Evening star., 1950-10-08
Experts Mapping
Major Highway
plan for Area
First Such Programs;
Final Report to Be
Ready Next Year
By WiIIiom A. MilIen

By WiIliom A. MilIen
From a welter of statistics, inter-
views, maps and studies, Washing
ton area officials are hammering
out the first major highway plan
for the whole METROPOLITAN area.
The Regional Highway Planning
Committee in the District Build
ing is at work on the program.
This is the joint effort of officials
in Maryland, Virginia and the
District. as well as Federal Gov
ernment officials Of the Bureau Of
Public Roads, the Defense De-
partment and others.
1.-THE final report will be ready
about July l of next year." said
Jerry Magner, one Of the COM
mittee's top executives.
Samuel r. Harrison, the Dis
trict's Engineer Of Streets, COM
rnittee chairman, thus described
the program:
This is the first time the three
jurisdictions involved have jointly
endeavored to obtain traffic data
and develop a major highway plan
for the entire area. The effort is
a voluntary one. Cooperating
are the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, the Ma
tional Defense Establishment, the
Washington areas mass transit
interests and many others.
Acceptable Plan Sought.
at is the hope of those most
Immediately concerned that our
work will result in a highway plan
that will be acceptable to all
one that can be accepted in each
Mr.. Harrison pointed out that
the jurisdiction involved have the
authority In their planning bodies
to adopt such a highway plan.
They have never adopted a COM
plete plan, which will implement
Joint action toward reserving
rights of way for the future high
ways.
Mr.. Harrison declared his COM
nittee is discussing efforts to
work out a method whereby rights
Of way can be protected from en-
r,.,, ol,,,, ANT txy J,,,;ldare n ~ o1l,oxs
It is also discussing continuance
OF the traffic survey to keep it up
to date, he explained.
AS yet the committee has not
arrived at the cost of construct
ing the gigantic network of high
speed roadways that is being
protected. f:i' sa#.i}
Would Meet 2o-Year Need. a
Fhese are envisioned to care for
the needs Of Greater Washington
for at least 20 years to come.
The engineers hard at work on
the project have already pulled
the program out of the dream
stage. The Virginia State High
way Department has assigned a
right-of-way engineer to investi-
gate routes for the new highways
in that section and make cost es-
Inmates. Maryland is expected to
follow suit.
District Director of Highways
John N. Robertson is taking a
lively interest in the whole pro-
gram and wants to push it as fast
as possible.
The committee is adopting a
realistic approach to the situa-
tion. Mr.. Harrison said the COM
mlttee not only will formulate a
metropolitan highway plan, esti-
mate its costs, but set up a Sc
quence program for construction
putting first things first" Fur
ther, the committee will also study
the ability Of the metropolitan
area to support such a program
financially.
U. 5. Aid May Be Sought.
II costs are deemed beyond the
ability OF the Washington region
to pay. the Federal Government
may be asked for financial aid in
the program.
We are cooperating with the
local agencies and receiving their
cooperation" declared Mr.. Harri-
son.
The chairman asserted the
cheapest and best way to protect
rights Of way in the future-after
the master plan is approved-is to
nave the local officials supervise
subdivisions through zoning.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, Mr.. Harri-
son said. is cooperating actively
IN the project by estimating future
populations in the various areas
concerned. 1t is also attempting to
forecast employment figures, for
these represent human beings
who will be translated into traffic.
Dispersal Will Ease Traffic,
The proposed dispersal of Fed
eral Government agencies within
a 50-mile radius of Washington
Will have a beneficial effect on
tfamc here, in Mr.. Harrison's
opinion. The dispersal will mean
that traffic will be in different
directions at the rush hours
Virginia and Maryland officials
are actively aiding the new high
way construction study. Each
State has put in 1000 for the
study and the District has done
likewise. In addition, the Bureau
OF Public Roads put up a total
of $4,000. -
Serving with Chairman Harri-
son on the Regional Highway
Planning Committee for Metro
politan Washington are:
George N. Lewis, jr., director of
the Traffic Division, Maryland
70 l.