Audio
Kutz Bridge Audio Recording
Transcript
Cherry Blossom Festival Blue Stop #10 The Kutz Bridge. Construction of the Pentagon in Arlington, VA during World War II necessitated more bridges being built to cross the Potomac River. To increase access to these bridges Independence Avenue was extended from 14th Street West to the Lincoln Memorial. This controversial plan required building a bridge across the north end of Tidal Basin for an eastbound lane of traffic. West bound traffic would flow on the road north of the Tidal Basin, not crossing any water. The November 15 1941 edition of The Washington Daily News reported that this plan ‘imperils the beauty of the Tidal Basin.” Still, the project moved forward with the contract awarded to Alexander and Repass of Des Moines, IA in June of 1942. Archie Alexander was very successful in the bridge-building business, unique at this time since he was an African American engineer and few African Americans broke through the racial prejudices in the engineering field.
At one point during the war, it was thought other projects more important and construction should have been stopped. Yet the work continued since materials were already on hand and the work was partially complete. The bridge opened to traffic during the last week of July 1943 with no celebration or dedication. Known as the Independence Avenue bridge, it would finally be dedicated in honor of Brigadier General Charles W. Kutz in February of 1954. Kutz served as the District of Columbia’s Engineering Commissioner on 3 separate occasions from 1914 to 1917, 1918 – 1921, and from 1941 to 1945. The first stint as Commissioner was interrupted for service overseas in WWI. Some of Kutz’s accomplishments included writing the District’s first zoning laws and regulating the city’s public utilities companies. Kutz died in 1951 but his wife was at the bridge dedication on February 24, 1954
Description
This is one of Washington's more "visited" memorials, but probably one of its lesser known.
Duration
1 minute, 56 seconds
Credit
NPS
Date Created
03/28/2015
Copyright and Usage Info