Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1957-07-11
b & 0 Thinks 1t Might
Take Act of Congress
To Implement Plan

To Implement Plan
Despite a 100000 Federal
survey that suggested rapid
all committing as the best of
chree ways to ease Metropoli-
Ian Washington's chronic
traffic ills, a spokesman for
Lhe Baltimore & Ohio railroad
old the Sentinel, There isn't
railroad that stays in the com
inuting business voluntarily;
they're forced to :. it is hope
lessly Improbable business"
This statement followed press
release by the National Capital
Regional Planning Council Mon
day. The NCRPC was authorized
by Congress two years ago to
look into mass transportation
present and future around the
Nations capital. The survey
should be complete by December.
When the Atomic Energy Com
mission decided to move to the
Germantown area, 1t prepared a
booklet for its employees outlin-
ing housing, taxes, information on
schooling and other subjects re.
lating to Montgomery County.
The booklet included transpor.
tation.
1t said that negotiations would
be made with railroads to initiate
commuter service between Ger
mantown and the District Of Co
lumbia.
William II. Schmidt, director Of
public relations for B & o, said
that there have been discus
sions," between the Acc and
Washington passenger agents,
but ut would take an act OF Con-
gress around here (Baltimore) to
institute such service" No final
determinations have been reached,
he said.
Baltimore headquarters for the
railroad said it was losing
$4,000 year on the two COM
muter lines it now operates out of
Washington. They said a break
even status was impossible.
Kenneth M. Hoover, director of
the NCRPC, said that fast rail
service was the best solution.
He said that a rapid rail car
line between Rockville and the
District could speed passengers
to the capital in II minutes at an
average of about As miles an hour.
An American Automobile Asso-
citation last week disclosed that
the same, trip by existing roads
took 50 minutes.
Mr.. Hoover said the rail line
could be OF the suspended, mono
rail type or on conventional
tracks. It's alternatives, Mr..
Hoover said, were auto-dominated
highway travel or fast express
buses using restricted lanes on
radial highways.
The surveys findings came aft.
err an 18month probe into the
economic, political and social
strata of the communities around
Washington, as well as of the
capital.
Not the least interesting of
which was its population forecast
for Montgomery County.
Paul {. Watt, executive direc-
tor Of the NCRPC, said that by
1865, the county's population will
have reached 10000, as compared
10 255.000 in 1855. This is an in
crease Of So per cent. BY 1880.
he said, il should increase another
so per cent to 100000
BY that time, he added, Mont
gomery County's population will
comprise 10 per cent Of the total
surrounding Washing
ton. Prince Georges county will
be about 20 per cent Of the total.
He pointed out that even though
Washington's population should
increase another 100000, II would
decrease TO 81 per cent of the
total from its present 46 per cent.
Mr.. Watt said that the NCRPC
survey has been one Of the most
comprehensive studies ever made
Of metropolitan area. 1t CORE
lated data from all OF the areas
planning commissions and en-
ployed private experts