr. Bow. With reference to the widening of Independence Avenue by the New House Office Building, will that all go toward the New House Office Building or will some go north? Will you have to take down some of the trees? Mr. STEWART. No, this is a compromise. The District said they could channel the traffic in four 11-foot-wide lanes and that will give us a chance to let the trees stay for a few more years. Mr. Bow. Has any consideration been given to the possibility of taking Independence Avenue back of the New House Office Building and taking the street in front of the building out entirely and putting it in the Capitol Grounds? Mr. STEWART. A proposal has been advanced for putting the traffic underground. I have hopes that somehow or other we will be able to have all the traffic bypass all the buildings so that the Members and people who visit will have an opportunity to walk on the groundsMr. Bow. Without crossing the highway? Mr. STEWART. Yes. Mr. Bow. It could be done by skirting Independence Avenue back of the buildings? Mr. STEWART. This would go underneath Independence Avenue. Mr. Bow. But is there not a possibility of skirting Independence Avenue back of the buildings? Mr. STEWART. Yes. There was a study made of that. It involves a portion of the property we have just acquired. If that plan is adopted the problem will be to reroute the traffic. Mr. Bow. That would be cheaper than a tunnel under Independence Avenue? Mr. STEWART. Yes. But this would require widening of C Street which would necessitate removal of the Congressional Hotel. Mr. Bow. That, of course, would be the ideal situation if we could eliminate the street entirely in front of the House Office Buildings and put it all in the Capitol Grounds. Mr. STEWART. I would like to see that done. REPLACEMENT OF SIDEWALKS Mr. STEWART. The next item is repairs and replacement of defective sections of the concrete sidewalks and curbing surrounding the two House Office Buildings. This is a nonrecurring item of $18,000. The estimate is based on replacing 2,530 square yards of concrete sidewalk sections at $6.50 per square yard, a total of $16,400; and on resetting 350 lineal feet of curb at $4.50 per lineal foot, a total of $1,600. SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS The next item is supplies and materials, which is increased from $8,500 to $10,000, an increase of $1,500. This increase is asked to meet increased maintenance costs in order properly to take care of current requirements. No increase has been provided under this allotment for the past 6 years. PURCHASE OF STREET SWEEPER The next item is for the purchase of a street sweeper, a nonrecurring item, for which we are requesting $9,000. This $9,000 is requested for the purchase of a street sweeper to be used in cleaning the streets and roadways in the Capitol Grounds. No such equipment is available at present and the streets and roadways can be kept in better condition if a sweeper is provided. It is proposed to purchase a sweeper with a 4-cubic-yard hopper capacity. a Mr. STEED. How have they been taking care of that? Mr. STEWART. By hand. We lose one of the most important features of street sweeper by doing it by hand because all the street sweepers are equipped with a magnet that picks up pieces of metal, nails and similar items, that you would miss when do it by hand. Here is a picture of the sweeper we propose to purchase. Mr. STEED. How many blocks or miles, or whatever you would measure it by, do you have to control? Mr. STEWART. The Capitol Grounds extend from Independence Avenue on the south to the Union Station Plaza on the north and from Third Street Northwest on the west to Second Street Northeast on the east, and cover 131 acres. Mr. STEED. You have Constitution Avenue too? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. I would say there are at least 30 blocks of streets. Mr. Bow. If you get this machine, do you have the manpower to operate it and the money for the operation of it? Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. It will probably take some adjustment in our personnel. Mr. Bow. You will not need additional employees? Mr. STEED. Will it save any employees? Mr. STEWART. Not at the present time until we find out the extent of the work. If we are continually going to add to the Capitol Grounds, I do not know how to give you a positive answer, Mr. Chairman. We also have considerable areas for parking that have been paved that have to be cleaned and much of that is hand work. Mr. STEED. Actually, what you propose to do would be to add on some work that should be done and that you have not been able to do? Mr. STEWART. That is right. Mr. STEED. Any more questions on that? Mr. Bow. No more questions, thank you. SUBWAY TRANSPORTATION; MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION, SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGS Mr. STEWART. The next two items "Subway transportation, Capitol and Senate Office Buildings" and "Maintenance and operation of Senate Office Buildings," being Senate items, are not included in the House committee print. Mr. HENLOCK. Pages 73 to 95 of the justifications are Senate items, on which the House does not customarily hold hearings. They are included in the justification book for use before the Senate Appropriations Committee. |