Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-11-01

People'sColu1lln
fredericksburg, Md.
October %, 1885
Editor Worcester Democrat,
Pocomoke City, Md.
Sir:
Your front page article on State
Roads for the Eastern Shore, pub
lished in your issue of October 25th,
shows very interesting situation.
Your Sub Head, efforts to keep
financial benefits of traffic in Nd,
instead of Delaware" shows that your
view point on the matter is a broad
one, and takes into consideration a
very vital matter which is some times
overlooked.
A clause in your article amplifies
on this point, and is good condensed
statement of very important part
Of road planning for the Shore.
The main income of Maryland for
road construction and repair purposes
comes from the gasoline tax, and any
road system plan which will tend to
keep traffic in Maryland to the end
that gasoline sales be increased in
this State not only means more bust
ness for our gasoline station proprie-
tors but for the State.
The map which you pcblish must
then be of interest, and the plan there
laid down is worthy of serious consid-
Grafton.
Two sorts of traffic must be cared
for: through traffic, and local traffic.
AS there is much more of the latter
than of the former on the Shore, it
must be given due consideration, at
the same time the roads must be con-
venient and attractive to through
traffic, or that will be largely captur-
ed by Delaware, to the cost of gas
tax collection, and for that reason
available road funds.
Local traffic is heavy between
Cambridge, Easton and Centreville.
The road as shown in the map is
about three miles longer from Cam
bridge to the Sassafras River than a
direct road, but such direct road
would be of little use to local traffic
between those large towns, as the
direct road would run a considerable
distance to the Eastward of both Eas-
ton and Centreville. A saving of
three miles by direct road between
Cambridge and Galena, (the Sassa-
fras River), for through traffic, would
mean that all local traffic must still
be carried on over the present old
style roads, Of it the new road was
used between those points consider
able addition to the distance to be
driven. That is, traveller between
the towns in question would either use
the present road, or drive several
miles East to the new road, thence
by the new road to opposite the town
to be visited, thence West to that
town.
It would seem better to add three
miles to distance to be driven by the
driver going all the way through, and
save two or three times that number
of miles to each driver making the
local trip between the towns.
The plan as published seems very
proper and desirable one for the terri
tory covered.
The route proposed to the Eastward
side of the Peninsula, as laid out on
the map published, direct to the Wen
ma bridge, it would seem might in
stead run from the Sharptown bridge
to some point in Queen Anne or Kent
County. AS the present road from
Massey to Barclay is we'll located,
and needs few relocations to make it
a very good road indeed, it might be
we'll to relocate from the Sassafras
River, or Galena, to Massey, use the
present route to about Barclay, thence
run as directly as practical to the
bridge, and to the Sails
bury Cambridge road at point be-
tween Mardela and Hebron.
Such a locatiin would shorten the
distance from. Salisbury and all
points East and South of that City
to all points North and West, Elkton,
the bridge, if and when built, the fer
ries and all points West.
1t would of course do the same for
all traffic from Baltimore, Washing
ton and all Western Shore points to
Salisbury and Ocean City.
1t would take care of local traffic
nicely, as a direct road from Sharp
town to Barclay would pass very near