Evening star., 1940-04-16
By JOHN ID. LEONARD.

The new plan for remaining the
streets and REMEMBERING the houses
in the Metropolitan Area of Prince
Georges County, Nd, Is q sys-
tematic effort TO create order out
Of chaos and to eliminate the con-
fusion due to duplication of names.
This is the main motive of the
project as explained by Robert NJ
Watkins of the Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, who is directing the work
along with Ben Dyer, Hyattsville
engineer, in charge of the mechan-
ical phases of the program.
The plan has no ulterior motive,
such as laying the groundwork for
another Maryland City" project,
nor does it involve the ultimate
loss of identity by the Metropoli-
tan Area through the extension Of
the Washington street system into
the county, the park officials claim.
"A Maryland City plan would have
to stand on its own merits" Mr..
Dyer explained, adding this street
plan is something entirely separate
and rests on its own merits as an
advantage to the growth Of the
county, an aid toward facilitating
deliveries and a means by which out
siders can find homes in the area"
Under the present system of street
naming in different towns, it is said
that even Prince Georges residents
often have difficulty finding their
way about when they leave their
home communities.
In choosing the names of streets,
Mr.. Dyer said, it would have been
impossible to consult all residents as
to the name they desire for their
particular street. Consequently, the
alphabetical series of street names
have been extended from Washing
ton. He pointed out that the plan
is not inflexible and that objections
and criticisms Of residents to new
names of streets will be carefully
considered.
Sees Temporary Confusion.
Mr.. Dyer admitted that for the
first three or four months after the
new system goes into operation in
June there is bound to be a certain
amount of confusion.
But this problem is not insur-
mountable," he continued, "Arling-
ton County went through the same
experience and its residents became
adjusted to the new system. For
the most part people out here in the
Metropolitan Area already are well
acquainted with the Washington
system.
AS for the loss of old street names,
Mr.. Dyer contends that loss of a
few of these names will be COM
pensated by the benefits that will
accrue to the entire community from
the new plan.
According to Mr.. Dyer there Is no
one system that could be installed
in the area which would be 100 per
cent satisfactory because of the
hodge e-podge" subdivision work, in
volving diagonal and circular streets,
that has been going on In the county
Tor many years.
But with the extension of the
Washington system a person would
be able to arrive at his destination
in at least 80 per cent of the cases
by simply following the new system
of numbered avenues and alpha
betically listed Streets" Mr.. Dyer de-
clared. "The Washington system is
by far the most practical system and
the simplest to remember and has
served as model for cities through
out the Nation"
In few instances where the lay
out is interrupted by diagonal streets,
Mr.. Dyer says that a person could
reach a point within a block of his
destination by simply following the
new system.
Sees Deliveries More Satisfactory.
Business firms in both Washing
ton and the Metropolitan Area will
benefit from the new system, especi-
ally insofar as deliveries to CUSTOM
ers are concerned, according to Mr..
Watkins, who also believes that most
business firms and at least 90 per
cent Of the homeowners in the area
are in sympathy with the new plan.
After all We are part Of greater
Washington" he said. while we do
not want to be absorbed by Wash
ington and want distinct boundaries,
at the same time we must appreciate
the Washington business services ex.
tended to us and want to facilitate
them"
Discussing the new plan, H. Clay
Whiteford, Hyattsville businessman
and vice president Of the county
Chamber Of Commerce, declared that