Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-12-07
Ruling Delayed
On Exact Site
Of Route lAO
State Commission
And Planners Deny
Rollinqwood Report

The exact route of the pro-
posed southeast leg of Route $40
in Montgomery County will re-
main undecided for at least so
to 80 days, the Maryland State
Roads Commission said last
night.
In a joint statement the roads
commission and the Maryland
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission also denied re-
ports that land was being re-
served for the road south of
East-West highway near Rock
Greek Park.
"The whole idea has been
pigeonholed," Roads Commission
Chairman Russell II. Mccain
said.
Rollingwo0d Alarmed.
Top officials of the two bodies
met with a standing room only
crowd of 800 RollingWood resi-
dents, alarmed over reports that
the highway was aimed directly
at the Rollingwood School. The
group, meeting at the Rock Creek
Shelter, received assurances from
the roads commission that the
school, located just west of Rock
Creek Park and south of East
West highway, was In no danger.
In the joint statement the two
bodies noted that Gov. McKeldin
had issued a directive to the
roads commission to restudy
plans for the southeast leg. The
directive was issued in a tele-
gram made public just prior to
election day last month.
In effect, the roads commission
said at least a three-and-a-h half
week moratorium had been de-
clared on the road. The studies
have been shelved until after
January l so that commission
engineers can complete plans for
roads set for advertising in the
1854 construction program, Nor
man Pritchett, chief engineer of
the roads commission, said. He
added the studies would take at
least so days.
Unable to Comment.
''It is obvious that until this
additional study is completed,
the State Roads Commission is
not in a position to make any
comments or commitments with
respect to the location of u. S.
Route 240," the joint statement
declared
Mr.. Mccain, however, made 1t
clear that the yestudy does not,
preclude the possibility of the
southeast leg hitting the East
West highway in the vicinity of
Beach drive.
The southeast leg under al
ternate B plan was slated to
cross Wisconsin avenue in the
vicinity of Grosvenor lane, ira
verse a. section Of Rock Creek
Park and then leave the park
west of Connecticut avenue, NOV
ing in a southeasterly direction
toward East West highway and
Beach drive.
An earlier proposal called for
its remaining in the park for the
entire distance in reaching East
West highway.
Rollingwood residents became
alarmed when 1t was learned
that Developers Howard and Mil
ton Polinger had been told they
would have to reserve 200
foot-wide strip along Rock Greek
Park south of East West high
way to get a subdivision plat
recorded for the area.
Plat Approved.
The Planning Commission,
however, on November IS, ap-
proved the plat without the res
ervation of land.
Besides officials of the Roads
Commission, last nights meet
ing also was attended by Sidney
M. Oliver, vice chairman of the
Planning Commission; j. Bond
Smith, Planning Commission
counsel, and Harry Thompson OF
the National Parks Service.
Mr.. Thompson reiterated that
the Parks Service was unalter-
ably opposed to the use of Rock
Greek Park for an all-purpose
highway. He added that he be-
lieved Congress would amend
Park legislation to define park
ways more rigidly to keep the
proposed arterial road out oil
Rock Creek.
Gerald P. Nye, former Senator
and a leader in the Citizens Ac-
ton Committee for Fair High
way Planning, threatened to seek
A~na~..1ra;-xoJ 4