Evening star., 1939-01-15
Parkway'Project
In Montgomery
Will Be Pushed
PIons to Be Mapped
At Meeting Friday
In Rockville

Development of the Maryland por-
ton OF the George Washington Me-
mortal parkway. which has been
talked about by Presidents and sue
ceeding Congresses since Andrew
Jackson's day, will be pushed by
the Montgomery County delegation
at the present session of the State
Legislature.
The project is one of the impor-
tant items on the agenda of the
Democratic County Congress, which
will meet in the Richard Montgom-
cry High School at Rockville Friday
night. Every effort will be made
to obtain an appropriation to match
Federal funds for beautifying that
portion of the parkway running
through Montgomery County, State
Senator Robert Peter said yesterday.
The Federal Government spent
S7.200000 for the 151a-mile high
way from Mount Vernon to the
Lincoln Memorial Bridge, and SIS
100000 for the bridge, the approach
on the District side and the en-
trance to Arlington Memorial Gene
terry, which was dedicated January
18, 1882, at ceremony attended
by President Hoover. The bridge
was advocated by President Jackson
more than 100 years ago.
Plans Indefinite.
Little more was done after COM
pletion of the bridge until last year
when the first unit on the Virginia
side of the Potomac was started,
the section from Lincoln Memorial
Bridge to Key Bridge This work
is practically complete, the Federal
Government providing 100000 to
match $50,000 put up by the State
of Virginia and the same amount
by Arlington County. The second
unit, from Key Bridge to Spout
Run along the Potomac River shore,
and thence to Lee highway, will cost
approximately the same amount
and the cost will be divided in the
same proportion. Negotiations for
rights of way are now being carried
on.
With Virginia actively pushing
the parkway with the aid of State
and Federal governments. Mary
land has paid little attention to
the project and has made little or
no effort to develop the States por-
ton, Senator Peter pointed out.
Plans for overcoming this neglect
are indefinite as yet, but will be
formulated in time to present to
the State Legislature this session,
he said
The parkway as contemplated will
run along the Virginia side of the
Potomac from Mount Vernon to
Great Falls. where George Washing
ton built mill and lock- The lock
was abandoned later when the
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, recently
purchased by the Federal Govern
ment with Works Progress Admins
tration funds, was constructed on
the Maryland side of the river. On
the Maryland side, the parkway will
extend from Great Falls southwark
along the river bank to Fort WASH
ington on Piscataway Creek, for
which "The President of the United
States, George, Washington, made
the selection Of the site" according
to correspondence in War Depart
ment files.
Through the parkway would run
a highway following the present
route of Conduit road by way of
Cabin John Bridge, following the
Palisades of the Potomac overlook
ing the old c. e. o. Canal to Rock
Greek Parkway. At the Lincoln Me-
mortal, the route would turn left
around the Tidal Basin and crossing
the Anacosia River follow the Mary
land shore to Fort Washington, &C
cording to present plans
Senator Peter explained that much
Of the Maryland portion of the park
way lies in Montgomery County and
should be developed while Federal
funds are available and while land
still can be obtained at reasonable
prices. A stone quarry and saw mill
are only two of the commercial es-
Establishments along the river at the
present time, and land in this area
may be prohibitive in price unless
some action is taken in the near
future, he said
The whole State as we'll as Mont
gomery County would benefit from
development of the parkway, he
declared.