Evening star., 1922-08-09
OUTER HIGHWAYS
OF D.c.N BAD SHAPE
Large Appropriation by Con-
qress Deemed Urgent for
Repair Work.
HEAVY TRAFFIC COSTLY
Georgia Avenue Conditions Shown
to Seriously Hamper
Motor Travel.

Generally bad condition of the high
ways leading into and out OF the DIS
trict makes it difficult for the motor
ist to have any choice for smooth paw
ing, Concentration of efforts to make
Congress see the need OF proVioii's
large appropriation for repavlng the
main arteries for their full lengths Is
the only relief. it was pointed out.
Georgia Avenue from Rock Creek
Church road to the District line, which
bears a heavy triffic into and out OF
the state of Maryland, is showing the
effects Of wear, except for the new sec
tions put in not long ago between
Buchanan street and Military road.
1t was noticeable today during an
inspection of this thoroughfare that
while new section of roadway has
been put in, and while it has shown
no effects from the wear OF trahlc'
nevertheless II has been cut INTO 10
lay water and other mains, and aeep
ruts have been left when the excaVa
ticns have been filled up. 1t was pointed
out that it is not unusual TO see Ia
borers eXcavating in streets, not many
weeks after new surfaces nave oeeH
laid, and the practice suggests Inc
need of some regulation.
In Bad Condition.
For the greater part of its length,
except for the new surface mentioned,
Georgia avenue is in bad condltlon.
Frequent repairs are made, the holes
reappear from the constant heaVy
traffic Crushed stone with tar
binder is put down in number OF
instances, but it is pushed out fast
by the automobile wheels and particu
larly the wheels Of the big trucks haul
ing materials through the section.
A motorist bound north strikes the
rutS at Rock Creek Church road, and
north of Quincy street, there are
many instances where the macadam
sticks up in mounds several inches
high Travelling on the railroad
right of way offers no relief. as the
street car tracks there. as well as
along the other thoroughfares. are in
a bad condition. In many cases. it
is just like riding over railroad ties
to attempt to drive car over the
car tracks.
After striking the new surface at
Buchanan street. il is an easy ride
to Military road. except. where the
new surface has been cut into to lay
mains to new homes, but north of
the street car barn, a very rough
condition is found. which becomes
the street, north of Piney Branch
road
Laying New Stone Surface.
While the street railway right of
way is in a very bad and dangerous
condition between Military road and
the District line. it was observed to-
day that laborers. stirling in at the
car barn, were laying a new surface
of crushed stone between the tracks
and for two feet on either side. That
1t is the intention of the company
to put this section of track in a good
state Of repair is evidenced by the
large piles of crushed stone, which
have been dumped on this thorough
fare.
Motorists coming into the District
by this thoroughfare strike the same
condition on the west side of the
street. 1t is rough and bumpy all
the way down the avenue until the
smooth surface is encountered at
Military road. Then a rough condi-
ton is encountered south of Bu-
chanan street. and it becomes worse
as Rock Crek Church road is ap-
preached.
The fact that Georgia avenue be-
tween Columbia road and Florida
causes the traffic to turn into New
Hampshire avenue at Rock Creek
Church road. 1t was pointed out that
this granite roadway should be re-
placed with asphalt, which would
take someN of the heavy traffic
straight down Georgia avenue, and
into the city.