Evening star., 1953-09-19
Planners Ask
Joint Farley on
Route 24O
Roads Commission
Compromise Fails
To Solve Issue
By George Beveridqe

ny SSOtSS USVSItuSS
A National Capital Planning
Commission proposal for a joint
meeting on October 20 and 80 to
try to work out nearby Mary
lands Route 24O controversy was
before the Maryland State Roads
Commission today.
The meeting date was pro-
posed by the planners yester-
day, after considering what the
roads commission had hoped
might be a compromise solution
to the dispute.
There were no signs, however.
that either group is giving an
inch on the basic issue: Whether
the roads commission may build
a southeast leg of Route 240
through a Maryland stretch of
Rock Creek Park to terminate
at the East-WeSt highway.
The planning commission. in
fact, heard another complication
added to the road fight. 1t came
in the form of an appeal from
Maryland residents that the
planners reverse their earlier ap-
proval of the use of Rock Creek
Park for the proposed inter-
county belt freeWay.
The appeal was made by j.
Joseph BarSe and Edward S.
Northrop, attorneys representing
citizens of the ParkWood, Rock
Greek Hills and Forest Glen
areas. These developments border
the narrow Maryland stretch of
park between Wisconsin avenue
and Forest Glen, which is in
volved in both road proposals.
Authority Challenged.
The attorneys challenged au-
thority of the planning COM
mission to approve park use for
any roads except "parkways." :"
They contended also that part
of the present park was decided
to the Maryland-N Capital
Park and Planning Commission
for park and parkway purposes"
only. They asserted that the
inter-county belt road. nom
access thoroughfare. could not
fit the parkway" restriction.
Public Buildings Commissioner
w. E. Reynolds, planning COM
mission member, asked whether
MI. Barse considered that a
parkway" should designate only
a roadway with sufficient ca
pacity to serve the parks. Mr..
Barse said he did. That pre-
cipitated a discussion OF the
definition of a parkway, which
was left unresolved.
Earlier this week, the roads
commission advised the planners
it was willing to advance priority
on construction of the inter-
county belt road. 1t said it hoped
this would lead to a review of
the planners opposition to the
southeast leg of Route 240.
Fail To Yield.
In a return letter to the roads
commission, the planners yes
terday said the advance in con-
struction priority for the inter-
county belt was IAN excellent
decision on your part"
However, the commission did
not yield on the southeast leg
issue. Instead, it called for more
careful consideration Of our
views" on an earlier plan SUBJ
mitted to the roads commission
staff. This earlier plan proposed
that Route 240 connect with the
inter-county belt west of Wis
Consin avenue-outside Rock
Creek Park-and that Route 240
not extend south of the belt
road.
we regret that this plan ap-
parently has not been given the
serious consideration by your
commission which we had hoped
for" the planners wrote Roads
Commissioner Russell H. Mccain.
The letter asked that the
roads commission staff explore
the earlier plan, and furnish a
reaction to it before the plan
ners' meeting on october % and
80. 1t suggested that a joint
meeting then might be held at
that time.
To Explore Legal Questions.
by then, also" the commits
sion added, I'VE may be able to
explore more fully some legal
questions which have been raised
and which may even have a
bearing on the action we have
already taken"
This was an obvious reference
to the intercounty belt approval
and the plea made by Mr.. Nor
throp and Mrs. BarSe that the
approval be withdrawn.
Mr.. BarSe, in a letter to the
planning commission, had said
that legal action on behalf of
the citizens appeared inevitable
if the belt route were pushed
through.
Former Senator Gerald P.
Nye. who has led a citizens fight
against the Route 240 leg. ac-
companied the attorneys to the
meeting. He said he concurred
in their appeal that the free
way as we'll as Route 240 be eX-
cluded from the park areas I'M
der control of area planning
bodies.
Redesignate Arizona Avenue.
On other matters, meanwhile.
the commission:
l. Approved a proposal to re-
designate the planned Arizona
avenue, extending through the
Glover Archbold Park, as
Glover-Archbold parkway. Un-
der the proposal. subject of a
District Commissioners public
hearing October 26, Dalecarlia
avenue, between Loughboro road