Evening star., 1953-11-01
Officials 10 Plan
Further Action
On Route 24O
Planning Groups
Letter Points to Need
For Firm Decision
BY George Beveridqe

sion Will meet as soon as pos
sible" this week to decide future
action on the Route 240 con-
troverSy, Roads Commissioner
Russell H. Mccain said last
night.
The need for a firm decision
was brought to a head by a new
National Capital Planning Com
mission policy statement, reiter-
ating diSapproval of two specific
park uses requested by Mr.. Nc
Cain for the roadway.
The statement, after months
of negotiation, brought only one
apparent agreement: A new
location boundary for the pro-
posed inter-county belt freeway.
Whether it would be practical
to use the belt freeway to carry
Route 240 traffic over one of the
contested park sections will be
studied this week, officials said.
Wants 24O AS Separate Road.
Mr.. Mccain wants future au-
thority to build the Route 240
leg as an independent road from
northwest of Washington to en-
ter a section of Rock Creek
Park east of Wisconsin avenue.
After about 5000 feet, it would
leave the park, drop across North
Chevy Chase and re-enter park
land at the East-WeSt highway
near the District line.
He also wants to build the
nter-county belt road through
park land between Wisconsin
avenue and Forest Glen-paral-
leling the 240 route for the 5000
feet.
Mr.. Mccain has proposed that
he build only one dual-lane high
way for the immediate future to
carry both routes traffic from
Wisconsin avenue to a point
where the two routes would divide
outside the park, about midway
between Wisconsin avenue and
Forest Glen. But as traffic
volumes increase, he said.
separate roads should be built
within a 198-foot-wide strip
along the parks southern edge.
Comedies HazinesS in Letter.
The planners conceded yester-
day that several key points in
their new policy letter to Mr..
Mccain were left either haZy or
unsaid. According to answers
given a reporter by Chairman
Harland Bartholomew of the
Planning Commission and other
members, here is the way their
position stands:
/. The belt freeway route pro-
posed, subject to a check of final
plans, is approved through the
park
2. Route 240, according to the
letter. could join the belt route
''in the vicinity of Wisconsin
avenue or at some point further
to the west" A plan drawn up
by technicians of the road-build-
ing and planning groups showed
such a connection just east Of
Wisconsin avenue, within the
park. Mr.. Bartholomew, how
ever, said the commissions inten-
tion was that the connection
be outside the park. west Of
Wisconsin avenue.
3. Approval of the belt route.
which might also carry Route
240 traffic on a single parkway.
does not extend to later devel-
opment of a separate roadway
for Route 240 traffic in the park.
4. Once the belt road leaves
the park, Route 240 traffic could
be diverted on a southeast leg
across North Chevy Chase, over
which the Planning Commission
would have no control.
5. No authority is given, how
ever, for re-entrance of such
southeast leg into park land
near the East West highway.
Use Part of Belt Road.
Under these restriction. Off
cials pointed out, it would be
possible for southeast-bound
Route 240 traffic to pass through
5000 feet of Rock Greek Park on
the belt road, then move over
an independent route to just
north of the East-West highway
park area.
1t appeared. however, that con-
sideration of such move would
depend on two main factors.
The first is whether the antic-
ipated volume of Route 240 traf-
f1c would permit use of only the
belt road, without assurance that
a new road could be built when
increased traffic demanded it.
The other is whether a new
terminal for Route 240 traffic
could be found. without using
the park area near the East
West highway.
Mr.. Mccain said he would not
attempt to answer these ques-
tions until he studies the plan
nerS' statement. and conSultS
engineers about it.
Says 2 Roads Are Needed.
At a Planning Commission
meeting Friday, roads officials
argued forcefully for use of the
park land near East-West high
way as the only available cor
ridor for the 240 leg not involv-
ing great costs. They contended
also that, for a permanent solu-
ton, two separate roadways
would have to be built in TIE
park east Of Wisconsin avenue.
Roads officials made it clear
also that they felt they have
made strong concessions to the
planners in the belt freeway
location approved Friday.
In the months the Route 240
fight has dragged on, roads
officials have complained the
planners were arbitrary in favor
ing the belt route but not the
- l.