Evening star., 1953-11-07

New Plan for
Route 24O Lea
Agreement Reached
For Stretch of Road
Outside Park Lund
By George Beveridge


The Maryland Roads Commits
sion moved full speed ahead to-
day on revised plans to get
Route 240 traffic from northwest
of Bethesda to the East-West
highway near Rock Greek Park
without the direct use of park
areas.
The new plans, ordered by
Roads Commissioner Russell H.
Mccain, follow agreement be-
tween his group and the Ma
tional Capital Planning Commits
sion on points which could settle
their long and bitter controversy.
There were elements of victory
for both sides.
The road builders, under the
revised scheme, would be able
to get southeast-bound traffic
from the Washington national
pike (Route 240) to the East
West highway near Rock Creek
Park and the District line. The
planners would succeed in keep
ing Route 240 out of Maryland
parks.
Two Park Areas Involved.
Two park areas were involved
in the battle. One is the stretch
between Wisconsin avenue and
Forest Glen, through which both
groups agree the inter-county
belt freeway should run, but
which the planners insist should
not be used for Route 240. The
other is a 1,200-foot stretch at
EaSt-West highway and Beach
drive, which the road builders
wanted to use as the termination
point of the 24O leg.
The revised plan calls for the
southeast leg of 240 to connect
with the belt route near Wis
consin avenue, and use the belt
roadway to a point where the
belt road dips out of the park.
There, the roads commission
would build an interchange and
divert $40 traffic off the dual
purpose road and to an extern
sion of the 240 leg heading
southwark. Instead of entering
parkland at the East-West high
way, however, the road would
terminate at a new location
still to be determined.
Will Study Connections.
Mr.. Mccain said he has or
dered engineers to spend next
week studying the proposed
Route 240 connections both with
the belt route and with East
West highway. Of the two, lat
ter poses the bigger problem.
The main reason, officials said,
is that it will involve acquisition
of costly private property not
previously intended to be taken
Prospects are, officials indicated
that the connection will be
planned west of the park area
since the park would have to
be crossed to get east of it.
Mr.. Mccain also disclosed,
meanwhile, that roads commits
sion engineers have been au-
thoriZed to begin immediate land
purchases in tight spots" be-
tween the belt route and East
West highway.
The tight spots" he said, are
land parcels where development
already is under way which
would greatly increase land costs
Mr.. Mccain told the planning
commission two days ago thai
delays in agreement between
them are costing Maryland tax
payers approximately $4,000 pei
week because of rapid construc.
ton within required rights-of.
way"
Forecasts Lawsuit.
Meanwhile, Joseph C. Barse
attorney for residents bordering
the park area between Wiscon-
sin avenue and Forest Glen. sale
a lawsuit "is certain to be flee
contesting legality of the belt
routes use of the park"
Mr.. BarSe said he wanted tC
make no comment Immediately
on details of the legal action
He has urged the Planning Com
mission to refuse use of the park
area for both the belt road anc
240 roadway.
He said the new plan fol
Route 240 "bears out my per-
sonal opinion that if consent
were given for the belt route thai
Route 240 also would be built
The belt route is the key to the
whole thing"
kilograms Lead to Accord.
The path was cleared for the
new plan by a fast-breaking ex.
change of kilograms between the
Roads Commission and the Plan.
ming Commission, made public
yesterday.
Mr.. Mccain had wired Har.
land Bartholomew, Planning
Commission chairman, on Thurs
day. asking three questions il
clarification of a policy stanc
taken by the planners last week
The questions and Mr.. Bartholo'
news answers follow:
@. Does the decision of YOU
commission October 80 approvl
use of park lands for construc
ton of intercounty belt route?'
| A. YES"
@. Does your decision Oc
tober 80 approve construction o
southeast leg, Route 240, between
rear of Naval Hospital and East
West highway where only 1,20
feet of parklands are traversed?
A. Commission did not ap