Evening star., 1944-10-20
Planners See Need
For 70 AirfieIds in
D. {. Area After War
Maryland Commission
Plan for Regional
Highways Approved
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.

BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.
Regional planning officials sale
today the Washington metropolitan
Area may require as many as q
noncommercial airfields after the
war and announced that they are
initiating a careful study of loca
aviation needs in cooperation with
the Civil Aeronautics Administra-
ton.
The survey is being undertaken
at this time, they said, in anticipa-
ton of Congress enacting Federal
aid plan for postwar development
of private airports. A number OF
metropolitan areas in the East and
West are making similar surveys.
Tentative plans involve the de-
termination of suitable airport sites
within a 25-mile radius of the Dis
trict. National Capital Park and
Planning Commission officials doubt
whether it would be possible to find
an available site inside the District,
owing to the density of population.
Private aviation needs are now
btlllk SCl fCb NY tllC SoLl6
Airport, near Rockville: the Col
lege Park MD Airport and the
Hybla Valley Airport on United
States highway /. below Alexandria,
Va.
Difficulty of Survey.
The difficulty Of an aviation sur
vey is the selection of sites ranging
from 10 to 160 acres conveniently
close to main traffic highways but
in localities that would not prove
hazardous to communities. Officials
stressed the need for orderly de-
velopment of airports and locations
that will not Interfere with future
Federal and private projects in the
area
A comprehensive plan for long
range regional highway system in
the 290-square miles of the Wash
ington- Maryland regional area was
approved in principle today The
plan was submitted by the Mary1
land-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
AS outlined by Fred w Tuemmler,
director of planning for the Mary
land Commission, the plan involves
system of express highways in Prince
Georges and Montgomery Counties
tied in with the Federal Commis-
sionSs own regional highway plan
Three express freeways for mixed
traffic, extending east and west
across the regional area and con-
nected by a. system of radial park
ways constitute the main feature of
Mr.. Tuemmler's plan.
This plan has yet to be formally
approved by the Maryland commits
sion and hearings are to be held at
a future date. Mr.. Tuemmuer said
proposal provides a more co-ordi-
mated system, as at present the
cross-county highway connections
are inadequate.
Suitland Parkway Extension.
One of these freeWay express high
ways would be an extension of the
Suitland Parkway to connect with
the Chesapeake Bay area. 1t would
cut travel time to bay resorts by
half, sponsors of the plan say.
A proposed Annapolis freeWay
from New York avenue extended al
ready is planned and this would be
connected by a Metropolitan freeway
crossing all present and proposed
roads in that section.
Mr. rT,,oyor,,1or o1cn tIa&
a northern parkway be built, ex-
tending from Western avenue at
the District line to the proposed
Metropolitan freeway and connect
ing with the proposed extension of
the Columbia pike to Baltimore.
Other freeways included north
west highway from the proposed K
street improvement in Washington
via Bethesda. This freeway would
bypass Rockville and ultimately
connect with the Harrisburg turn
pike. A southern highway to con-
meet with Morgantown, Md, out
side the regional area also is being
considered.
The Planning Commission will
bring its monthly meeting to an end
late today with an inspection of the
new military highway from Boiling
Field to Camp Springs.
The commission yesterday approved
plans submitted from the Public
Roads Administration for the ex-
tension of New York avenue NE.
to connect with the route of the
Washington-Balti parkway at
the District line. This involves
minor revision of previous plans.
A complete readjustment of streets
within the area between Division
avenue, Hayes and Jay streets and
Lowrie place NE. is under study, it
was announced. This is the site
of the old Suburban Gardens hous-
ing project which is being rede-
Ve1OOed