Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-05-28
Officials Seek
To Calm Foes
Of River Site

side location of a Washington
link to U. s. Route $40 in Mary
land.
AS more than 200 spectators
overlooking the House District
Committee room gave rapt at
tention, Brig. Gen. Thomas A.
Lane, District Engineer Commits
sioner, testified, I'VE are still
more or less at midstream" on
the question.
Gen. Lane added that the con-
sultants' report which raised all
the Juror among Potomac Pail
sades residents in Washington
and suburban Maryland won't
even be completed until mid
June.
Emphasizing that the river
side location was only approved
for concentrated study, the en-
|gineer commissioner said that
once the final report is ready
1t will be subjected to the NOR
NAL routine" This, he ex-
planned. involves presenting it
to the National Capital Plan
ming Commission, and if it
proves controversial-as it all
ready hast will be the sub
ject of public hearings by the
District Commissioners.
Await Maryland Decision
District Subcommittee Chair
man Davis. D m ocrat
of Georgia. adjourned today's
two-hour session after more
than a dozen witnesses, mostly
in opposition, had testified.
Gen. Lane continued by point
ing out that Washington's high
way authorities cannot fix the
location Of a Route 240 connec-
ton until they know what the
Maryland State Roads Commits
lsion's intentions are.
To determine this, the Com
missioner testified, the consult
ants some time ago conferred
informally with SRC. Indica.
tons then were that the Mary
land agency favored a ITEM near
the Potomac. According to other
accounts. however, SRC has since
changed its position.
John Nolen. jr., director Of the
NCPC. testified that develop
ment Of any expressway, like
Route 240. close to the Potomac,
would conflict with long stand
ing commission plans to develop
that area as a scenic parkway
from Georgetown to beyond
Great Falls. Mr.. Nolen pointed
out that land acquisitions for
this purpose by the National
Park Service are 80 per cent
complete. He added that NPS
has allotted funds for beginning
this development as an extension
of the George Washington Me-
mortal Parkway.
Statement Questioned
Gen. Lane questioned the lat
ter statement. $50 far as have
been able to find out the Park
Service has allocated no money
for this route" he testified.
Chairman Davis asked jack
son E. Price. assistant director
of NPS about this. Mr.. Price
conceded that there is nothing
expressly" for the purpose in
cluded in the NPS Mission '66"
10-year plan for park develop
ment. He added. however. that
NPS Director Conrad L. Wirth.
has told him that money for this
parkway will be sought soon."
Representative Davis also
touched on another sore point
among the citizens when he
asked Mr.. Price If there has been
any lack Of liaison between NPS
and District government OIL
cials. The park official said
there is no such lack that he
knows of. but that he does not
know who Gen. Lane sought out
on the question Of NPS parkway
plans.
A number Of witnesses COM
Iplained Of being unable to get
any information from the Dis
trict Highway Department on
proposals for possible Washing
ton connections to Maryland's
southeast and southwest legs Of
Route 240.
Information Promised
Chairman Davis said he is con-
fident there will be no such trou-
BILE in the future. IF you are
unable to get information" he
added, I'VE will hold other hear
ings."
District Highway Director John
N. Robertson explained to re-
porters that when the consult
ants final report is issued copies
will be distributed among inter-
ested parties.
Col. Robert B. Curtiss, repre-
senting residents Of the Palisades
area, suggested to the subcom-
mittee that maybe an act Of
Congress is needed to make the
! District and the NCPC get to-
gether. Indications are that one
or the other is having as much
trouble as we to get any informa-
ton"
Another witness was Phillip
Thorson Of the Roads Committee
Of Potomac Valley Communities.
The organization is composed
Of representatives Of the Pali-
sades area in the District and
these Maryland localities: Brook
mont, Brooke Terrace, Glen
Echo Heights. Mohican Hills.
Tulip Hill. Fairway Hills, the
town Of Glen Echo, Bannock-
burn and Cabin John.
|, Mr.. Thorson listed four OBJ
r jectives by the groups he rep
PRESENTS:
I The route would duplicate
Continued ON PAGE A.ls. Col. !