Evening star., 1953-01-27
Regional Group
Backs Highway
Master Plan
MuyIund-NCPC
Route Proposals
Still Left Open
BY GEORGE Beveridoe

on certain route proposals-has
been voted by the National Cap
ital Regional Planning Council.
The new regional group, in it's
first full-fledged business ses-
sion, also formed a committee
to recommend a role for the
council to play in attacking the
areas knotty maSs-transporta-
tion problems.
These two subjects virtually
monopolized a 31a-hour meet
ing of the council yesterday.
The group is made up of planners
from the District and nearby
Maryland and Virginia.
Study Advances.
The discussion also disclosed,
however, that plans already are
far along for a major study of
mass transportation by the Re-
gional Highway Planning Com
mittee. This committee, financed
Jointly by the Bureau of Public
Roads and the Highway Depart
mentS Of the District, Maryland
and Virginia, recently finished
four-year work on a highway
construction program.
John Robertson, head of the
District Highway Department.
said the District. Maryland and
the bureau already have agreed
to the study. No specific deci-
sions have been made, he said,
on what it will cover.
In setting up its special COM
mittee, meanwhile, the regional
group temporarily bypassed a
proposal that a presidential
appointed commission study all
aspects of mass transportation
here. The proposal has been
made by Harland Bartholomew
& Associates, retained by the
National Capital Planning Com
mission. It was supported by
Joseph D. Lehman, NCPC chair
man and a member Of the re-
gional council.
Consultation Provided.
Donald E. Gingery Of the
Maryland commission, suggested
that the Regional Highway Plan
ming Committee might be able
to handle the engineering end
of any study embarked upon by
the council. The special council
committee was directed to con-
suit with that group. as well as
members of Congress interested
in the program, before reporting
back.
Council Chairman Bertram
Gross, of Arlington, appointed
to the committee c. Luckett
Watkins. of Alexandria, Brig.
Gen. Louis w. PrentiSS, District
Engineer Commissioner, and Mr..
Gingery.
The compromise Endorsement
of the Maryland Highway plan,
meanwhile, came after members
of the Maryland commission
urged the council not to defer
action on it.
A proposal to delay the vote
was made by Mr.. Lehman, who
disclosed that the NCPC has
taken issue with nine of the
plans provisions. He did not
name the controversial points.
1t was understood. however, that
one of the most important CEN
terS around a proposal to extend
the Rock Creek Parkway and
develop it as a major link with
a leg of the Washington National
Pike. The pike would run south
from Frederick.
Warned Against Delay.
Robert M. Watkins, chairman
of the Maryland Commission,
said council action will be too
late for us If you defer it
we need public support now"
Mr.. Gingery said the most
urgent need is to preserve rights
ot-way for proposed road loca-
tions. This is particularly i'm
portant, he explained, in areas
where developers are moving in.
He pointed out also that the
next full session of the Mary
land Legislature will not be held
until 1855.
Support for the program also
was urged by I. Alvin Pasarew,
director OF the Maryland State
Planning Commission, in order
to help save the Marylanders
many, many hundreds of thou
sands of dollars"
Mr.. Lohman stressed that he
wanted the council to help the
Maryland commission with it's
problems Of preserving rights
of-way. But he said discussions
between that group and the
NCPC already are under way on
points Of issue, on which I'VE
feel we could work out an agree
ment." He explained he was re-
luctant to indorse the plan while
such discussions were under way.
AS adopted, the councils res
olution of Endorsement reserves
the right to discuss routes at q
later date"
Gen. Prentiss Elected.
In other actions the council:
1. Elected Gen. Prentiss q
member and second vice chair
man of its Executive Committee,
succeeding former Engineer
Commissioner Bernard L. Rob-
inSon.
2. Empowered Executive Com
mittee members to appear before
Congress in behalf of fund re-
quests submitted by the NCPC
The council was set up last year
by a new law. which also re-
vised the planning commission.
The same planning staff is serv-