Evening star., 1954-06-10
Planners Delay
Action 10 Study
Park Belt Road
Agency Clearance
Would Pave Way
For Court Decision
By George Beveridee

ulu& COIuIulSSlOu WILL LIy AGAIN
for a final vote on design plans
for the intercounty belt road in
a Maryland section of Rock
Greek Park.
The vote, when it comes, is
expected to be one of approval
for both the belt route design
and the development Of extern
sive recreation areas in the az
mile park stretch between Wis
consin avenue and Forest Glen.
The plans, drawn by the firm
Of Olmsted Bros. of Brookline,
Mass, were considered by the
commission yesterday afternoon
without a final vote.
John Nolen, jr., planning COM
mission director, said there was
no question of "a stalemate,"
but that members wanted to go
exhaustively into the planning
details.
If the plans are approved.
commission lawyers are expected
to move quickly to get them be-
fore a Federal court. where a
suit aimed at blocking the belt
road is pending. It is expected
that mechanics of this move will
be spelled out in a resolution to
be taken up today.
Authority Contested.
The suit, brought by nearby
property owners, contends that
the planners have no authority
to approve such a roadway in
the park. The commission argues
that the road is a parkway"
which does not violate legal park
uses. A Federal judge has said
he could not rule on the issue
without seeing plans to show
what the roads impact on the
park would be.
Both parties to the legal dis
pute have stipulated that the
planners final approval-if it
comes-shall not be effective un-
til two weeks after the commits
sion acts. This time delay was
agreed upon to give time for the
suit to be set down for trial in
the event it is not disposed of by
motion.
It appeared likely. from the
length of the planners discus
sion yesterday, that some points
in the Olmsted plan raised OBJ
jectionS. Officials, however, re-
fused to comment on any points
at issue.
Expansion May Be Issue.
One possible point of conten-
ton was contained in a letter
setting forth intentions of the
Maryland Roads Commission.
which would build the roadway
Through the park. The letter
noted the parkway's four lanes
might have to be increased If
traffic congestion warranted it.
but said this would not be done
without planning commission
approval.
The congestion might build
up. the road group said. because
the belt line would carry traffic
from the southeast leg Of U. S.
Route 240 through about a mile
of the park. The planners Bit
terly opposed earlier plans for
building the Route 240 leg as a
separate roadway in the park.
Other statements of intention
from the road group and the
Maryland National Capital Park
and Planning Commission were
that:
/. The parkway will be main
tanned and policed by State and
county officials. and the State
will deed certain land parcels to
the Maryland planning group.
2. The Maryland planners will
ban trucks and commercial We
hicles.
3. The National Capital Plan
ming Commission will have a
chance to review detailed con-
tract drawings and specifications
for the parkway.
4. The roads commission will
build the parkway as one con-
tinuous project and considers the
statements in its letter as "a
firm commitment"
RecreatiOnal Commitment.
The Maryland planning body
also committed itself firmly to
carry forth the recreation and
other park developments shown
in the Olmsted plan. They will
cost about 81 million.
In addition to the parkway is
sue, the planners today will
consider future Potomac River
bridge studies, boundaries for a
new public housing site in
Southwest Washington and
plans for slum clearance and
redevelopment in the Southwest
area.
On Capitol Hill, meanwhile.
the House District Committee
today will consider a subcom-
mittee report favoring immedi-
ate construction of a bridge at
Jones Point. Alexandria.
Chairman Case Of the Senate
District Committee, in a sep
arate statement. said he will
meet next Wednesday with Har-
land Bartholomew, planning
commission chairman, and Brig.
Gen. Louis w. Prentiss to dis
cuss the possibility Of a COM
promise solution for. a new
downtown bridge.
The House subcommittee voted
to favor the Jones Point span
after the planners and city high
way officials could not agree on
the location for a central bridge.