Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-17
Belt Route Suit
Dismissal Plea
Set for July IS
Maryland Planners
See Restriction as
Threat to Project

A Government mOC1Ou 10 QlS"
miss a property owners suit
seeking to block the intercounty
belt route in a nearby Maryland
part of Rock Greek Park will
be argued in Federal Court on
July Is.
The date, set yesterday by
Federal Judge Matthew M. Nc
CURE, was the latest step in a
lengthy battle over. whether the
National Capital Planning Com
mission acted legally in approx
ing use of the 212-mile park
stretch east of Wisconsin avenue
for the road.
While the hearing date was
being set, however, the planning
commission itself came under
scathing attack by Maryland
officials for imposing conditions
on it's approval Of the belt road.
The planning commission last
week approved detailed plans
for the belt road in the park.
But it said the approval was
given only on condition that the
belt road, at a point where it
dipped south Of the park. not
be connected with a southeast
leg of Route 240. II
Threat Seen to Road.
At a meeting of the National
Capital Regional Planning
Council yesterday, Maryland
members of the group commended
the national commission had no
right to impose such conditions
and imposed "a grace threat"
on the belt road in doing so.
| Robert M. Watkins, chairman
of both the council and the
Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, said
the planning commission has
control only over park areas
and that the controversial con-
nection would be on private land.
In a strongly worded prepared
speech he commended the plan
ming commission had never
given the Maryland Roads Com
mission any indication it would
oppose the connection during
frequent discussions on the belt
road design.
Priority in Doubt.
Mr.. Watkins said the $29 mil
lion belt road, planned for con-
Struction within the next four
years. was threatened because
the roads commission might not
be able to maintain the present
priority" in the face of road
needs elsewhere in the State.
Harland Bartholomew, plan
ming commission chairman and
a council member, defended the
conditional approval voted by his
group. He said it was entirely
consistent with the planners
long opposition to a southeast
leg Of Route 240 in park lands.
He said his group had been
prepared to approve uncondi-
tionally the belt road design in
the park, as well as a connection
with the Route 240 leg west OF
Wisconsin avenue and outside
park lands.
Mr. Bartholomew stressed that
he has been a foremost advocate
of circumferential routes, anc
strongly favored the inter- county
road. He said the design SUBJ
mitted, however, raised question!
about whether it was a true
belt distributor route"
Donald Gingery, another
member Of the Maryland group
defended the roads commission
plan to use ''this measly 5000
feet of park" to carry Route 24t
traffic on the ground it woulC
be too expensive to build thu
$40 leg through privately de-
veloped residential areas il
Bethesda.
He charged that the reason
for the opposition was a fea,
that the Route 240 traffic woult
be extended through the Distric
part of Rock Greek Park tt
downtown Washington.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss
Engineer Commissioner, SaiC
District highway officials hav'
such a long-range plan. but tina
it is not included within thu
: public works program for tn,
: next 10 years.
: The council, at Mr.. Watkins
request, unanimously reiterated
it's support for the belt rout'
+. after the heated discussion.
Court Gets Plans.
The controversial belt roaC
plans, meanwhile, were submit
ted to Judge MCGUIRE yesterday
along with the Government mo
ton to dismiss the suit agains
the Federal planners. The dat,
was set for July Is to give attor
neys for the plaintiffs time II
obtain dispositions from engineer
concerned.
On other matters. the council
/. Met with officials of tn
: Metropolitan Homebuilders' AS
| ISOLATION of Washington ant
agreed to work together in map
ping uniform building, zonini
and other codes for the area.
2. Voted to cooperate will
the National Park Service il
developing the controversial 1870
mile Chesapeake & Ohio Cana
area. The type of development
favored by the council was no
: stated.
: 3. Decided to await result
, from the Federal Bureau of Pub
: lie Roads on study of a propose