Evening star., 1940-12-15
Morgantown Bridge
Linking Maryland
And Virginia Opened
Gov. O'Conor and High
Officials Participate
In Ceremonies
BY JOHN ID. LEONARD,
Star Staff Correspondent.

MORGANTOWN. Md. Dec. A.
Following brief ceremonies, the 2
mile-long toll bridge linking South
ern Maryland with the northern
neck of Virginia was opened this
afternoon.
Headed by Gov O'Conor of Mary
land, officials of Maryland, Virginia
and the Public Works Administra-
ton participated in the exercises
after Mrs. OConor had cut Mary
land-colored ribbon, orange and
black.
The Governor and Mrs. OConor
then led a motorcade across the
span.
Toll collections were not started
until o'clock tonight, and hundreds
of cars took advantage of the op-
portunity to cross the span free.
Speaking before about 1000 per-
sons who clustered on the Maryland
approach to the bridge under cold,
dark skies, Gov. O'Conor recalled
that the span is located at the site
Of LudloW's ferry. which was used
to transport troops bound for York
town, Va. He expressed the hope
that the need never will arise to
carry soldiers over the bridge to
defend America.
Furnishes Alternate Route.
Maryland'S chief executive noted
that the bridge provides the only
crossing between Washington and
the mouth of the river at Chesa-
peake Bay. He said that it will
furnish an alternate route for
motorists travelling from Baltimore
and the North to Richmond, Nor
folk and the South as we'll as easier
and cheaper access for marketing
produce in the northern neck of
Virginia and points south to Wash
ington. Baltimore and the North.
In his brief address Gov. OConor
paid tribute to President Roosevelt
for his "active cooperation and
leadership" in the development of
the bridge project.
State Roads Commission Chair
man Ezra Whitman. who presided at
the ceremonies, discussed structural
details of the bridge.
Mr.. Whitman promised that the
taxpayers of Maryland would not be
called upon to pay cent toward the
cost of construction. He said that
As per cent of the funds were pro-
vided by the Public Works Admins
tration and SIS per cent were raised
by issuance of bonds to be paid off
in toll revenues.
After the ceremonies Mr.. Whit
man said that he expected the bridge
would stand on its own feet" flnan-
clally and that it would take a maxi
mum of l8 years to pay off construc-
ton costs. Even now, tolls from. the
recently opened Susquehanna River
Bridge at Havre de Grace are help
ing to pay off interest on the Poto-
mac bridge, he said.
Naval Bases Linked.
Mr.. Whitman also noted that the
new bridge would provide a close
link between the Naval Powder Fac
tory at Indianhead and the Dahl
gren Proving Grounds in Virginia.
To go from one to the other in the
past required the long trip via WASH
ington whereas the new bridge
shortens the trip to about one-half
hour. Mr.. Whitman said
The new bridge. which has %
spans, is expected to divert much of
the commercial trucking from the
present overcrowded route through
Washington. Officials said it would
probably draw truckers from the
cotton mills of South Carolina and
carriers of agricultural produce from
Florida to Baltimore, Philadelphia
and New York.
With clearance of 135 feet above
high water in the channel, the
bridge was constructed without a
draw so large vessels can pass un-
der it.
While the Maryland approach is
paved the Virginia side remains to
be finished in similar manner.
Traffic on the new bridge is ex-
pected to average about $4,000 We
hicles annually or about 800 per day
during the first year of operation,
increasing gradually to about 49,
600 vehicles during the fifth year.
These figures are considered mini
NUNS.
Toll Rate to Be IS Cents.
Toll rates will be IS cents for pas
senger cars, including driver, plus
IS cents for each passenger; pedes-
trians, Is cents; buses. $1.50, and
trucks, S1.25 to $3.50, according to
weight.
The Public Works Administration