Smyrna times., 1929-01-02
SMYRNA-C CLAYTON INTERESTED
IN BALTIMORE BRIDGE ROUTE
GOOD ROAD CONNECTION WITH
DUPONT BOULEVARD, NEEDED
Actual Construction May Begin Be-
fore the End of Next Month Saws
Officials of the Bridge Company

OhcIaIS or the Bridge Company
Much Smyrna-C -Clyaton interest ha
been awakened over the prospect of
bridge for auto traffic over the Chesa
peake Bay at or below Tolchester,nea
Chestertown, Nd, from the Easter
Shore to Miller's Island off Sparrow,
Point on the Western Shore of Mary
land, twelve miles from Baltimore
When this bridge is built it will bring
Baltimore miles nearer the Easter
Shore and State of Delaware and witt
interstate highway correction from
Chestertown by way of Millington
Blackston's, Clayton and Smyrna, to
the DUPONT Boulevard at Smyrna. il
VIII mean much to this vicinity. It
Will open up very direct route from
Baltimore to Delaware and Maryalnd
coast resorts, and bring Eastern Shore
and Delaware farms within convenient
trucking distance of Baltimore. It is
accessible from Philadelphia bv motor
VIA Wilmington, Elkton and CeciIton.
or from Wilmington by way of Odessa
and Middletown. Either route is
through almost level country. The
bridge should promote the move for
adequate ferry service to span the gap
between Iewes and Cape Nav, and
put Baltimore within handy motoring
distance Of the New jersey Shore.
Baltimore Chamber of Commerce no
tification to Kent County Chamber Of
Commerce that financing has been
completed and the bridge across Ches-
apeake Bay will be begun early in
1929, apparently brings that enter
prise into the category Of public
works presently to be achieved. It
will give Philadelphia third direc.
route to Baltimore and Washington.
Ihe Havre de Grace-Aberdeen route
has taken most Of the truck and bus
traffic from the Conowingo Or Balt;-
more Pike route, because of its lower
grades and fewer curves. The Chesa-
peake Bridge should in turn enioy
preference over the Havre de Grace |
route for the same reason. Incident
ally, It may prove a few miles short
er. More than twenty bids for the con
struction Of the bridge across Chesa-
oeake Bay will be opened January 3
oy the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Com
oany for the beginning of actual con
'truction Of the span. The span would
Baltimore with the Eastern
Shore. This announcement was made
ast week by an official Of the bridge
ompany, who asserted the plans,
pecifications and tentative charges
or crossing the bridge would be filed
With the Public Service Commission
'efore the end Of the week.
Work May Start in Month or Two
It is expected that construction Of
he bridge will begin before the end OF
f next month, it was added. Stuart
(. Janney, counsel for the bridge
conferred with Harold Z.
Vest, chairman of the Public Service
commission, in regard to filing of the
ridge program. It was said the basic 9
ate for passenger automobiles, in 7
uding the driver, had been agreed y
pom and that tentative rates for I
'ucks and heavier vehicles would be G
# to the discretion of the commits a
on. The basic rate for ordinary Z
ltomobiles, it was said, would be !
.25. The Public Service Commits Y
on will be asked to approve the fran e
lise granted by the last Legislature a
r the bridge and will also be re- X
rested to approve the immedite start | I
construction work The company's II
ans for the construction of the c;
idge have been approved by the az
ar Department, the Legislature and u
e State Roads Commission. Pro- fo
sion is made for the State to take IN
er the bridge after twenty years. M
Cost of Bridge Put At $4,000, 600 gl
The cost of the bridge is expected IN
exceed $10,000,000. However, if pc
: contracts are for less than this IN
lOunt the commission will be asked 81
authorize issuance of stock and WI
lds only for the amount needed. >
e bridge will run from the topmost sn
mt of Miller's Island to a point near mi
leicester, on the Eastern Shore. A te:
ry line from Sandy Point to Kent VIC
and also is in view Plans for the ea
mite operation of this lire, how or
r, have been withheld pending the 30
louncement of the bridge plan. An i, cIu
er ferry line, from Cambridge to a IN
Mt in Southern Maryland, also is
lg contemplated. The proposed
ry line from Sandy Point to Kent
md would operate a Commute ser
;, crossing the three mile stretch of r.
bay at that point in eighteen min - =
: IL