The broad street called Connecticut Avenue, being adapted to the movement of the main volume of travel between the central parts of Washington as now built and all parts of the extensive suburban region of much higher elevation, through which it passes beyond the great bridge over Rock Creek, you have asked our opinion upon a question of the laying out of such streets as would be tributary and distributing branches of this main channel of travel.

The line of Connecticut Avenue varies little, on an average, from that which defines the divide of streams flowing eastwardly to Rock Creek and westwardly to the Potomac. The gradual washing away of the ground bordering these streams has resulted in a succession of rounded ridges separated from one another by deep winding valleys varying greatly in breadth and in the degree of the declivities of their sides. The natural surface of the region to be considered is consequently for the most part extremely irregular and undulating; much more so, on an average, than the natural surface of so much of the city south of the Rock Creek bridge as has already been provided with streets.

Two methods may be had in view for laying out the streets in question. In the first, rigidly straight courses would be pursued, as in those parts of Washington already laid out, regardless of the great irregularities of the surface. In the other, deviations from straight courses would be made with such degree of accommodation to these irregularities as would be consistent with convenience in the use of the streets, with efficiency and economy of drain and sewer arrangements, and with a division of the lands between the streets into suitable building sites.

Each of these systems would have distinctive advantages and distinctive disadvantages. Our judgment is asked upon the question with which, having regard to the lasting interests of the public, would the balance of advantage be found?

After examining the ground and considering the question of suitable connections with bordering regions, we are of the opinion that a system of streets could be devised with courses winding to a considerable extent fittingly to the larger undulations of the ground, which would have decided advantages over any system of streets laid in rigid straight lines over the same ground.

Yours Respectfully