Evening star., 1953-10-27
Virginia Asked
To SET Location
OF Belt Highway
Financing Of Two
Bridges Offers
Major Hurdle
By George Beveridoe

location Tor It's portion OF a
highway proposed to encircle
Washington and cross the Po-
tomac River on bridges at Cabin
John, Md, and Jones Point,
Alexandria.
The effort was launched at an
unusual meeting of the National
Capital Regonial Planning Coun-
Gil, attended yesterday by about
go highway and planning off,
cials from Maryland, Virginia
and the District.
Maryland Roads Commissioner
Russell H. Mccain explained at
the meeting that his group in
tends to buy all the Maryland
land needed for it's portion of
the belt highway within the next
four yeras.
Two Major Problems.
The highway long has been
planned both to bypass the Capi-
tai and to distribute traffic
through its suburbs. It has
virtually no opposition. But it
faces these two serious prob
lemS:
l. Who pays for the two
bridges?
2. What route should the Vir-
glnla part of the circle follow.
and how is it financed?
The officials made clear they
are banking on the Jones Point
span being Federally financed
project. This is urged in a bill
introduced by Representative
Broyhill, Republican, of Virginia
who spoke for it yesterday.
Representative Small, Repub-
ilcan. OF Maryland. also attend
ing the session, committed him.
sell for the first time in support
OF the Broyhill bill proposal. MIR.
small is a member of the House
Public Works Committee. which
normally takes up bridge projects.
Joint Study.
Inc Cabin John bridge is
under joint study by the Mary-
land Roads Commission and the
Virginia Highway Commission.
one possibility is that it be a
Toll facility, a proposal that will
oe covered in a conSultants' re-
port soon to be submitted to the
Virginia officials.
The heaviest emphasis at the
conference, however, was placed
not on the bridges, but on the
need to pin-point Virginias loca-
tlon Tor the highway. This is
necessary SO Alexandria and
Falrtax County officials can take
steps to protect rights-of-wav
from private development, which
might have to be acquired later
at greatly increased cost.
The picture in Maryland is
much brighter Mr.. McCain's
explanation that rights-of-way
VIII be bought in the next four
years brought out how far Mary-
land is ahead of Virginia on the
project Previously, he also has
said he plans to build the first
segment of the belt road-from
Wisconsin to Georgia avenues
within the next four years.
Maryland's Powers Weaker. -,
Beyond that, however, Mary
land planning groups have used
stronger powers than Virginia
planners possess in order to pre-
serve the designated right-of-
way.
Charles Kent, Fairfax County
assistant planner, explained
that Virginia officials have only
our powers of persuasion" to pre-
serve highway routes from SUBJ
divisions and other development.
Even if the county had
stronger legal powers, however.
1t could scarcely preserve land
for the circular road now, Mr..
Kent explained. The reason is
there is no agreement on ex-
actly where it would go.
Consequently, the Regional
Council voted yesterday to ask
the Virginia Highway Commits
sion to establish the belt road
as an official project and make
an actual survey in cooperation
with Maryland officials to deter
mine its best location.
Virginia State highway off,
Gals however, told a reporter
two things stand in the way Of
such action Immediately.
One is uncertainty as to
whether the Jones Point bridge
will be built as a Federal project.
Await Report.
The other is that Virginia
highway authoritieS-short on
construction money-want to get
their consultantS' report before
commenting on any major Wash
lngton area improvements. The
report is known to contain a
study Of possible toll road from
Shirley highway to the Cabin
John Bridge. 1t is expected
next month.
Maryland road officials would
have the responsibility for build
ing Cabin John bridge. They.
likewise. are awaiting results Of
the Virginia consultants' traffic
studies.
Commissioner Mccain said
Maryland's program already calls
for carrying the belt road to the
vicinity of Cabin John. But the
bridge expense is not covered in
his program. If the span is
ruled out as toll, he said, study
would be needed to see whether
it could be fitted into the pro-
gram as a free bridge.
Mr.. Broyhill, meanwhile, urged
that a united front be shown on
Capitol Hill in support of both
the Jones Point bridge and one
crossing the Potomac to serve
downtown Washington. His
comment appeared to be aimed