Evening star., 1954-11-19
Fairfax Board
ToGet Plan for
Five FreeWays
26-Yeor Program
Would Fix Areas Of
Suburban Growth
BY Mary Lou Werner

At least f1ve big new freewayS
and confinement of suburban
development into areas nearest
Washington are recommended
In the long-awaited master plan
for Fairfax County.
These highlights and other
details Of the $150.0O0 planning
study leaked out today as prep
arations were being made to
unveil the plan for public in
spection.
Maps showing exact locations
Of the proposed new roads and
land zones will be presented to
the Board of County Supervi-
sors by the Planning Commits
sion Monday night, and the plan
will be made public officially at
that time.
Plans for 26 Years.
The master plan, which has
been under study and prepara-
tion by professional consultants
since October, 1852, offers Fair
fax County a development blue
print for the next 26 years.
It's recommendations are based
on an estimated population Of
from 100000 to $50, 900 by 1880.
The current population is esti-
mated at about 10000.
Four Of the proposed new free
ways would fan out into the
county from Washington, offer
ing quick transportation for
commuters. A fifth freeway cir
cling north and south through
the county would be a link in
the proposed Metropolitan Area
Circumferential Belt Highway.
The so-called outer circumfer-
entail route for the entire area
is proposed to be built at a radius
of about 10 miles from the down..
town section of the city. The
bridge connections between Vir-.
ginia and Maryland across the
Potomac River would be made in
the vicinity of Cabin John, Md,
and Jones Point in Alexandria.
Area planning authorities are
trying to speed plans for acquir-
ing right-of way for the circum-
ferential route before the area
buildup reaches the point where
it will have to be located even
farther out.
In addition. the plan outlines
many new secondary roads and
improvements to existing sec
ondary roads.
Routes Of FreeWays. ,..s.:z
. The four proposed freeways in
addition to the circumferential
highway are as follows:
/. Between Route 7 and the
Potomac River. extending west
ward into the country as far as
the belt highway near Mclean.
The planning consultants believe
this freeway could coincide with
the proposed extension Of the
George Washington Memorial
parkway. but preferably should
be a separate new freeway alto
gether.
2. Monticello highway, enter
ing Fairfax County between
Route so and Shirley highway
from George Mason drive and
Columbia pike in Arlington. This
new freeway would join the ex-
listing Braddock road at Mount
Pleasant and then generally fol-
low the route of Braddock road
westward through the county.
3. Between Shirley highway
and Route l, approximately fol-
lowing the same course as these
two highways.
4. Between Route ] and the
potomac River.
All of the proposed new free
ways would be four-lane, lin
ited-access roads with a 300
foot right of way. Since Fair
fax County is bound by refer
endun to participate in the
State road program, the re-
sponsibility Of providing the new
freeways falls to the State.
County officials who have dis
cussed the master plan with
State officials confide they are
not optimistic about the pros
poets of finding enough money
to meet the planners recon-
mendations.
But the planners believe Fair