Evening star., 1953-06-28
Aide
Asks Decision
On Park Roads
Urges Showdown
On Groups Right to
Extend Route 240
By George Beveridse

By George Beveridse
Maryland Roads Commissioner
Russell H. Mccain said last night
the "time has come right now"
to determine his groups legal
power to extend a southeast leg
Of Route 240 through nearby
Maryland parks despite opposi-
ton from the National Capital
Planning Commission.
Mr.. Mccain said he didn't
know what steps would be taken
to resolve the dispute. which has
mushroomed to major proper
tions in the last few days. Asked
If court action would be forced
to determine the State Roads
Commissions legal powers. he
replied:
"I don't know. But the time
has come right now to determine
if we have the right to build
needed roads in parklands. If we
don't We'll have to readjust our
thinking"
Extension is Opposed.
The need for a legal decision
was forced by the NCPC's sudden
action late Friday.
Specifically, it opposed a plan
to extend the proposed southeast
leg from a point in Rock Creek
Park south of Grosvenor lane,
across section of North Chevy
Chase, and back into the park
near the East-West highway. The
upper portion of the southeast
leg, to the point it enters Rock
Creek Park near Wisconsin ave-
nue. and Grosvenor lane, is not
in dispute.
The NCPC also insisted the
Capper- -Cramton Act Of 1880 gave
it and the Maryland National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission power to block such a
highway cutting through park
land. 1t indicated it was ready
to go to court to back up its
stand.
The Roads Commission, how
ever, had challenged such powers.
In an earlier statement. it argued
the Capper-C -Cramton Act was not
intended to override the States
rights and obligations" to build
needde roads.
Calls Special Meeting.
Mr.. Mccain said he still holds
to that view. but added. Nov,
we have to flnd out for sure just
where we stand"
The main reason for speedy
action. Mr.. Mccain said, is that
the Roads Commission already
has long delayed subdivision
construction on the proposed
route. One such project is a
l 1,400-unit apartment develop
ment planned by Alvin L. Au-
binoe near Wisconsin avenue
and Grosvenor lane.
Mr.. Mccain said that If there
were no question about the COM
MISSIONS authority it would be-
gin Immediately" to acquire
land for the route.
Meanwhile, Robert M. Wat
kinS, chairman of the Maryland
NCPPC, called a special COM
mission meeting for pm. Tues
day to hear its stand on the
issue.
It is known that q split ex-
lists among the groups six mem
bers on whether the high-speed
road should be permitted to con-
tinue southwark to the East
West highway area. At least
two members repeatedly oppose
the plan. but strong support also
exists for it.
Planners Back Idea.
Both the Maryland and ma
tional planning groups strongly
indorse the use of east-west sec
tionS of Rock Creek Park near
Wisconsin avenue for a cross
country belt route" connecting
Prince Georges and Montgomery
Counties. The northern part of
Route 240's southeast leg would
cut into this section of the
park before splitting off on the
controversial so-called "alter-
nate B" route.
NCPC opposition to the plan
centered around the idea that
the proprosed expressway is de-
signed to continue as a high
speed radial route through Dis
trict portions of Rock Creek
Park to downtown Washington.
NCPC members said their ma
jor concern was that no ade-
quate provisions have been made
for the Districts part Of the
project. One member said he
feared the Maryland section,
finished first, would dead-end
traffic at the East-West high
way years before the District
portion could be built. Another
said he wanted more assurance
that District streets could carry
heavy traffic off the expressway.
One argument advanced was
that, If Route 24O's southeast
leg is built now to connect with
the proposed inter-county belt
route, the remaining portion to
the District line could be put
through at such time as the
District is ready to move with
through its section of Rock
Creek.
In addition to these argu-
mentS. however, some members
have vigorously opposed the
idea that any high-speed, linn
lted-access highway should en-
croach on park land.