Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-03-01
County Roads.

| wa SohuAtiOuo hldhlnB ldDOI anu uldlCItdt
almost unattainable or prohibitive in cost.
1t was with difficulty that unfinished
contracts were carried out and absolutely
necessary repairs made. and these at a
largely increased cost.
In the future development and improve
ment of the county road system. more
especially in connecting up the State and
State Aid system, desire to put on record
the following recommendations for work
to be done, as soon as conditions will per-
init. under the State Aid law.
Reconstruction Of the Washington Grove
pike (Which will extend the State system
to Laytonsville, Maryland).
Connecting Poolesville- Jacksonville road
to Beallsville.
Connecting State road at Rockville with
Ounce Orchard road.
Connecting Connecticut Avenue Ken
sinston road with State road at Wheaton.
Connecting Blair road over Flower Ave-
nue. with Carroll Avenue. Tokoma Park.
Reconstruction of Potomac pike so as to
connect up the Falls road with Woodmont
and Glen Echo.
These are all short and comparatively
inexpensive sections and will tie up the
State and State Aid roads throughout the
county and relieve the county from much
expensive maintenance.
also recommend that the Whites Ferry
| rnad frnun Dnn1aa,,;lla 90 h. 81
Edwards Ferry road be graded to true lines
and grades and proper drainage be in
stalled as soon as possible. This is one of
the main county roads and eventually will
no doubt be improved with hard surface.
and when the proposed improvement Of
the road from Martinsbure to Dickerson is
made will tie up with that improvement.
Owing to the scarcity and high cost of
local repair material. the maintenance of
the Colesville pike has required large ex-
penditures, $4,71l in 1919. and $4,638 in
1917. or about $685. per mile per year, with
little permanent betterment. This Is one Of
the main travelled roads in the county, and
some method ought to be devised to improve
1t with permanent surface that would be
less expensive to maintain. If the Fifth.
Eighth and Thirteenth districts, in which
this road lies, would agree upon bond
issue to reconstruct 1t under the State Aid
law. 1t would not be so burdensome. The
present maintenance II capitalized at S
per cent. would yield over $4,000. A
bond issue of 100000 would pay the
county share Of reconstruction and this
would be large saving over the pres
ent cost, the maintenance devolving on the
State under State Aid.
In separate report have previously
laid before your board the situation rela-
tive to putting the State Aid roads in the
condition required by the State Roads Com
mission under order Of June. 1915; suffice
1t here to say, that these roads were treated
In 1915 as directed by the State authorities,
but the question was afterwards raised
as to their thickness. and acceptance was
postponed, causing us to bear the burden
of restoring defects largely brought about
by the severe strains of the winter Of 1917.
The resident engineer. State Roads Com
mission, has recently agreed to recon-
mend the acceptance Of all those roads
not yet taken over. witch the exception Of
the GAINESVILLE. Clarksbure and German
town roads, which he will accept as soon
as defective sections are surfaced, and of
the Bladensbure and Kensington and Chevy
Chase roads, which, though in good repair
he claims tests do not show in places the
seven-inch thickness required by them.
These last two roads required little or no
repair during the past season and ought
to have been accepted as being in good
repair and fully complying with the law
The present distribution OF the automo-
bile fund Ia unfair to the counties in that
they get no share for maintenance OF county
macadam. although the expensive con-
struction and maintenance are largely due
to this traffic. An effort to amend this
law at the present session OF the Leeisla-
ture, dividing this fund on pro rata mile
age basis between the State and county
macauam, should be made.
The county plant and force were engaged
in the reconstruction OF the Blair road, 1.8
miles, which was completed, with the ex-
ception Of part Of tar surface. at a cost of
$11,628.26.
A contract was let for surfacing the
defective sections Of the Laytonsville road,
LAS miles. completed at cost of $40, $780,
70, and the tar surface $l18439. The
State section Of this road. "a miles, was
also oiled by US at cost OF $l208.47. |
(This amount to be repaid by the Statc
Roads Commisslon.)
Also contract for resurfacing the Old
Georgetown road. mile. completed at
cost Of $6345.39. oiling $839.79
The contract for resurfacing defective
portions Of the GAINESVILLE road was made
but not started until late in the season,
and, after about one-third done, the en-
barge on stone and bad weather prevented
further work.
The Dawsonville-P oolesvile road was
completed at a cost Of $51.94215, exclu-
sive Of bridge at Dry Seneca.
The contractors for Glenmont- Coesville
roads failed to carry out their contract and
the work was turned over to their bonds
men to complete. Little progress was
made. owing to impossibility to get labor
and teams.
; The Wheaton-Four Corners road $50 per
cent. complete 1879 was finished and tar
surfaced. This road should have a regu.
lar patrolman placed on 1t to keep drainage
open and shoulders In repair. or 1t will
wash badly and rapidly deteriorate. owing
to the character Of the soil.
The Muncaster-Mill road has been com
pleted, with the exception Of a few hundred
feet at the mill The exceptional condi-
-