Evening star., 1951-10-24
New Patuxent Span
Al Benedict 10 Be
Opened December |
Special pispoteh 10 The Sior


BENEDICT. Md, Oct. "a
Southern Maryland's new river
crossing, a 50 million span across
the Patuxent. will be opened to
traffic December /. under tenta-
tive plans announced today.
In a joint statement. State.
Senators Louis L. Goldstein,
Democrat. of Calvert County, and
James B. Monroe of Charles and
Paul j. Bailey. Republican, of st.
Marys County. said they have
been notified by State Roads Com
mission Chairman Russell H. Nc
Cain that the date is final, unless
1t is unsuitable to Gov. McKeldin.
Gov. McKeldin, former Gov.
Lane and members of the 1949 and
1851 General Assemblies have been
invited to attend a ceremonial
opening program, set for 2 pm.
Begun in May, 1850. the 1862
foot steel and concrete bridge,
connecting Benedict in Charles
County and Hallowing Point. Cal
vert County, and it's approaches
are so near completion that
nothing foreseeable can delay
ribbon-snipping at the appointed
time.
Links Counties. :.
Despite 90-day workmen'S
strike early this year. construc-
ton is only a few days behind
schedule on the span. which will
link the States five southern coun-
ties and provide an alternate route
for north and south traffic along
the Eastern Seaboard.
It also will cut travel time be-
tween major naval installations
in the area and would be a val
liable facility if nearby metro
politan centers were bombed.
AS Senator Goldstein further
envisions it. part of the traffic
on Route so will use Route 2 to
Prince Frederick, then across the
Patuxent and on to Route 301.
via Hughesville and Route 5. A
new road from Hughesville to the
Potomac River bridge is part Of
the States long-range highway
plan.
Road to Be Widened.
The narrow winding. 6-mile
road from the Patuxent bridge to
Hughesville, Senator Monroe said
today, is to be Strengthened and
widened under bid to be adver-
tised within the next few weeks.
A segment of highway about the
same length on the Calvert County
side is to be similarly improved
later.
Built by the Diamond Construc-
tion Co. of Washington, under the
supervision of Elvin L. Rose of
Norfolk. the crossing is financed
by $2.5 million State bond issue,
to be retired from toll collections.
The enabling act, passed in 1949
over determined opposition, and
signed by Gov. Lane, made the
bridge financial venture separate
and apart from the States other
toll spans. 1t must pay for itself
or the State will have to use gaso-
line tax revenue to retire the
bonds.
Opposed by Commission.
Opposition came from the State
Roads Commission and former
Gov. Lanes Highway Advisory
Committee. They fought the pro-
posal bitterly. contending that
surveys indicated traffic would be
insufficient to make the bridge a
financially sound project.
Senators Monroe. Bailey and
Goldstein predicted today that the
bridge will pay for itself within 20
years.
Entirely over water. the span
has a 24-foot concrete roadway
with safety shoulders inches
high and 18 inches wide and a
steel guard-rail 3412 inches high.
Its 156-foot drawspan, over two
ship channels each so feet wide,
will be manually operated until
electric motors can be obtained.
The administration building and
toll house are on the Calvert
County side.
The new bridge will replace two
gasoline driven ferries which have
heen nreraf ted for % ,,aors