Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-12-24
AGREES
TO IMPROVE ROAD
Need for Widening Of Old
Georgetown Route Re-
veaIed in Survey.

~ . Star corrsauondsnt Of The Star.
BETHESDA, Nd. December a.
The determined campaign wased BY
civic groups here to widen and repair
Old Georgetown road bore . twofold
result today.
After m inspection Of the road yes
terday afternoon, Nathan L. Smith.
chief engineer Of the Maryland Roads
Commission, agreed to widen the road
by adding . 1o-foot shoulder Of rolled
gravel ON either side Of the concrete
and macadam surface II the necessary
right Of way can be obtained.
AZ . temporary measure, Smith or
dered . crew of men to MI IN the
shoulders where they have been worn
away from the road surface, causing
. drop of several inches in numerous
places. This work will bring what
shoulders the road now has to the
level Of the paved surface.
Made Survey.
In company with Irving G. Root,
chief engineer Of the Maryland
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission; Warrington ]. Cleve-
land. president Of the Montgomery
County Civic Federation and . mem
Der of the advisory board Of the
American Automobile Association, and
Charles B. Bishop, business manager
Of the A. A. A., Smith made q careful
survey Of the Old Georgetown road
yesterday. After his inspection. he
said:
1.-THE road has many dangerous
spots which should be corrected Is
soon rs possible, and I will be glad
to cooperate. II the residents Of this
section will do their part am sure
that the widening can be done. and
widening the road would correct many
Of the most serious defects.
1.-THE road Is now 20 feet wide and
the shoulders vary from . few inches
to . few feet. In many places the
drivers vision Is cut on at curves by
banks, undergrowth or trees, which
always constitute hazards. In several
places trees border the road 20 close
that they are . threat even to . care.
full driver.
Would Correct Defects.
MANY Of these defects would be
corrected automatically II the road
could be widened. Tree and electric
line poles would be moved back or
removed altogether. and . 10-foot
shoulder would be put on either side
Of the road. The shoulder would be
frm. 50 that buses could drive on
the hard surface to load and unload
passengers and motorists would not
have to remain on the road to repair
Q tire. It would also serve Is . way
for pedestrians"
Smith explained that . 60-foot
right Of way would have to be OBJ
tanned for the entire miles Of the
roads length. In addition to the 20
foot road and 20 feet for the two
shoulders, another 20 feet would be
needed for drainage bitches on either
side. The bitches should be carefully
graded from the shoulders and round
ed, so that Q car would not be over
turned by striking . sharp break Ut
the edge Of the road.
If the property owners along the
road will donate sufacient ground. I
will recommend to the State Roads
Commission that the road be widened
by adding the shoulders and bitches
on both Sides" Smith declared. I'm
the past the Roads Commission has
co-opersted where the land Is avail
able, and believe it would act IA
vorably on such . recommendation.
"The old street car right Of way
from Bethesda to Alta Vista, II that is
available, could be used, making 1t
unnecessary to secure additional
ground to that extent. I hope no
difhculty will result In securing the
necessary right of way and that the
road may be widened at the earliest
possible date"
Smith pointed out that widening
would eliminate the danger at turns,
and that distractions to motorists
vision would be removed.
"I'u admit 1t viii mean removing Q
few trees" he said. "but when 1t
comes to saving q tree or . life, the
tree must CO."
Omcials Of the A. A. A. announced
after the tour Of inspection that they
would report to the various civic
groups interested In improvement Of
the road with Q view to forming .
program to secure the property needed.