Evening star., 1953-07-09
Planners Reject Plea
To Reconsider Stand
On Route 24O Now
Remon Suggests Stoffs
Of Maryland and Capitol
Groups Study Issue
By GEORGE Beveridqe

The National Capital Planning
Commission today rejected re-
quest that it meet Immediately
to reconsider it's opposition to
the controversial southeast leg
of Route 240.
Acting Commission Chairman
John A. Remon wrote Maryland
Roads Commissioner Russell H.
Mccain that such a meeting
could "serve no useful purpose"
Instead, he suggested that
technical stats of his group and
the roads commission get to-
gether for across -the-table talks
to try to work out the contro-
versy. Mr.. Remon wrote that it
would be a calamity if the dis
pute over the road had to be
settled in courts and added:
"A full exchange of informa-
tion and ideas might induce
either Of our agencies to revise
it's view of this matter"
Green to Ask Retirement.
In another development, mean
while, it was learned that
Richard F. Green. veteran parks
commissioner in Montgomery and
Prince Georges Counties, intends
to ask to be retired soon from
that post and as vice chairman
of the Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
The Maryland planning group
has differed sharply with Mr..
Remon's planning commission
and has Endorsed the disputed
Route 240 project. MIR. Green
was one of two Montgomery
County members strongly dis
senting from this Endorsement.
It was understood that Mr..
Green will seek retirement, how
ever, for health reasons. He re-
portedly has intended to retire
for some time. He is 50 years old
and has been a member of the
planning body 10 years. He has
been park commissioner two
years.
President of Bank.
Mr.. Green has been devoting
most of his time to the park
and planning job, although he is
compensated only for half-time
work. For many years, he has
been president of the Farmers
Bank and Trust Co. in Rockville.
1t was in view of the Mary
land planning groups indorse-
ment of the Route 240 project,
meanwhile, that Mr.. Mccain
asked the national commission
to reconsider it's rejection of the
plan. The request was made a
few days ago.
The roads commission plan
would bring a leg of Route 240
through parts of Rock Creek
Park in Maryland, and across
North Chevy Chase to the East
West highway. The intention is
that it would join a proposed
high-speed expressway through
Rock Greek Park to downtown
Washington.
Mr.. Remon made it plain his
group is not backing up in its
opposition to such a route. He
stressed, however, that there is
no objection to having the
Route 240 leg come far enough
south to join proposed cross
county belt highway in Rock
Greek Park between Wisconsin
avenue and the Walter Reed
Hospital annex at Forest Glen.
Wants More Information.
But he said he wants more
information on the points at
which these routes meet. Mr..
Remon said he wants especially
to know about "a report" that
Route 240 and the inter county
belt would run a short distance
as parallel and completely sep
arate roadways. Members of the
planning groups heretofore had
understood the two routes
would merge on common ground
through the narrow park strip.
One member of the Maryland
planning commission told The
(See PLANNERS, Page A-8)