Evening star., 1933-12-24
NEW UNDERPASS
At TAk0MA PARK
TO HELP TRAFFIC
Dedication to Climax Fight
Made by Citizens After
Fatal Accident.

An event Of considerable interest to
citizens on both the District and Mary
land sides of Takoma Park will be the
cfhcial dedication of the recently COM
pleted underpass on Piney Branch road
extended beneath the tracks of the
Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad.
This structure, now open to tramc,
provides q gateway to new section OF
Maryland, and when all the approaches
are completed it will relieve highway
congestion into the District from
Maryland via Georgia avenue.
The underpaSs Is the outcome OF q
grade crossing accident few years ago
In which three persons were killed
when q fast train hit an automobile
crossing the tracks. Although pro-
tected for years past with electric bell
signals and watchmen during the day
time, the citizens of Takoma Park felt
the crossing should be eliminated, and
immediate steps were begun for the
construction Of an underpass.
In the construction of the underpass
1t was necessary to secure legislation
OH the Maryland side, as the new
project is located in close proximity to
the State line. In this connection the
Planning Commission offered the serv-
ices Of its officers and engineers, who
co-operated with District ofncials, with
capable Of accommodating adequately
present-day traffic, has been con-
Structed.
Work Was Shared.
The District authorities extended
Piney Branch road on the other side of
the underpass, where it is joined by
The Maryland authorities constructed
the remaining short distance Of Piney
Branch road on the Maryland side,
where it connects with Takoma avenue
In providing this underpass it was
necessary for the District and Mary
land officials to condemn and remove
several residences, and through passage
of the necessary legislation this was
accomplished without delay. With COM
pletion Of this work new and direct
route has been provided to Baltimore
and Blair road to White Oak, thence
over the Columbia Pike, which Is now
paved to Laurel, Md.
The cost of constructing the under
pass-about S300,000-was shared by
the District and the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad. The District also expended
about $450,00 in acquiring rights-of-
way and extending Piney Branch road.
The District also has completed the i'm
provement of Eastern avenue on both
sides, together with new sidewalks and
curbing. This thoroughfare now forms
one of the main approaches to the
underpass. The Montgomery County
and Maryland expenditures in the ex-
tension Of Piney Branch road and paw
ing the read through to Sligo Park
Hills are estimated at more than
100000.
Seek Park Areas.
The citizens of North Takoma have
been appealing to the Maryland officials
to further beautify that section by
paving Takorna avenue and laying out
several park areas The new route con-
meets North Takoma, Sligo Valley and
East Silver Spring with the National
Capital and furnishes direct connection
with rapidly developing section where
new communities are growing up In
the Metropolitan area. The Piney
Branch road connects with Thirteenth
street after crossing Georgia avenue at
Fort Stevens, which Is one of the his
to-ic spots in that section of the city
It was at Fort Stevens that President
Lincoln stood and was under fire from
sharpshooters In tall trees located in
what is now the Walter Reed Hospital
grounds. The old fort is being pre-
served. and now forms part of the link
| of Fort drive. The paving of Thir-
teenth street in this vicinity is now
under way, and when completed will
provide q boulevard southwark to the
Mall.