Evening star., 1940-12-10
RoddsideBeduty
Laws Stressed
Conference
Billboard Threat Seen
For 2 New Maryland
Dual Highways
BY RUDOLPH KAUFFMANN III,
Star STAFF Correspondent.

BY RUDOLPH KAUFMAN III,
Star STAFF Correspondent.
NEW YORK, Dec. 10.-The same
conditions that prevail on U. S.
Route l between Washington and
Baltimore, which is plastered with
billboards, will mar Maryland's two
new dual highways between Balti-
more and Annapolis and Baltimore
and the Delaware line unless pro-
tective legislation is Forthcoming,
Robert r. Bowie of the research
division of the Maryland Legislative
Council predicted before the joint
conference on roadside improvement
here today.
The conference went into the sec
ond and final day at the Russell
Sage Foundation with the eXpecta-
ton that some drastic country-wid
program would be devised to serve
as guide for official and civic
organizations in pushing legiSla ton
to protect roadside scenery and to
promote traffic safety, decrease con-
gestion and enhance property values
blighted by highway unsightlineSs.
Four Measures to Be Offered.
Mr.. Bowie said the Legislative
Council had become alarmed over
the lack of protection which Mary
land has given its huge investment.
in highways and was determined to
present four highway control meas
ures to the Legislature in January.
The bills would:
/. Give authority to create park
ways. entirely protected from road
side unsightliness and congestion.
2. Give authority to create free
ways or limited access roads, which
would also be protected.
8. Set up a Statewide highway
coming ordinance which would pro-
hibit deleterious use of highway
rights = of way for considerable
depths and limit access as well.
4. Strengthen the billboard legis-
lation already on the Maryland
statute books.
Such legislation has far better
chance of being given favorable con-
sideration and gaining the support
of a substantial number of voters
this year, Mr.. Bowie said.
Research Results Cited.
Heretofore it has been case OF
garden clubs versus property owners
and special interests, he said. Now
the council is pointing out to the
legislators. and voters that scenic
considerations are not the only ones
which have promoted such legisla-
ton, he declared.
Research has found, he said, that
every roadside commercial develop
ment is a potential friction point
slowing traffic flow. 1t also has
brought out that more accidents
occur along built up sections OF
highways and that, while property
values Immediately abutting roads
are enhanced due to their CONNER
cial value, property values back from
unsightly, congested roads are re-
duced by large percentages, he as
serted.
Thus. he said, the council hopes
to be able to split the property own
ers into two camps, those with prop
erty abutting on highways and those
with property somewhat removed
from highways, and enlist addi-
tional aid from motorists and tax
payers. The latter, he said, must
give thought to the protection for
the States highway investment.
In this way, he said. the Legisla-
ture, which previously has been
asked to protect highways from a
standpoint of beauty, now will be
faced with demand to protect them
for reasons which no elected rep
resentativt can afford to overlook.
SimOnsOn Offers Views.
Wilbur H. SimOnson of the Public
Roads Administration told the Con-
ference yesterday that while roadside
improvement programs on the part
of the Federal highway agency
would have to take a back seat
while fundamental national defense
highway needs were met, the roads
administration had adopted such
improvement as part Of its long
term highway policy and had spon-
sored in Congress this year legis-
lation to permit States to use
per cent of Federal aid funds for
purchase of scenic sites along high
ways.
Thomas Vint. chief of planning
for the National Park Service, and
George A. Duthie of the United
States Forest Service, told of the
part their agencies has played in
protecting scenery along highways.
This afternoon the conference will
hear a roll call of the States" in
which approximately 43 of the 4o
States and the District of Columbia
will report on progress to date in
and future programs for roadside
and protection. Miss
Harlean James, secretary of the
American Planning and Civic Asso-
citation, was to present Washington's
report.