Evening star., 1946-04-21
Freeway Plans
To Be Explained
By Officials
Lee and TuemmIer
To Speak at Bethesda
Meeting Wednesday
(MaD on PAGE 49, J

(M1p on rage Az.
The status of plans for the pro-
posed Northwest Freeway will be
explained Wednesday night by Park
Commissioner E. Brooke Lee and
Fred Tuemmler, director of plan
ming for the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, at a meeting OF residents
OF the Western Suburban District
of Montgomery County in the Lam
don School for Boys, Bethesda.
Meanwhile, Chairman Robert M.
Reindollar and Chief Engineer Will
son T. Ballard, of the State Roads
Commission, re-emphasized pre-
vious statements that plans for the
freeWay are merely in formative
stage and are subject to probable
changes in several particulars
The freeway is planned to begin
on Macarthur boulevard west of
Dalecarlia Reservoir and pass west
of Bethesda, Rockville and CATH
ersburg to rejoin Route 240 about
three miles north of Gaithersburg.
1t would be a dual-lane, limited
access roadway designed to furnish
rapid transportation to Washington
as well as to tie in with a future
proposed bypass route around
Washington by means of a bridge
crossing the Potomac River in the
VICINITY, of 10 hi,, Tohn
More Thorough Survey Planned.
Outlining the stages leading up
to the present status of the project,
Mr.. Reindollar said the commits
sion has been and continues to be
handicapped by lack Of qualified
engineers and other personnel to
make IN adequate survey. He said
that within the next few weeks he
expects to have sufficient assistance
to make a more thorough survey OF
the project, particularly within the
highly urbanized areas close to
Washington.
Mr.. Ballard said the preliminary
study thus far consists of series
of aerial photomaps of a strip ap-
proximately one mile wide covering
the probable route of the project.
Over these maps have been drawn
Typographical contours and zone
300 feet wide has been marked out
on the basis of terrain and other
factors. This zone follows grade and
other requirements of the Public
Roads Administration which will
share in the cost of construction.
A land survey within this BOO
foot strip has been made for the
commission by H. M. White. survey
or, of Rockville. The line staked
out, however, does not represent the
center line of the strip as working
plans of the project on file in Bal
timore show that in many places
this line veers close to one side OF
the strip or the other.
Revisions Will be Made.
A right-of-w of a width vary
ing up to 400 feet is to be selected
and most of it probably will lie
within the zone already photo
graphed, but, Mr.. Ballard added,
after the commission completes its
ground study of conditions in the
area, revisions will be made as they
become necessary.
For this reason, he stated, 1t Is
impossible for any one at this time
to give a clear-cut definition of the
boundaries of the rights-of-way.
The Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission S
master plan of highways which first
was developed several years ago and
has since been altered from time to
time, makes allowance for the free
way to divert the bulk of traffic off
the existing artery traversing Gath
ersburg, Rockville and down Wis
consin avenue in Bethesda to Wash
ington. It's recommended route gen.
orally follows the vicinity of the
State Roads Commission prelimi-
nary study plan. A bypass also had
been studied so as to divert traffic
from the freeway down a new road
to the vicinity of Cabin John, where
it would cross the Potomac River on
a proposed bridge and there link to
Virginia's future network.
Work On Alternate Plan.
| Suburban residents who are op-
posing the project through their
areas are preparing an alternate
plan which is expected to lie near
the path of this proposed bypass.
1t would parallel Seven Locks road
and utilize land along Thomas
Branch. The Park and Planning
Commission already has made a
$4,000 survey of freeway route in
this general area but has abandoned
the proposal.
The homeoWners feel, however.
that rather than have a freeway
through the already developed and
subdivided lands which will entail
higher costs, the route should pass
further to the west, where territory
is still undeveloped. At the same
time it would serve as a connection
to the proposed Cabin John bridge
Express traffic into Washington from
Cabin John could then be routed
over Macarthur boulevard extended,
| it has been suggested
Albert Walker, Bethesda realtor,
said the Federal Government will
not agree to the utilization of Mac
Arthur boulevard extended for a
heavy traffic artery because the
main conduit feeding into Dalecar-
liza Reservoir lies along that road
way.
MARYLAND Air|ines Offers