Evening star., 1948-01-06
Plan 10 Improve
Maryland Roads
TOD. {. Studied
Trumun's Interest in
SllS,270, 900 Program
Pieuses Gov. Lone


sidering a request by Maryland off,
cials for an immediate appropria.
ton of $4,000 900 and a continu.
ing appropriation of 100000 an.
nually toward a $118,270,000 pro.
gram to improve Maryland roads
! leading into the Capital.
Gov. Lane of Maryland, lead.
ing a group of more than a score
OF Maryland officials and others
Yesterday laid the States road pro.
gram and its request for Fedora
help before Maj. Gen. Philip B
, Fleming, Federal Works admin
istrator, and then before President
Truman.
On leaving the White House, Gov
Lane said the President was "very
much interested in the whole busi.
ness" Another in the group
quoted Mr.. Truman as saying tht
Maryland delegation did not have
to sell him on their plans.
Gov. Lane said he was delighted
with the reception and with the
interest taken not only by the
President, but also by Gen. Elem.
ing and Mr.. Macdonald" He re-
ferred to-. Thomas H. Macdonald
public roads administrator.
Fleming Promises Study.
GeR Fleming said Of the pro-
posals by the Maryland group:
"They have a peculiar problem. We
will study it and give it sympathetic
consideration"
In asking for the special appro-
priations to modernize the Mary
land roads leading into Washington
q statement laid before Gen. Flem-
ing said Maryland would agree to
match the annual appropriation and
spend the funds for the improve
ment Of the highways Immediately
adjacent to the District.
Maryland currently receives 81
$4,000 in Federal aid for highways
The statement submitted to Gen
Fleming was prepared by the Mary
land Highway Advisory Council and
the State Roads Commission. It
outlined the $118,270,0 900 program to
improve highways directly related
to the service and benefit of the
District of Columbia
Rockville Pike Included.
This program includes $67 $50 900
which the statement said, would be
required to modernize five roads
These highways extending from the
District line, the mileage with
which the plan is concerned and the
cost are as follows:
Rockville pike to Brink, which Is
about 8 miles beyond Gaithersburg
where the road to Damascus and
Westminster branches off U. S. 24C
to Frederick, 20 miles, $4,000, 900,
The Baltimore Washington boule-
ward to che Jessup- Meade road, 19
miles. $4,000. -
Defense Highway to Annapolis, "A
miles. $16,800, ,000
Marlboro pike to Drury. IL miles,
$8.400000.
Maryland Route No. 5 to T. B.,
13 miles, $7,150,000.
13 Other Roads
The improvement Of Is other
roads in Maryland within Is
mile radius from the Districts zero
milestone would take $51 ,020, 600
These roads, extending from the
District line except in the instances
noted, the mileage affected and the
cost are:
Connecticut avenue, 6 miles
$4,200,O0O; East-West highway from
the Rockville pike to the Baltimore
Washington boulevard, 81 miles
s6,790,00O; Georgia avenue and
Colesville road. 95 miles, '$6 $50 900;
Georgia avenue extended, from the
Colesville road, 8.4 miles, $3.50 900
Also, New Hampshire avenue, sc
miles, $3,920.000; Queens Chapel
road, 3 miles, $2,100,000; Rhode Is
land avenue, 1.6 miles, $1,120,000;
Largo road from the Defense High
way, 11.2 miles, $5,600,000; Central
avenue, 8.8 miles, $4,840, 900; Indian
Head road, 94 miles, $2,820, 900;
Suitland road, 16 miles, 100000;
Massachusetts, avenue, 2.6 miles. ST.
100000, and the River road, Be-
thesda, 10 miles, $5,000,000.
Inadequate Highways Cited.
The statement of the Maryland
road problems recalled that the
Federal Highway Act of 1914 pro-
vided that certain funds appropri-
ated must be spent within urban
areas but not necessarily within the
corporate limits of any city. The
statement continued:
mo Federal aid is appropriated
to the urban area adjacent to the
District of Columbia. based on the
urban population of the City of
Washington, as Is done in other
cities. This, despite the fact that
there are many Federal institutions
established in Maryland adjacent to
the District of Columbia which at
present time have totally made
quate highway facilities"
The statement also said there is
an inequity in connection with the
collection of taxes on gasoline which
Is actually consumed on the high
ways of Maryland and Virginia
The point also is made that u per
cent of the population of the United
States is so located that it must pass
through Maryland to get to the
Capital.
Daily Traffic Cited.
A tabulation also was presented
showing the average daily traffic on
the 18 roads at the District line, ex-
cept in four instances. These figures
together with the percentage Of the
traffic attributed to District and
"other foreign" traffic, are:
Rockville pike. 21,412 and AZ per
cent; Connecticut avenue, 1902 and
"a per cent; East-West highway
at the Rockville pike, 6,385 and 2e
per cent; Georgia avenue and Coles
vile road, 25,819 and A per cent;
Georgia avenue extended at the
Colesville road, 10000 and 81 per
cent; New Hampshire avenue, 7,437
and rs per cent; Queens Chapel
road, 1900 and 46 per cent; Rhode
Island avenue, 1870 and 48 per
cent: Baltimore Washington boule-
ward, 24,348 and 81 per cent.
AlSo nefepse hiphmov ar Phode