Evening star., 1944-03-14
Maryland Declared
Entitled 10 Largest
Share Of U.S.. Road Aid
Commission Head Bases
Claim on Highway Use
By D. G. Motorists

Maryland is entitled to more Fed
eral aid for construction OF new
highways than any other State be-
cause Of the great number of Dis
trict motorists who use its roads. a
spokesman for the State Roads
Commission today told the House
Roads Committee. D
The District Is actually in Mary.
land, but no District taxes 20 to the
State, 1t was pointed out by Ezra B.
Whitman, chairman OF the roads
commission.
Mr.. Whitman appeared in connec.
ton with a hearing on the bill
introduced by Committee Chairman
Robinson to provide $4,000, ,000, 900 for
increased Federal aid for postwar
highway construction. Under the
terms Of the bill, States would be
granted up to rs per cent of the
total cost Of their annual road
building programs for three years
after the war.
Superhighway Backed.
The most important projects for
Maryland, Mr.. Whitman told the
committee, would be a new super
highway between Baltimore and
Washington and a speedy route
through Baltimore. The Baltimore
Washington superhighway, with its
underpasses and clover leaf turns,
is estimated to cost $4,000, 900. It
is hoped, he said, that the route
from Washington to Fort George
G. Meade will be constructed en-
tirely with Federal funds, since most
Of the highway would pass through
public lands.
Mr.. Whitman explained two prof.
ects for moving trafiic rapidly
through Baltimore are being con.
|sidered. The first, which would pro-
vide for bridge over the harbor
to connect with the new Phila-
delphia road, would cost about $22,-
100000. The other, providing for
la free-way through the heart Of
the city, would probably cost $780,
000, 900.
Mr.. Whitman approved Of the
Robinson bin, but said he hoped
steps would be taken to place
larger proportion of money in the
hands of urban areas.
Maryland Load Held Heavy.
The highway official pointed out
that Maryland roads carry as many
out-of-State cars as any other State
because of the location of the Ma
tion's Capital. He also said that be-
cause the gasoline tax is 2 cents less
in the District, many motorists from
Washington fill up their tanks and
take additional supplies of fuel in
their trunks when they set out for
a week end at Maryland resorts.
Representative Beall. Republican,
Of Maryland, a member Of the COM
mittee, pointed out his State Is actu-
ally supplying roads for District
motorists.
I'VE don't object to doing that"
he said, "but we don't want to be
criticized for not having adequate
roads necessary for weekend travel
unless we get Federal funds"
virginia's Needs Cited.
James A. Anderson, Virginia State
highway commissioner, said it will
take $2l0, 900 to put Virginias
roads in satisfactory condition after
the war. He pointed out that Vir-
ginia is ready to go ahead with about
$25 ,000, 900 worth of work during
the first postwar year and a similar
amount each wear thereafter
The highways of Virginia." he
said, have never been abreast of
the traf1c. We have never been able
to meet the progress of the automo-
bile or to keep up with the heavy
loads carried by trucks"
The bill also provides for an inter-
regional highway system totaling
0,000 miles to connect the principal
cities in the country.