Evening star., 1946-02-07
.Harpers Ferry
Fears Isolation
In Span Proposal
Residents Demund
Bridge Be Built on
Still-Stonding Piers
By J. B. ZATMAN.
Star Staff Correspondent

Star Staff Correspondent
HARPERS FERRY, w. Va. Feb.
7.-Aroused over the prospect of
being cut of from main east-west
traffic as the result of the proposed
construction of a bridge over the
Shenandoah River west of Harpers
Ferry, w. Va. residents of the his
toric town will meet here tomorrow
with officials of the State Roads
Commission and Representative
Randolph, Democrat, of West Vir-
ginia in an effort to relocate the
projected span.
Meanwhile, residents of the Pooles-
vile area in Montgomery County
and the Leesburg area in Loudoun
County, Va, have launched a cam
paign for bridge over the Potomac
River at Whites Ferry, about 6miles
west of Poolesville.
Coupled with the proposed Shen-
andoah River bridge is the 81 900 900
Sandy Hook bridge over the Poto-
mac about 2 miles east of Harpers
Ferry, linking Washington County,
Md. and Loudoun County. Con-
struction Is expected to begin soon.
Half Mile West Of Ferry.
According to officials of the West
Virginia Roads Commission, the
Shenandoah River bridge will be To-
Gated about one-half mile west of
Harpers Ferry. A new road will con-
meet the bridge with Route 340
which will be relocated to bypass
the town.
On the south side OF the river. a
highway connection will be built be-
tween the two bridges by West Vir-
ginia and Virginia authorities.
Mayor L. D. Nichols of Harpers
Ferry said residents fear that con-
struction of the Shenandoah Rfyer
bridge outside the town and the
consequent rerouting of Route 34O
Will isolate the community and
damage business interests. In addi-
tion. he contended that persons
wishing to cross the river from Har-
pers Ferry would be forced to travel
several miles out of their way.
"As it is" Mayor Nichols said
the people living directly across the
river nave to go to Bloomery, about
eight miles way, in order to use the
bridge there and then must 90 eight
miles back in order to get to their
homes.
After all, this town has definite
historical value and should not be
cut of from through highway
traffic"
Would Build on Old Piers.
He proposed that the bridge be
built on the piers of the old span
which was swept away by floods in
1886 and which was located in the
downtown area. Such a move, he
claimed, would save hundreds of
thouands of dollars and would en-
able 1t TO tie in the bridge directly
with Route $40 through the center
of town. -.
A spokesman for the Roads Com
mission stated, however, that it
would be impossible to cross at the
old location and get a good grade"
TO the town. From an engineering
standpoint, it is very undesirable. !"
he said.
He declared that construction of
the bridge just outside the town
would eliminate the necessity of
through traffic using the steep grade
on Route $40 through Harper's
Ferry. Motorists wishing to 20 to
Harpers Ferry after crossing the
bridge would use the old Route $40.
ne explained, which would connect
with the relocated highway.
Poolesville Advantages Cited.
Advocates Of a bridge across the
Potomac near Poolesville point out
that there is no bridge or ferry across
the river between Point of Rocks,
about Is miles from Poolesville, and
Chain Bridge near Washington.
They claim that the lack of a
bridge to connect the northern Sec
tions OF Loudoun and Montgomery
Counties constitutes an economic
barrier and continuous obstacle
to trade and commerce between the
the two areas"
Success of their drive appears
slight, however, in view of the fact
that the master highway plan of the
Maryland-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission provides for a
proposed Northwest freeway, start
ing west of Gaithersburg In Mont
gomery County and bypassing Rock
vile to connect with a projected su-
perhighway from Virginia to cross
the Potomac in the vicinity of Cabin
John. The superhighway would by
pass Washington for north bound
traffic, to connect with routes to
Baltimore.
Commission employees emphasized,
however, that the highway plan is
still in the study stage, but they said
the proposal for a bridge near
Poolesville would conflict with the
projected crossing near Cabin John.