Evening star., 1953-10-31
P|annersFai|
To Indorse Lea
For Route 24O
Maryland Officials
Argue for z Hours;
Tempo Action Urged
By George Beveridge

BY George Beveridge
The bitter dispute between
Capital planners and Maryland
roadbuilders over the southeast
leg of U. S. Route 240 dragged
on today, after conference be-
tween the two raised several
points Of confusion.
Six Maryland Roads Commits
sion officials argued for two
hours for National Capital Plan
ming Commission support of the
240 project yesterday. They
cited reasons why they want the
road, and indicated they are
more determined than ever to
build it.
In a letter to the roads officials
last night, the planners tenta-
lively indorsed specific plans for
use of parklands between Wis
consin avende and Forest Glen
for a different highway, the pro-
posed inter-county belt freeway.
But they did not indorse spe-
officially proposals that:
/. The park area eventually
should carry both inter-county
belt and Route 240 traffic on
separate dual-lane parkways.
2. The Route 24O leg be
dropped out of the park to cross
North Chevy Chase and re-
enter Rock Creek Park at the
EaSt-West highway near the
District line.
Action on TempoS.
In other actions, during all
LAY sessions, the planners:
l. Sent a letter to the Budget
Bureau urging legislation to pro-
vide for the progressive removal
of WaShington's unsightly tenn
porary buildings. The letter was
not released.
2. Apparently ended one con-
troversy by agreeing to hire a
director for the National Capital
Regional Planning Council who
would take orders straight from
the council. First step is to get
Civil Service Commission ap-
proval for the new job, at as
high a salary as possible.
8. Asked the District Commits
sioners to study a new Potomac
River bridge just downriver from
the Fourteenth street bridge as
possible alternative to the E
street crossing favored by the
city heads. AS a beginning, a
comparative study of the two
bridge projects costs will be
made.
These developments, however,
were overshadowed by attention
given the Route 240 battle.
Presents Staff Plan.
Maryland Roads Commission
Chairman Russell H. Mccain
came to the planners meeting
armed with a plan worked out
jointly by staff technicians of
the two commissions. The plan
proposed that a 198-foot right
of-way be taken through the
park section bounded by Wis
consin avenue and Forest Glen.
The plan grew out of a sug-
gestion by the planners which
related only to location of the
inter-county belt road.
However, Mr.. Mccain. in both
a letter Thursday and in person
yesterday, clearly proposed that
the 198-foot right-of-way be
used for both the belt route and
the 240 leg.
He said one four-lane dual
highway could be built within
the 1913 feet Immediately. Initi-
ally, he said. this could carry
traffic through the park section
for both the belt route and the
Route 240 roads. AS traffic VOL
umes increased, he said. lanes
could be increased within the
1913 feet to provide up to two
separate six-lane dual highways.
Brief Reference to 24O.
In the letter dispatched to
Mr.. Mccain last night, the plan
ners made only one brief refer
ence to Route 240. They said
they had approved connection
between Route 240 and the
inter- county belt Gin the vicinity
of Wisconsin avenue or at some
point farther to the west"
AS far as the belt highway is
concerned, however, they COM
mended Mr.. Mccain for the plan
he had outlined without making
reference to it's proposed two
highway development.
At one point about midway
between Wisconsin avenue and
Forest Glen, the suggested route
would leave park land and cross
private property. This gave rise
to speculation as to the roads
commissions freedom to divert
Route 240 traffic southwark from
the belt road at this nom
park point.
Public Buildings Commis-
sioner w. E. Reynolds, a plan
ming group member, said it is