Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-11
State Engineer
Outlines Work
Soon to Begin
BY GENE GOODWIN

ny OENE GOOUW1N
Work will begin this spring on
the dualization of University
lane between the University Of
Maryland and New Hampshire
avenue, Norman M. Pritchett.
chief engineer Of the State
Roads Commission, said today.
Mr.. Pritchett also said the
commission expects this year to
Rockville pike, extend
construction of the Washington
National pike south of Rockville
and build two more bridges and
new roadway in conjunction
with the Anacostia River Flood
Control Program.
Other major projects are In
store for Montgomery and Prince
Georges Counties during 1856,
Mr.. Pritchett said, but the COM
mission has not yet decided
which ones will get priority. This
is the beginning Of the third
year of the commissions lie
year, 1858 million highway mod
program.
The chief engineer said the
commission hopes to advertise
for construction bids early next
month on dualization of ap.
proximately 2 miles Of Uni
versity lane (Route 1887 between
the edge of the University
campus at Colesville road and
the Langley Park shopping cen-
ter at New Hampshire avenue.
To Bypass Campus
Work is now nearing compile
ton on a dual relocation of Uni
versity lane from Colesville road
eastward to the Baltimore
boulevard. Once that is open,
through traffic on busy 1873 no
longer will have to travel
through the Maryland campus
on present University lane.
The State plans eventually to
dualize all of Route 1893. which
runs in a big arch through
Wheaton from the University Of
Maryland to Connecticut avenue
in Chevy Chase. In the middle,
it's called Old Bladensburg road.
Mr.. Pritchett said he has hopes
that work also can start this
year on dualizing the Chevy
Chase Kensington end of 1913.
Only yesterday, the commits
sion opened bids on dualization
of the samll, quarter-mile section
of 1913 in the Wheaton business
triangle That section is being
tied together in one construction
package with the dualization Of
"a miles of Viers Mill road be-
tween Viers Mill Village and
Georgia avenue.
S1,387,142 Low Bid
The Rea Construction Co. Of
Charlotte. N. c., submitted the
low bid of $1.387.l42.03 on the
two projects. The commission
will award the contract later.
All but a quarter-mile of the
remainder of Viers Mill road
from Viers Mill Village to Rock
vile is now dualized and open
to traffic.
Mr.. Pritchett said IS per cent
Of the right-of-way has been
acquired for the dualization Of
heavily-traveled Rockville pike
wisconsin avenue extended) be-
tween the National Institutes Of
Health and Rockville. He said
construction definitely will start
this year.
Two contracts-either bridge
Or road-will be let for further
of the Washington
National pike, now under con-
tract as far south as Route %
on the edge of Rockville. Mr..
Pritchett said. He would not
comment at this time, however,
on how far south the 1856 con-
struction would carry the new
road.
Peace Cross Projects
Three separate projects are on
tap this year in connection with
the Peace Cross flood control
project being carried on by the
Army Engineers.
Next Tuesday, bids will be in
vited on construction of a new
bridge over the Northwest Branch
Of the AnacoStia at Rhode Island
avenue. This $250,000 bridge,
which is to be higher than the
structure to permit the
to build their food
control levees underneath, will
be built just south of Rhode
Island avenue on the other side
of the Capital Transit Co. trolley
racks.
When the new span is COM
oleted this summer, Mr.. Pitchett
said, Rhode Island avenue traffic
will be diverted to 1t so the
engineers can proceed with flood
control work on that section of
Northwest Branch. When they
are finished. the State will con-
'truct a new and higher bridge
IN the site of the present span.
ana the two new bridges will
carry traffic on a new. dual
Rhode Island avenue planned
Tor the future.
Viaduct Is Bottleneck
On January "a, the commits
sion plans to advertise for bids
On almost a mile of new road
way which will approximately
parallel Baltimore avenue from
Peace Cross to a point just south
d the Hyattsville viaduct over
Ine Baltimore and Ohio main
inc tracks.
This new road is designed to
carry southbound traffic. The
present Baltimore avenue will be
Tor northbound vehicles. Both
arteries will bottleneck at the
narrow. twisting viaduct. how
ever, and Mr.. Pritchett said