Evening star., 1929-06-22
new ROAD TO CITY
DISCUSSED BY CLUB
North Takoma Park Group
Considers Proposed Gate
way to Capital.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY,
s.a6 corrasnondept NJ The s..r


SILVER SPRING, Nd. June a.
The importance Of developing a new
highway into Washington by way of
North Takoma Park over a proposed
new railroad crossing to eliminate the
present one at grade at Chestnut street
and over the Piney Branch road was
stressed at a meeting In the county
building here last night of the North
Takoma Improvement Club
The meeting was attended by Lacy
Shaw, county commissioner of the
northern suburban district and j. Bond
Smith. general counsel, and Irving C.
Root, chief engineer OF the Maryland
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission.
Would Relieve Congestion.
Provision OF such a highway it was
pointed out, would take care of traf1ic
going into the National Capital from
the section east OF Georgia avenue. and
would thus relieve the great conges-
ton on the present thoroughfare in
certain periods. 1t also would provide
q through route for trafic over the
road from Laurel which now is being
improved by the State.
Mr.. Smith, after explaining the work
fngs of the Park and Planning Com
mission law, told those present that
the proposed crossing must be looked
at from a Statewide and national
viewpoint, rather than as a problem
of Takoma Park. North Takoma Park
or the thirteenth election district. 1t
is big problem affecting the Capital
OF the Nation and suburban Montgom-
cry County
He suggested that the funds neces-
sary to make the improvement should
be provided by the Federal Govern
ment, adding that 1t would be neces-
sary to condemn three pieces of prop
erty in the District of Columbia and
two in Maryland in order to provide
the proper approaches. AS it would be
an arterial highway by way of Piney
Branch road, the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission should seek
the funds from Congress, he said. and
ne thought that the two Maryland Sem
ators and the Representative in Con-
gresS from that district would be glad
To assist in obtaining the money.
In this connection Mr.. Smith said
that the District is surrounded bv a
Chinese wall, from the standpoint of
main arteries. From Bladensburg road
around to Georgia avenue, he added,
there Is not through highway. The
latter mas car line, which makes IL
bad for other vehicular trafic and
then there is Sixteenth street. Rock
Greek Park stands in the way of an
other through highway until Connecti.
cut avenue is reached, he said. He said
tnat the possibility of having Four
teenth street for through highway
had been successfully blocked BY the
authorities of Walter Reed Hospital. He
TOLD those at the meeting that a building
was being constructed across the line
OF Fourteenth street extended through
the hospital grounds, so that 1t would
now be impossible to get this street
through.
improvement Becoming Necessary.
So. he continued, with other possi-
bilfties of through streets wiped out.
the necessity Of improving Piney Branch
@ roao became increasingly important.
Inc Federal Planning Commission has
seen the need of it and Montgomery
County feels the need Of 1t now.
G Ine proposed new crossing over the
railroad tracks In North Takoma. he
said, should be planned carefully and
thoroughly from a State and Federal
standpoint rather than from a District
OF Columbia Montgomery County stand
point.
Tentative plans for the provision of
2 new overpass were explained by Mr..
Root. with the aid of plans prepared
by the Maryland Planning Commission
under his direction, and in cooperation
with the Federal commission. He
pointed out that the plan of Charles
w. Eliot, I'd, city planner OF the Federal
commission, and the plan of the i'm
provement club were substantially the
same. As planned there would be a
10 per cent grade and a curve on the
Maryland approach, he said, and some
OF the members believed this would be
dangerous.
1t was suggested that in the acoui-
sition OF property for the approaches
on both sides. enough land should be
obtained to provide park treatment
OF the approaches, so that any I'LL that
was made would not make a high wall
In front OF residential property
Would Remove Houses.
Commissioner Shaw said that if the
Improvement was made and it was to
De highway, the houses there should
be removed at the beginning
H. Y. Dawkins pointed out that un-
less the matter was settled promptly
1t would cost millions to make the
change in the future. Six highways
1ntersect near the approach to the
proposed crossing. They are Eastern
avenue, Piney Branch road, Chestnut
street. Takoma avenue, Baltimore ave-
nue. and Fifth street extended.
The club gave a vote Of thanks to
Commissioner Shaw for the rapidity
with which he had guard rails placed
on both sides of the North Takoma
bridge, when requested. The motion
was made by c. D. Avery, who said
that day after the request was made