Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1953-12-17

This is continuation of the
point-by-point discussion of the
Rockville Board of Trade program
for 1854. This l2-point program
was announced at the Annual
Meeting for members of the Rock
vile Board of Trade on November
IL.
In last weeks column we dis
cussed in detail point one of the
Board of Trades 12-point program,
the need for adequate public park
ing in Rockville and steps taken by
the Board Of Trade to promote
early action toward securing it.
AS the second point in the pro-
gram the Board of Trade will con-
tinue to direct it's efforts toward
fostering an adequate street ex-
pansion for Rockville. The condi-
ton of the streets in the business
section of any community is an
extremely important factor in the
growth of business in that COM
munity. A city may have adequate
parking and yet the streets over
which customers must travel must
be properly laid out and maintain
ed if the parking areas are to
be filled with shoppers automo-
biles. Broken pavements and mar
row streets with distractions on
the right-of way can spell stagna-
ton for business, since new bust
ness will not locate in areas with
such streets and old customers will
travel farther to shop in areas
where they can travel without dis
comfort and risk of damage to
their cars. aThe above is general
statement, of course, and is not
meant to imply that all of Rock
ville's streets are in bad condition.
Specifically, at this time the
Rockville Board Of Trades pro-
gram is aimed at the Improvement
of only few streets where such
improvement is badly needed.
Among the projects which we be-
lieve should be completed in 1854
is the extension of Fayette Street
to Hungerford Drive to form an
easy connection between downtown
Rockville and the B. & o. under
pass. This would provide easy ac-
cess to the downtown area for the
many people living east of the B.
& o. Railroad and north of Viers
Mill Road. 1t would also have the
effect of relieving the bottle necks
at the small railroad bridge at
New Street and at the traffic sep
aration at the junction of Viers
Mil Road and the Rockville Pike.
Work is currently underway on a
connection between Park Street
and Hungerford Drive through the
B. & o. underpass and this repre-
sents a fine forward step in the
towns street program.
Another street project in which |
the Board of Trade is vitality in
terested and which should be COM
pleted during the next year is the
of Commerce Lane from
Fayette Street to Hungerford
Drive. Widening of Commerce Lane
from Fayette Street to Perry
Street is also vitality needed.
Another street project which we
believe should take shape during
the next year is the resurfacing
of -Stonestreet Avenue north from
Baltimore Road. The Board of
Trade believes that another pro-
ject which would reduce overall
traffic problems in Rockville, thus
providing easier access to the bust
ness district would be the extension
of Jefferson Street to Oak Avenue.
This would make possible the rout-
ing of school traffic on parallel
streets, thus reducing congestion
on East Montgomery Avenue.
1t is understood that action may
be expected from the State Roads
Commission during 1854 in con-
nection with the widening Of Rock
vile Pike from Rockville to Beth
esda and of Viers Mil Road from
Rockville to Wheaton. Some time
ago the Mayor and Council of