Evening star., 1953-01-25
3.SNi|IionJob
On bIadensburq
Roads Drafted
State Commission
Outlines Major
County Program
Rv AIav r pyae4on
By Alex R. Preston

K 4. & IT.
Major highways leading into
Northeast Washington from the
Greenbelt- Blade densburg- Cheverly
area and costing $3.8 million
are among initial projects the
Maryland State Roads Commits
sion proposes to build under its
I2-year construction program.
Edmonston and River roads
would be made into one divided
four and six-lane highway from
Greenbelt road to the District
line-a distance Of Sc miles.
River road becomes Kenil-
worth avenue NE, when it.
crosses into the District, but
the lower end of the new route
would connect with the Balti-
more Washington parkway. now
under construction, and the pro-
posed Washington Annapolis ex-
Traffic from this sec
ton of suburban Prince Georges
County would have access to
the new East Capitol Street
Bridge entrance to Washington.
Improves Access.
Cheverly and Bladensburg mo-
torists. as well as those from
communities along Landover
road and Defense highway, also
would be given an improved ac-
cess to the city. The commission
proposes to widen Landover road
from Defense highway to Chew
erly avenue from 26 feet to two
24-foot roadwayS separated by
8 6-foot median.
Cheverly avenue from Land
over road to Tuxedo road would
be widened from IS to 40 feet
and resurfaced from curb to curb.
Tuxedo road would be widened
from Is to "a feet beginning
at Cheverly avenue and ending
at its junction with the proposed
new Edmonston- n-River road ap-
proach to Washington.
These projects are among II
secondary road improvements
the Roads Commission proposes
to perform in Prince Georges
County within the first four years
of it's program. Details Of the
full plan, which would cost $3.50
million, were presented to the
Maryland General Assembly last
week.
So Million In 4 Years.
Within the first four years.
Prince Georges would get $8.438,-
600 in improvements to its Sec
ondary roads alone. Within the
same period. the county would
get $33,O10,000 worth of prim-
ary road projects.
For the entire 12-year pro-
gram, Prince Georges is sched-
uled for $82. 1853, 900 in primary
and secondary road improve
ments--far greater than any
other county in Maryland.
The Legislature has been asked
to raise the gasoline tax and
vehicle registration fees to f.
nance the Statewide program.
Details Of Project.
This is how the commission
proposes to complete the Green
belt -Bladensburg- Cheverly area
project.
Divide Edmonston road from
Greenbelt road to Defense high
way. a. miles. costing So, 900.
Relocate Edmonston road and
River road at Defense highway
to make one continuous thor
oughfare and divide River road
the remaining % miles, 81 mil
lion (the Kenilworth interchange
with the Washington Annapolis
expressway already is under con-
struction).
Divide Landover road from
Defense highway to Cheverly
avenue, 6 mile, $380,O0O.
Widen Cheverly avenue and
Tuxedo road from Landoyer road
to River road, 90 miles, $315 600
Plans would get under way in
the first four-year phase to
make Central avenue ultimately
a divided highway. This project,
costing 81, 4,387,O0 for the III
mile length from the District
line to Route Sol. would require
the entire IL years to complete
But in the first phase, rights
of-way would be acquired and
the first lane built for 81, ,404 900
This cost would include about
one mile of divided highway con-
struction where Central avenue
crosses Route 301.
Other Proposals.
Here are other secondary roaC
projects proposed for the first
four years:
Straighten. widen from 16 tG
"a feet, resurface and widen one
bridge on Chillum road from
Riggs road in Chillum to Queen.
Chapel road in Avondale, Ii
mile, SIT. 900.
Widen Silver Hill road from
16 to SO feet from Marlboro pike
to Brandywine road (Route 81
in Silver Hill, 2.6 miles, $3.50, 900
Widen Greenbelt road from
Route / Baltimore boulevard
in BerWyn to Edmonston road
1.6 miles. $125, 900.
Resurface Riverdale road from
Route /, Riverdale, to EdmonS
ton road in East Riverdale,
mile, $50,00O.
Resurface Colesville road from
Queens Chapel road to Route
in Riverdale, 5 mile, $25, 900.
! Resurface and widen Thirty
eighth street. now % and 80 fee
| wide, to SO feet from Hamilton
street in Hyattsville to Rhod
Island avenue in Mount Rainier
Ia miles, $5OO.OOO.
Parking Strips Included.