Evening star., 1953-04-25
'PI9fhers Ask
10
Reveal Route
Action May Draw
NCPC Into Fight
Of Chevy Chase
BY George Beveridoe

SSVsSS OSNSbtO99
The National Capital Planning
Commission will ask the Mary
land State Roads Commission to
submit to it any plans to run an
extension Of the Washington
National pike through Montgom-
cry County sections of Rock
Creek Park.
Under Federal law, the NCPC
has the right to rule on the use
of such park lands for highway
purposes.
This action. ordered yesterday,
may soon involve the NCPC in
the red-hot controversy over the
so-called Route B proposal, which
also cuts through q highly
developed residential section of
Chevy Chase.
The commission voted to ask
for the plans yesterday. At the
same time, State Roads Chair
man Russell H. Mccain asserted
his group expected within the
next several weeks to reach a
final decision on exact location
the pike should take through
Montgomery County into WASH
ington from Frederick.
Bridge Decision Due.
In other actions, meanwhile,
the NCPC::
l. Said all its members will be
expected to be ready at a May
meeting to take a definite posi-
ton on the controversial ques-
ton of a. new Potomac River
bridge.
2. Instructed Planning Direc-
tor John Nolen, jr.. to invite let
tiers expressing views on fu-
ture redevelopment projects for
Southwest Washington. The re-
quests for views will be sent to
groups which showed interest at
a District Commissioners hear
ing on Southwest redevelopment
several months ago. r
1t had been thought that the
NCPC might take a definite
stand yesterday on the knotty
bridge issue. Recently the NCPC
and District Engineer Commis-
Sioner Louis w. Prentiss ex-
changed written views on city
planning considerations raised
by the planners. Neither of the
views was made public.
However, NCPC Chairman Jo-
Seph D. Lohman told reporters
only that each of the members
now in possession of all the
study material-were asked to
be ready to take a position next
month.
Can Avoid Specific Choice.
He said he could not be sure
that the commission would take
a stand on one bridge location
over another. This left the door
open for the group to state its
position in general terms.
1t seemed extremely likely,
however. that the commission
would state definite views on the
proposal to extend a bridge across
the river at E street NV. The
E street proposal is backed
heartily by the District Highway
Department and was indorsed
by planning conSultants hired
by the District.
The Maryland road fight en-
tered the picture via a petition
to the NCPC, signed by Gerald
P. Nye, head of mass committee
of Chevy Chase citizens. The
citizens asked the commission
to oppose this raid against our
park system and meet the chal-
lenge against it head-on."
The proposal they protested
would enter Rock Greek Park
(extendedD near Grosvenor lane
on Wisconsin avenue and extend
through park and residential
areas to the District line in Rock
Creek Park near the East-West
Highway.
Immediate Steps Urged.
The citizens, noting that the
park-use proposal has not come
before the commission, urged it
to take immediate steps to get
any plans the roads commission
has. The citizen group accused
the roads commission of con-
tinuing to survey and buy up
land for the project, and added:
I'm other words, highway au-
thorties in Maryland and the
District of Columbia will carry
their seeming purpose SO far
that your commission will be
charged with wasteful conduct if
you do not consent to their use
of the park after they have
poured out thousands Of dollars
in preparation and planning for
such a highway"
In Baltimore, meanwhile.
Roads Commissioner Mccain
said his group has not made up
its mind on which of the Mont
gomery County routes the ma
tional pixies southeast leg
should take.
Engineers Recommend Route.
He disclosed that road COM
mission engineers have recon-
mended the route they think
best, but would not say what
it was. He added:
I'VE will make the decision in
the next several weeks.
You are going to get a lot
of protests whichever way you
go. Every one agrees we must
have expressways-as long as
they go through the other fell
lows neighborhood.
1--WE think the opposition will
die down quickly once the de-
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