Evening star., 1952-12-14


from the center of the Nations
Capital. It's aim is to ease the
trafhc flow in. through and around
the city. The recommendations.
according to the committee, are
within reasonable limits"
The program is set up in two
parts. The first would be spread
over eight years. AS immediate
needs" these projects would be
started as soon as possible. The
second section would cover five
years of construction, part of it
concurrent with the first part of
the program.
The road improvements would
be financed on a four-way basis,
About half the cost would be
borne by the Federal Government
in the form of State highway
grants-in-aid to the District,
Maryland and Virginia. The re-
mainder would be shared by each
State Jurisdiction in proportion to
the amount of work done in each.
S1S2 Million for District.
The District portion of the pro-
gram is by far the most extensive
and expensive. In fact, the cost
of the District improvements. Or
iginally set last January when the
local part was first released, has
been antiquated. Initially fixed
at $40 million the estimate now
stands at 1892 million.
This increase is due to compu-
tations based on present-day ma
terials and labor costs, as we'll as
refinement of design for certain
individual projects. otherwise, the
District road plan remains un-
changed from its original formal.
The Virginia portion of the re-
gional program is brand-new as
a detailed comprehensive plan.
Cost of these improvements is es-
timated at $62.2 million. Among
the principal projects here are a
Falls Church bypass, Arlington
boulevard, Glebe road, Lee high
way, Jefferson Davis highway
from the Pentagon through Alex
andria and an entirely new route
from the north outskirts of Alex
andria paralleling the Washing
ton and Old Dominion Railroad
line to East Falls Church.
Parts Of the Maryland portion
of the regional plan just released
have been mentioned in the $500
million. 12-year program recently
recommended for the entire State
by the Maryland Roads Commits
sion. But the regional committee
spells out for the first time the
details of the improvements con-
templated for the Maryland sub
urbs and their relationship to the
District and Virginia road systems.
This portion would cost about
$74.5 million. 1t includes such in
dividual highway developments as
the Baltimore Pike and an altere
nate route for U. S. Route / along
Rhode Island avenue from Hyatts-
vile to Beltsville, Washington Ma
tional pike. Rock Creek parkway,
and EdmonSton and River roads
consolidation, and a College Park
Wheaton, -Kensington- Chevy Chase
tie-in route.
The overall cost of the first part
of the proposed program would be
$207.9 million-$121.8 in the
District, $43.1 million in Maryland
and $42.9 million in Virginia. The
second portion totals $120.7 mil
lion-$70.1 million in the District.
$31.3 million in Maryland and
1872 million in Virginia.
The question of financing the
huge program remains un-
answered. Maryland's State Road
Commission has advocated in
creasing the gasoline tax, raising
automobile and truck registration
fees and authorizing bond issues
as ways to pay that States share.
No such specific recommendations
have come from any official source
in the District or Virginia.
The Maryland and Virginia
(See HIGHWAY, Page A-7)