Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09
ROAD WORK TO CUT
TIME IN MARYLAND
National Highway Improve
mentS Unhampered
by Weather.
epeclal pispatch 70 rae star.


Special Dispatch to The Star.
CUMBERLAND, Nd March Sim
provemens that will mean the cutting
down Of running time to Baltimore,
Washington and other points east from
Cumberland at least 20 minutes are
rapidly going ahead on the National
Highway, Route 40. on mountains be-
tween Cumberland and Hancock. Win
ter has not interfered with the grading
The work has been so arranged that
traffic has not been interfered with at
all. There are no detours. BY August
!, it Is assured. all new sections will be
in full use and the National Highway
from Frostburg to Baltimore will have
been completely shouldered and in
modern alignment. During the past
season about SO miles of concrete
shoulders have been completed from
Conocoeheague, five miles west Of
Mountain, nine miles east of Cumber-
land. The State Roads Commission,
under direction Of District Engineer
Leo T. Downey, has back filled and
brought up with rnacadam these
shoulders to perfect the roadbed.
Three incomplete sections are now
under construction by way of grading
to make line changes and improve the
general alignment and riding qualities
Of the road The grading on Sideling
Hill, the last of the five big mountains
in going from Cumberland to Hancock,
AIS miles. will be completed by the
Cumberland Contracting Co. about
March Is. Another section, from the
bottom of Town Hill to the top OF
Green Ridge. seven miles in length,
for which the Thomas-Bennett-Hunte
Co. has the contract, will be completed
about the same time.
Work Started on Slope.
On the west slope of Polish Mountain,
the second mountain encountered in 60
ing east Of Cumberland, which has the
most tortuous curves Of any Of the five
in the SO miles between Cumberland
and Hancock, the shovel was started
nearly two weeks ago and this grading
will have been completed by April !.
After these sections have been grad
ed IL is the intention to lay concrete
shoulders and macadam across the
relocations and the regular back I'LL of
macadam at all other points along the
concrete shoulders. While the distance
will not be materially shortened, bad
kinks on all the mountains will be
eliminated by the improved alignment
The motorist will be able to speed UP
more following the removal Of scores
OF sharp turns which necessitated slow
ing down. The liability of accident viii
also De materially reduced.
Among the most striking instances Of
change is about midway, the western
slope of Sideling Hill. where for a quar-
ter of a mile complete new roadbed
is being made, substituting long curve
for three reverse curves. Another IS the
making Of the eastern side of Town
Hill, which, next to the west side Of
Polish Mountain, had the largest num-
Der Of sharp curves, into almost a
e&vsm 1~1ak Al tNA hat
where there is long, gradual curve.
The reverse curve at the foot Of Polish
Mountain, on the west side, will be re-
placed by a long wide curve with no
reverse. It was at first contemplated to
make a straight line approach. but 1t
was found I'LL of too great magnitude
would be required. The road from Frost
burg to Baltimore will be at no point
less than 90 feet wide, with the metal
surface on curves more than 20 feet.
Several important changes in alignment
were made last Fall. This includes q
new approach to the top Of GretN Ridge
on the west side and the relocation Of
the roadbed at points in the vicinity
Of Piney Grove, where heretofore 1t
would occasionally be flooded from the
rapid rise Of small stream.
Other Important Projects.
There are a number of other i'm
portant projects to be carried out dur
ing the coming season. One calls for
another connection between the Ma
tional Highway and the Lincoln High
way. It is a two-mile project, starting
at the western end Of Grantsville, to-
ward the Pennsylvania line. to connect
with the road to Salisbury and on
to the Lincoln Highway. The grading
has been completed. This viii give two
roads connecting with the Lincoln High
way but five miles apart, the other
starting near the Stone House, four
miles east of Grantsville.
During the past season three miles
have been under construction from the
end of the Deer Park road over the
mountain to Kitzniller. 1t is expected
this section will be completed by the
middle Of June. A new section OF
about five miles has been advertised
and Is TO be built this year. This VIII
give a modern concrete road to Kitz-
miller, on the Potomac River, where
connection will be made with the West
Virginia system, Blaine, w. Va, being
Just opposite KitZmiier, which in turn
connects with the Northwesternport
pike. In connection with the North
western pike, move Is on foot to make
it a part of a croSs-continent system.
to be known as National Highway, or
route so. This will give Cumberland
people a new scenic route, going TO
Kitmiller by way of Mountain Lake
Park and returning by way Of Keyser.
A grade crossing is being eliminated
at Wilson, Md, by an overhead bridge
over the main line Of the Baltimore
g. Ohio This is near Oakland. At
Loeb Lynn Heights it is contemplated
to build two miles of road this season.
The contractors have completed the
substructure at Gormania for the erec-
ton of new bridge which will span
the Potomac River and the Western
Maryland Railroad tracks at that place
This bridge is being built jointly by
Maryland and West Virginia and is a
part Of the Northwestern turnpike sys-
TEN.
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