Evening star., 1949-08-13
Parkway Grant
0f$11,000,000
To beAsked
Would Complete Rood
From District Line
To Fort Meade

SOIlSIGSS WILL UCs dSkcu GO dps
propiate $11,000,0 1000 to complete
the new Baltimore Washington
Parkway from the District Line to
Fort Meade, Md.
Representative Fallon, chair
man of the subcommitte on roads
of the House Public Works Com
mittee, and Representative Sass
GER, both Maryland Democrats.
yesterday so told luncheon meet
ing of the Highway and Bridges
Committe Of the District Advisory
Board of the American Automo-
bile Association at the Mayf1ower
Hotel.
Later, Representative Fallon's
Office announced that he and Rep
resentative Sasscer jointly will in
troduct a bill to transfer juriSdic-
ton of the parkway to the Ma
tional Park Service of the Interior
Department. This is designed to
speed construction of the prof.
ect.
Says Truman Interested.
Mr.. Fallon told the gathering
that President Truman is person.
ally interested in completion Of
the freeway which would be set
apart for pleasure cars.
Maryland is spending $15,000,-
900 on the project to complete the
Baltimore-Fort Meade link. Mr..
Fallon said he is hopeful of get
ting action at this session of Con-
gress on the Federal Governments
share.
Mr.. Sasscer sponsored legisla-
ton to turn the parkway together
with the Suitland Parkway, which
runs from Boiling Air Base to the
Andrews Air Base in nearby Mary
land to the National Park Service.
But objection was raised in Con-
gress on the Baltimore-Washing-
ton phase of the legislation and
only the Suitland proposal was
sent to President Truman's desk.
John Nolen, jr., director OF
planning of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
presented copies of proposed legis-
lation, which he said has cleared
the Budget Bureau. 1t would au-
thorize the Park Service to take
over the Baltimore-W Washington
Parkway. This is patterned after
the Suitland legislation, he said.
Delay to Add to Cost.
Mr.. Nolen warned that soil ero-
sion and other natural forces al
ready are damaging graded por-
tions of the new highway and de-
lay will add to the cost. He
pointed out that the Federal Gov
ernment would pay less for the
highway than Maryland is con-
tributing. He said his commits
sion proposed such a parkway as
far back as 1882. With the Agrl-
culture Departments large re-
search center at Beltsville and the
expanded Fort Meade now a real
ity, Mr.. Nolen contended there
is sufficient Justification for set
ting the project up as a Federal
parkway.
Chairman Robert M. Reindollar
of the Maryland State Road Com
mission, said the road will contain
two traffic lanes, each "a feet in
width, separated by a lib foot
parkway. Maryland's portion is
1T miles starting at the Balti-
more City line and running to a
point just south of the highway
from Jessup to Fort Meade. Now
under contract, he said, is nine
miles costing s8,200,000. The bal
ance, estimated to cost 6,400 900.
has had surveys completed and
final plans are being prepared. so
that it all will be under contract
by next sumer, the chairman
said.
Maryland hopes to have it's part
of the highway completed late in
1851, Mr.. Reindollar said. Presi-
dent Roosevelt was extremely
interested" in the project and was
instrumental in having funds for
the survey and grading and
draining allocated to it. The Pub
lie Roads Administration is favor
able to the project and the diff
Guilty has been to have Federal
money specially allocated to the
highway so that the Washington
side of the program can go ahead.
Right of Way Obtained.
S. L. Taylor, division engineer
of the Public Roads AdminiStra-
ton. said that 18 miles from Jes-
sup road to the District line Is the
Washington portion of the project.
He declared the right-of-way for
this has been obtained except for
a small part through Greenbelt,
which will be obtained shortly.
He said the Federal Government
already has spent around $4,000
900 on surveys, grading and drain
ing on two sections-one a three
mile stretch near Jessup and an
other three mile section near the
District line. He said II miles
have not been graded and all
bridges and surfacing remain to
be done. The estimate for the 18
miles is about $10,000.000, Mr..
Taylor said.
Representative Fallon said the
existing route l would continue to,
carry heavy traffic, pointing out
the Baltimore boulevard has had
a bad history so far as accidents
are concerned.
Mr.. Fallon pointed out that the
Baltimore boulevard is really a
national highway, because people
from Washington and other
States use it more than the people
of Maryland do.
Mr.. Sasscer was not too op-
timistic about getting action in
the current session Of Congress.
Fred w. Tuemmler. director of
planning of the Maryland-Na-
tional CAPITAL Park and Plan