Evening star., 1934-10-21
SCENIC HIGHWAY
PROPOSAL PUSHED
Extension of River Road
Would Open Beautiful
Area to Motorist.
Extending through northwest Mont

Extending through northwest Mont
gomery County for approximately IA
miles along the banks Of the Potomac,
an unimproved road that is now
hardly more than q wagon trail Is
being advocated for development into
a highway that will provide motorists
with a beautiful scenic route into
Virginia and the Southwest.
The proposal calls for the paving
and extension of River road from
its present terminus beyond Potomac,
Nd, to Whites Ferry and linking 1t
with the Virginia highway system by
constructing bridge across the river
at that point.
Sponsors of the plan, which calls for
Federal funds, point out that the pro-
posed road would save considerable
distance over the present available
routes between the northwest section
of Washington and points in Virginia,
including Leesburg, Winchester, Front
Royal and the Shenandoah National
Park, as well as in other States to
the southwest.
Ferry Now Serves.
Benefits to residents Of the District
of Columbia and Of nearby Maryland
and Virginia would be Of inestimable
value, they say, while tourist traf1ic
between the aforementioned points
and Baltimore, Philadelphia and New
York would be provided with a more
direct route than is to be had now.
Further, the advocates claim. the
bridge would provide a modern method
of crossing the river. Near Leesburg,
only a ferry is now available, and
this has been branded "slow and un-
satisfactory" The ferry is fiat boat,
attached to a cable and pushed by "a
gasoline engine propelled boat. 1t
does not operate after dark, they say
The nearest bridge upstream from
Washington is a toll bridge located
at Point of Rocks, in Frederick
County. about 40 miles by highway
from Chain Bridge.
The movement was inaugurated
some time ago by the Rockville Cham
Der of Commerce and is steadily
gaining momentum with the Mont
gomery County Civic Federation and
other associations, as well as many
individuals, lending their assistance.
Development Seen.
Realizing that construction Of the
road and bridge will open every COM
munity in the northwest section OF
the county to rapid development, they
are leaving no stones unturned In
their effort to convince authorities OF
the importance of the two projects.
A petition appealing to Public
Works Administrator Ickes to de-
termine whether the work can be car
ried out with funds already appro-
priated or which may hereafter be
appropriated by Congress for such
projects is now being circulated.
Virginia and Maryland legislators
both in Congress and General Assem-
blies of the two States, have beer
asked to support the plan, while the
Montgomery County commissioner
have been urged to include the project
in their next program Of construction
to be financed by funds furnished by
the Federal Government, If subsequent
all0catlonS are maze.
They point out that the proposed
route is almost level, requiring rela.
lively little grading; that q 60-foot
right t-of-way along the proposed high.
way is owned by the State Roads
Commission, and that an abundance
of stone eliminates both the necessity
of purchasing such material for con-
struction purposes and the hauling o.
it to the site.
Rich in History.
Extending along what is known a!
the Potomac Valley, which runs from
the District line along the north banl
of the river to the ferry, the pro
posed road. in addition to its practica
purposes. offers many places rich il
historic interest and abounds IL
natural scenic beauties.
In the language of a resolution
adopted by the civic federation, tn,