Evening star., 1957-04-19
ESQ al Hearing
Hit and Praise
Circular Road
Virginia OfficioIs
Explain PIons for
New Expresswoy
BY GEORGE BEvERIDGE

<AbOoo 6oO va Sll1ld lCclQCIlbS
today mixed strong praise and
scattered complaints to location
of the 22-mile outer circum-
Iferential expressway which the
State Highway Department will
build through Northern Virginia
from Jones Point. Alexandra, to
the Virginia Maryland line OPP
Iposite Cabin John.
The citizens attended a public
hearing at the Annandale High
School in Fairfax County, re-
quired by law for all such new
expressways in the Federal sys-
TEN of interstate highways.
State officials spent about an
hour and half explaining de-
tails of road location and con.
struction.
Typical of the praise was a
statement by State Senator
Charles R. Fenwick of Arlington
County. who said it would be
"a tremendous benefit to entire
Northern Virginia area"
Sees Truck Bypass
He said one of its greatest
benefits would be to permit
trucks and through traffic to
bypass Arlington and Falls
Church and so relieve traffic
bottlenecks in those areas. He
said it also would permit Fairfax
County to develop at a more
rapid pace and be "a tremen-
dous stimulant to industrial de-
velopment."
Mason Hirst. real estate man
who called himself the oldest
old timer in the Annandale
area" said anyone who stands
in the way of the new express
way sis standing in the way of
his own progress"
Protests included an appeal
from Mrs. Paul Scordas, of River
Oaks. to keep the highway out
of areas which have an estab-
llished rural character.
Developed Areas Plead
! Mrs. Harriet M. Bradley Of
Mclean urged that the proposed
route Of the expressway be kept
out of developed areas. She said
State plans showed the road GO
ing through developed property
in her area when undeveloped
land is nearby.
A protest against putting the
road through the Langley Forest
area was voiced by Stanley A.
Sawmelle. president of the Lang
ley Park Citizens Association.
State Senator Armistead
Boothe of Alexandria indorsed
the expressway but urged the
State officials to give the highest
priority to widening Shirley
highway to six or eight lanes,
and to keep as much traffic as
possible out of Alexandria.
The 22-mile limited access ex-
pressway will receive from the
Federal Government 80 per cent
Iof the $102 million construction
costs. States are required to hold
public hearings on each part of
the system to give local resi-
dents a chance to comment on
! location.
First Hearing in Area
Today's hearing at Annandale
High was the first such hearing
in this area.
4 C. w. Kestner. State highway
engineer for this area. said the
State hopes to begin building
the first 7-mile section from
Jones Point to the Shirley high
way this fall. Subsequent Sec
ltions will be built from Shirley
to Lee highway and from there
to the Potomac River opposite
Cabin John.
/ A. X. Hunsberger. State loca-
ton engineer. said the entire ex-
lpressway route will be on new
location" and will not involve ex-
listing roads. He said no service
establishments. such as gas sta
tions and motels. will be per-
mitted on the limlted-access
road, but that they will have to
use existing roads. He said the
State will attempt to develop the
best possible links between the
present road system and the ex-
pressway, however.
The large meeting opened with
a movie streSsing that such new
expressways drastically cut ac-
lcident rates and do not harm
local business.
The new road will bear the
Identification of State Route 88.
1t is intended to connect with a
similar loop expressway through
Maryland which would provide
a complete circular bypass ex-
preSSway around Washington.