Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-21
Development
|0fCabin John
Valley. Planned
2 Bi-County Agencies
Award Contract for
Photo-Mopping

Tnoto-MoPPln9
Two bi-county agencies are
working on plans that will lead
to the development of Cabin
John Valley in Montgomery
County.
Much of the is .000-acre valley
contains big tracts ripe for sub.
divisions once utilities are avail
able. Location-wise. the valley
is closer to downtown Washing
ton than areas of Wheaton and
Rockville which already have
been ,intensively developed.
The advance planning prom
Uses to be the most comprehen-
sive of its type ever attempted
in the Washington Metropolitan
area.
The Maryland-National Capt.
tai Park and Planning Commits
sion has awarded a CONTRACT to
the Air Survey Corp. of Ap1ing-
ton, Va. for a detailed photo
mapping of the valley. 1T will
cost $11.950.
Master Plan Proposed
This is the first step in the
preparation of a valley master
plan which will suggest the
placement Of roads. homes,
schools. parks ARID recreation
areas.
An important part of the mas
ter plan will be ia coming map.
showing how various types of
housing should be located and
on what size LOTS.
Eventually the State Roads
Commission will build the west
leg of Route} 240 through the
valley. The link is scheduled
for the last four-year portion of
the commissions 12-year roads
program now in its second year.
Actual development must await
the installation Of water and
sewer lines. Sewer lines are not
far off. and water lines could
be extended without difficulty.
Harry R. Shaw, chief engineer
of the Washington Suburban
Sanitary Commission, says COM
pletion Of a sewage line through
the Cabin John watershed will
add $25 jmililon to property VAL
ues therel and heighten the pres
sure for tpe subdivision construc-
ton.
Rockville Sewer Link Sought
The commission now is nego-
tiating with the city of Rockville
for the laying of a sewer line
through they valley to connect
the Rockville Aystem to the SAM
tary commission system.
While an 1$-inch line would
be sufficient to barry off Rockville
sewage, the commission expects
to install a line at feast twice
that size, in anticipation OF sery-
ing the future needs of the enN
tire valley.
Legislative clearance for the
project is in the works. A bill
now pending before the General
Assembly extends sanitary dis
trict jurisdiction throughout the
whole Cabin John Valley.
The new sewer line will run
about eight miles and mark two
''firsts" in commission opera
tions. 1t will be the longest line
ever built at one time and the
first time that a line traversed an
entire valley.
To Cost $950,OOO
It's expected to cost about
$3.50, 900. OF this, Rockville
probably will pay nearly two
thirds. representing the cost Of
an 18-inch line. Rockville is UNI
der orders of the State Depart
ment of Health to stop pollution
of Cabin John Creek. into which
the city now dumps sewage
from its overburdened treatment
plant.
The commission already has
spent $750,000 in its trunk sewer
from the lower Cabin John VAL
ley to the District of Columbia
line, where it connects at Dale
carlia with the Districts inter-
ceptor sewer which carries sew
age to the Blue Plains treatment
plant.
Water. Mr.. Shaw said, could
be supplied new subdivisions in
the valley from existing lines
along Old Georgetown road and
Wisconsin avenue.
The commission, anticipating
future demands. plans to erect
a standpipe for water storage
at Wisconsin avenue and Wall
lane.