Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-19
OFFICIALS INSPECT
GRADE CROSSINGS
Montgomery Danger Points
Surveyed by State and
County Authorities.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY,
star Correspondent Of The star.

ROCKVILLE, Md, April 19.--Mont-
gomery's County's main road grade
crossings at Kensington, Rockville and
Gaithersburg were the subject of per-
sonal study and survey yesterday by
members and officials of the Maryland
State Roads Commission. with view to
completing plans for their elimination.
County officials and leaders and off,
cials of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad,
the tracks of which are directly con-
cerned in all Of them, also participated
in the conferences, which took place at
the sites of each one.
Plans which have been drawn for
the Kensington crossing were examined
in detail, and the official party went
over the entire ground to ascertain just
how the traf1ic would be carried when
the new overhead bridge Is provided
near the present end of Connecticut
avenue In the town. The proposed new
crossing, work on which will be started
this Summer, will carry vehicular traffic
over the railroad tracks by an over
head bridge west of the present cross
ing, and thence by way OF Bladensburg
road to the present Wheaton, Kensing-
ton road.
May Widen Street.
It was pointed out to the commission
by Mayor Lucien B. Ernest of KenSing-
ton that the Bladensburg road, now a
narrow street in the town, could be
widened to 30 feet without any addi-
tional purchasing or condemnation of
land, II the State Roads Commission
decided to take this over as part Of
the route.
The tentative plans drawn by the
commission also provide for pedes--
trian underpass east of the present
crossing, between it and the station.
1t will be necessary to make a drop of
IL feet in order to get under the tracks
at this point, and it was pointed out
also that it also will be necessary to
depress the Kensington-Fo Glen
road about 10 feet.
Those who participated in the con-
ference at Kensington were Chairman
Clinton Uhl of the State Road Commits
sion and Mr.. Bruce, associate member;
Maj. E. Brooke Lee, county and State
Democratic leader; Robert G. Hilton
and j. H. CiSsel, members. and Irving
C. Root, engineer, of the Maryland
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission; Lacy Shaw, Montgomery
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north metropolitan district; Harry d.
Williar, jr., chief engineer, and Walter
Hopkins, bridge engineer, OF the State
Road Commission; r. Rieman. engi-
neer of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad;
Mayor Ernest and w. A. Warthen, II.
B. HartShorn and F. w. Brown, men,
bers of the Town Council of Kensington.
Senator Eugene Jones Of Kensington,
who opposed the location of the cross
ing site now being worked out, 1t was
said, had been invited to attend the con-
ference, but did not appear.
New Bridge Planned.
After thoroughly going over the Ken
sington site the party went to Rockville
to study the question of eliminating the
crossing of the Rockville Norbeck road
in the town. Although no definite
plans have been drawn, it was tentatively
decided, it was said, to wipe out the
Norbeck road crossing by building a
new bridge by way Of the Viers Mill
road, just south of the present cross
ing, thus curving the traffic around the
cemetery.
After a study of the Gaithersburg
crossing, which Is on the east and west
main highway, at which several people
have keen killed, 1t was pointed out that
the best solution would be the corstruc-
ton Of an overhead bridge west of the
present grade crossing. This will in
volve the condemnation OF a new right
of way in the line of two houses.
The last two projects. it was said, will
not be undertaken Immediately, but
tentative plans will be drawn, and they
will be put at the top Of the list of
grade crossing elimination projects of
the State Roads Commission. The Ken
sington crossing is to be built this
Summer, and the next on the program
will be Gaithersburg, and then the
Rockville crossing, it was said. :
Golf bags of three-ply wood with