Evening star., 1936-12-10
WIDENING OF ROAD
WASASKED us.
Survey in 1882 Revealed
PeriIs Found Along Old
GEORGETOWN Pike.
a ssarr Correspondent OF The Star.


~ stan Correspondent OF The Star.
BETHESDA, Md, December 10
Improvement of the perilous stretcnes
of Old Georgetown road, demanded
now by an indignant citizenry, was
recommended four years ago by engi-
neers Of the United States Bureau OF
Public Roads, it was learned today.
Dangers held responsible for three
motor fatalities on the narrow and
tricky strip, which serves one OF Mont
gomery County's most populus resi-
Dental sectors, were discovered during
the Washington regional area traffic
survey in 1882.
Need was foreseen at that time, not
only for converting the hazardous
thoroughfare into a broad highway,
but also for obtaining 60-foot right
of way to permit subsequent road
widening to meet the requirements OF
sver-increasing use.
Made Exhaustive Research.
The recommendations were based
On exhaustive tabulations of traffic
density made at various points along
the main motor routes leading into
the National Capital from the subur-
ban areas of Maryland and Virginia.
Examination of statistics revealed
the burden borne by Old Georgetown
road at that time taxed its narrow
confines and frequently surpassed the
loads carried by several Montgomery
County highways of greater width, in
cluding Bradley boulevard, Wilson
lane and even River road.
No action was taken on the recon-
onendations, however, while county
residents frequent pleas for the i'm
provements were likewise ignored, and
SUNDAYS bus-auto wreck, which left
two motorists dead, brought a deluge
OF criticism upon the heads Of State
and county officials.
Stirred by Tragedies.
Hundreds of residents in the COM
nnunities hanking the road, stirred by
the recent tragedy and another last
year in which one person was killed,
have launched a vigorous campaign
for immediate widening and resurfac-
ing of the dangerous thoroughfare.
Proponents of the improvement plan
found today that Federal figures dis
close that on one occasion during the
1892 survey, which was made by
United States engineers in co-opera-
tion with Maryland and Virginia au-
thorities, the traffic count was 1884
vehicles on Old Georgetown road dur
ing a 24-hour period.
Within a similar period OF time the
aareest number of vehicles traversing
spacious Bradley boulevard just south
of the Wilson lane intersection at q
point where traffic was heaviest was
i.001. On one day the count there
dropped as low as 6o8.
Comparison in Tabulations.
A tabulation made on Bradley boule-
kard north of Wilson lane showed 856
ears passed on the busiest day, while
the lowest count was 585, less than
half the peak load on Old Georgetown
road.
The heaviest flow of traffic recorded
on Wilson lane was 1884 vehicles,
with the low figure for 24-hour count
On that highway being 949.
A real surprise in comparative den
sitv of traffic was uncovered in the
count made on River road at Dorset
avenue, one of the busiest tntersec-
hons along the road used by many
members travelling to and from Ken
wood and Congressional Country Clubs
and Bradley Farms, headquarters OF
the Riding and Hunt Club at that
time.
Eghtest Count Was 1856.
The hghtest count made over "a
hour period was 1856 Immediately
northwest of the intersection, IS less
than daily tally made on Old George
town road, while the heaviest flow at
the same point in one day was 2,089.
Southeast of the Dorset avenue in
tersection the highest tabulation was
but 1,757, while the low count fell to
1,153.
Supporters of the improvement drive
declared the increase of traffic density
along Old Georgetown road undoubt-
edly has been far greater on that
thoroughfare during the past four
years than it has been along Wilson
lane, River road or Bradley boulevard.
Buses Heighten Danger.
This has been occaSioned, they said,
BY unusually intensive real estate de-
velopment, bringing in an excep-
tionally large number of families, the
opening of a school just of the road
at Alta Vista and the substitution Of
buses for the Washington-R Rockville
electric line.
Use of the narrow road has become
particularly dangerous since the ad-
vent of the buses because the great
width Of those vehicles allows but
httle clearance for other vehicles in
passing.
The Bethesda Chamber of Com
pnerce and the Old Georgetown Road
Citizens Association, scoring officials
for 'laxity" and negligence" by al
sowing the road to continue in its
dangerous state, already have urged
Immediate steps to correct those con-
ditions.
Petitions also are being circulated
throughout the western suburban area
of the county for improvement Of the
road, while a mass meeting to protest
against any further delay in the work
Is to be held within the next few
days by residents along the road.
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