Evening star., 1953-02-15
.lKIl. Rp!|Qk
lll9llWdY F0es
Step Up Fight.
In Chevy Chase
II Groups Bottle
Plon;; Other Meetings
To Oppose Rood

Proposed construction Of a
high-speed ghway through
Chevy Chase. Md. has united
residents of the area in a COM
mon front against the intrusion.
Some IL organizations already
have banded together as a Citi-
zens Action Committee for Fair
Highway Planning in an effort
to block the road. A number of
other organizations have mass
meetings planned this week to
discuss the proposal.
The route-labeled Alternate
B" plan by it's creators, the State
Roads Commission - is the
southeast leg of route 240 ex-
tending from Wisconsin avenue
and Grosvenor lane to East
West highway near Beach drive.
The citizenry protest is headed
by Former Senator Gerald p.
Nye and j. B. Hartranft. jr.
Petitions Being Circulated.
Petitions are being circulated
in all communities lying along
the proposed route and in near
by subdivisions. Mr.. Hartranft
expects some 5000 to 6,OOO''
residents to sign the protest petit
ton by the end of the week.
Lending q strong voice to the
opposition is w. S. Farr, presi-
dent of the Chevy Chase Land
Co., which has developed most
of the area.
Also opposing the route-or
any route which calls for the use
Of school property-is the County
Board Of Education.
The proposed highway would
cross Cedar lane and follow the
east boundary Of the Bethesda
Naval Hospital. It would cross
Jones Bridge road. Connecticut
avenue and the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad tracks via overpasses and
proceed down Coquelin run. OPP
ponents say the road would then
pass over Jones Mill road and
link UP with East-West highway
near Beach drive.
Elevated Road Feared.
The highway eventually would
continue down Rock Creek Park
to the District line.
Opponents charge the road
would be elevated in many areas
putting 1t at roof top level
through some Of the suburbs
most exclusive communities.
They say the overpasses and a
3 per cent grade maximum would
I1ecesSitate this elevation.
DR.. Richard E. Carpenter. as
sistant schools superintendent.
says he understands the roads
commission would want 100 feet
on the Southwest corner of an
eight acre-tract where the new
North Chevy Chase Elementary
school IS under construction.
Plans for the overpass at Con-
necticut avenue are reported to
call for q cloverleaf interchange
just south of Jones Bridge road.
Mr.. Farr yesterday said many
residents, farther south of the
proposed overpass objects to the
plan because they fear Connecti-
:ut avenue would become crowded
with trucks.
Alternate Plan Delayed.
The State Roads Commission
decided on the Alternate B plan
last November Z. an official in
Annapolis said Thursday. The
action, however, came too late
for the route to be included in
the published 12-year 1869 mil
lion road construction program
released last month, he said.
The report published by the
commission called for an ALTER
nate A" plan that would have ex-
tended from the same source at
Grosvenor lane to Cedar lane,
then follow the course Of Rock
Greek along Beach drive. ALTER
nate A" plan called for the road
to cross Jones Mill Rad south Of
the Forest Glen Army Medical
Center, then to turn sharply
south to East-West highway.
The roads commission spokes-
man Thursday said Alternate A
plan was scrapped in favor of
the plan under protest because
the latter was Six-tenths of a
mile shorter.
Donald E. Gingery, a member
Of the Maryland-National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commits
sion, yesterday said Alternate B
plan ''in my opinion is the more
logical and cheaper route"
Understanding Urged.
The route is not included in
the planning commissions mas
ter highway plan. commission
spokesman said the commission
first heard of the plan when
Senator Nye appeared before the
agency about 10 days ago.
Mr.. Gingery urged greater
understanding by residents of
the need for limited access, mod
ern highways in the heavily
populated suburban area.
He said the only open land
left for a north-South route
through the District was Rock
Greek Park. But. he added, he
opposed any such super highway
being made accessible to truck
traffic. The opposition contends,
however Alternate A" route
would have affecter fewer home-
owners.
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