Evening star., 1936-12-20
BUILDERS ASSA|L.
GEORGETOWN ROAD.
Violates All But One Princi.
pie of Good Construction,
Survey Shows.
~ stat, Correspondent OF me Star.

~ stan Correspondent OF me Star.
BETHESDA, Md. December 19.-
The Old Georgetown road, which the
Bethesda Chamber of Commerce and
various civic groups are endeavoring
to have widened and resurfaced, vio-
lates every principle of good road
building established by the American
Road Builders Association, excepting
only one, survey revealed.
Moreover, the traffic load deter
mined by a recent count by the Key
stone Motor Club exceeds that set by
the United States Bureau of Standards
as safe for a two-lane highway, show
ing the necessity for remedying the
present dangerous condition of the
road where two motorists lost their
lives December in collision with
a bus.
The lack OF broad shoulders, firm
enough to afford proper footing for
pedestrians, has been cited especially
because of the hazard to residents OF
the vicinity.
One of the essentials laid down by
the road builders association is that
all roads, whether two or four lane,
should have wide shoulders, graded
even with the road surface and rolled
firm to prevent skidding.
Pedestrians Endangered.
Persons walking along the road are
in danger because they must walk on
the paved surface most of the time
and buses cannot run off to one side
to load or unload passengers and
thus hold up traffic behind them, the
survey showed.
When two cars pass each other in
some sections of the Old Georgetown
road pedestrians are forced to jump
into the ditch to get out Of the way.
The shoulders are below the surface
of the road in most places, making II
easy for car to slip off the edge and
skid into the ditch.
Another sound principle Of good
road building is that a road should
have no sharp curves which limit WIS.,
ibility to less than 800 or 1000 feet
The Old Georgetown road has several
curves where the visibility is not more
than 100 or $50 feet, and they are
made worse by grades, which aid in
cutting down visibility. High banks
along the road and trees and under
brush add to the hazard.
The road has several blind intersec-
tions, is not of modern, non-skid sur
facing and has no illumination at
night or traffic control, and thus vio-
lates the principles of good road build
ing in those respects.
Culverts Approved.
The only essential feature Of the
Old Georgetown road which does not
violate the conditions established by
the American Road Builders Associa-
ton for a good road is that the cul-
verts are as wide as the road itself.
However, the culverts could not be
any narrower than they are without
making it one-way road.
The recent traffic count made by
the Keystone Motor Club after the
fatal accident December 6 shows that
an average of $3.50 cars travel the
highway on week days. and that the
peak traffic. between and pm.
was $50 cars.
A tWo-lane highway, according to
estimates Of the United States De-
partment of Public Roads. should not
have peak load Of more than 10 per
cent OF its normal. safe capacity, and
then only when the visibility Is at
least 300 feet. The Old Georgetown
road has few stretches where there Is
visibility Of as much as 800 feet.
Meeting Is Held.
AS a result OF mass meeting
Wednesday night. at which represent
atives Of the Chamber of Commerce.
the Old Georgetown Road Citizens
Association, the Bethesda Elementary
School Parent Teacher Association, the
Bethesda Fire Board and members of
the Montgomery County delegation in
the State Legislature were present, q
steering committee. including mem
bers of these groups, is expected to be
formed next week to conduct the cam
paign for elimination of hazards and
congestion of the road.
The American Automobile Associa-
ton and the Keystone club have sig
nified their willingness to aid the
groups and as a first step are endeav-
oring to secure additional funds for
maintenance.
A.