Evening star., 1952-01-04

Maryland Cites Need
For $50 Million From
u. 5. for Fringe Roads
The Federal Government ought
to contribute about $50 million in
the next 10 years toward building
Maryland roads within Washing
tons suburbs, the State Roads
Commission believes.
And, during the next Is years,
Maryland needs to spend between
$3.50 and $3.50 million on new road
work with about one-third of this
State money used in a smile
radius of Washington in Mont
gomery and Prince Georges Coun-
ties. according to the Governors
Advisory Commission on High
ways.
These projects were listed at a
luncheon in Baltimore yesterday
attended by most of the Free
States delegation to Congress, the
roads commission and the advisory
commission, the Associated Press
reported.
Federal Mushroom Cited.
The conferees agreed that the
Federal Government should share
the roads problem brought about
on the edge Of Washington by the
great mushroom Of Federal activ-
tiles.
The advisory commission said
there is money available to keep
the States road building program
going at a reasonable pace for
only two years. But early in 1853,
| it said, the General Assembly is
going to have to make some de-
cisions on how much of the $3.50
$3.50 million requirement it should
meet, how fast and how to
finance it.
The advisory group, headed by
DR.. Abel Wolman, Baltimore's
public works engineer, listed these
five major projects which it said
would be Illogical to abondon:
/. Extension Of the dual ex-
tpressway for, Route 40 from Balti-
more west toward Frederick. It
lnow is under contract as far as
1.-THE RidgeyiIle vicinity, IA miles
least Of Frederick.
2. The Annapolis Washington
expressway. It is nearing COM
Ipletion from the west edge of
Annapolis to Route 301, about
half way to Washington.
3. The new Washington Ma
tional Pike, an expressway from
Washington to Frederick. It now
is under contract from Clarks-
burg. in Montgomery County, to
a point just below Frederick.
4. An expreSsway from the east
end of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
to the Delaware line near War
wick, to tie in with a Delaware
approach to the new Delaware
River Bridge and the recently
opened New Jersey Turnpike into
the New York metropolitan area.
This is now well along toward
completion from the bridge to
Queenstown.
5. An expressway from Balti-
more. north to the Pennsylvania
line, to tie in with Pennsylvania
expressway to York and Harris
burg. About half of this already
has been built.
Some Plans Face Changes.
The conversation among the ad-
visers, the Roads Commission and
the legislators indicated the pos
sibility there may be some changes
in the original plans for these
roads.
! Up to now, they have been built
as limited-access roadways. They
may be reached only through
cloverleafs at widely separated in
tersections. There are no crossings
to impede through traffic.
The advisers indicated their
studies include an attempt to
determine if the remaining Sec
tions should be built in this style
DR.. Wolman pointed out there is
a widespread belief among high
way experts that the limited-access
highway is necessary to handle the
!, amount of traffic that has devel-
oped and will develop in the future
on main roads. It would be folly
he said, to change the character OF
the expressways now and find in q
few years the State must builC
limited-access roads in the same
lareas.
DR.. Wolmna reported the ad,
visory group tends toward the con
clusion that the work still needed
: can be spread over Is years at i;
, rate of about $35 million a year.
!, $3.50 Million Revenue Seen.
The anticipated revenue owe
that span is about $3.50 million
leaving a gap of 500 to 5000 mil,
lion.
Unless that money is mad,
available" he said, "the State roat
system is not going to be accept
able to the people of the State
1t is now acceptable.
s Chairman Russell II. Mccain O.
the Roads Commission suggested
the members of Congress nigh
seek a $50 million lump-sum ap
lpropriation from the Federal Gov
! llernment, plus another So million
: Ia year for 10 years. Marylan,
f itself would put up So million
!. year for 10 years.
S Representatives Beall and Fal
S lion, who are members of the road
subcommittee of the House Com
mittee on Public Works, said the,
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