Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-07
Both Wisconsin and River Routes
For 24O Drew Fire of Witnesses

routes until q detailed analysis
is made Of the so-called Massa-
chuSetts avenue tunnel plan.
which the District was urged
to study Immediately.
Leo J. Richards, Civil
League Of Brookmont Md
and vicinity-Route 240 should
be denied entrance TO the city.
unless it is underground for lis
entire length. Public transport
tation is the answer rather
than more and more streets.
Why not extend the streetcar
tracks? We also urge consid-
Grafton OF a modern subway.
Miss Virginia Russell. Ma
tional wildlife Federation -
Route 240 should not be put
through Glover-Archbold park.
given by its donors as a wood
land park and children's play
ground. Heavy traffic depreci-
ates park values which cannot
be replaced.
Mai. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss.
Washington Board Of Trade
Route AZ along the Potomac
River is the most desirable be-
cause it would separate inter-
state traffic from heavy local
traffic in the Bethesda Wis
consin avenue area. be the least
costly and have the least i'm
pact on property values and
existing traffic patterns. Be-
cause Of growth prospects in
the Rockville GaitherSburg-
Potomac area. IL is highly inn
portant that trafilc be encour-
aged TO enter the central area
by use of a route other than
the heavily burdened Wiscor-
sin avenue"
( A Wisconsin avenue route. on
the other hand, would be ire
mendously expensive" and. If
built down Glover Archbold
Park. would violate terms under
which the land was donated
for park purposes.
] Gregory s. Prince. represent
ing the Chevy Chase Cuban
expreSsway along Wisconsin
avenue in Maryland would split
the cohesive. well-establiShed
Chevy Chase-Bethesda COM
munity "as effectively as a
large body Of water" Prelim-
mary plans show 1t would sever
the western side of the club
property. taking "A strip Of land
900 feet wide at the north end
and 800 at the south. This
would wreck two holes OF the
golf club course and take part
of a third. Whether 1t would
be possible for the club to re-
design an l8-hole course is I'M
certain.
Thirteen witnesses repre-
senting the Palisades Citizens
Association spoke in vigorous
opposition to the Potomac
River routes.
They commended the pro-
posed river route does District
residents no good and will
blight and scourge the natural
beauty Of Washington.
District highway officials
made a firm decision on the
240 route without any public
discussion" II was charged,
and when the Palisades group
sought substantial data from
the Federal Bureau Of Public
Roads about the selection. I'VE
received a polite reply but our
questions were not answered.
Justification Challenged
Justification OF the express
way on the basis Of interstate
traffic from beyond the Wash.
ington Metropolitan Area came
in for challenge as well as is
eligibility for a 30 per cent
Federal grant, with the asser-
ton IL could be justified fol
reasons OF local trafiic.
Need for a new Potomac
River bridge at Arizona avenue
which city officials show a,
necessary for their river route
was discounted, and II was hello
that highway officials wrongly
refuse 10 figure the $l4 million
cost Of the bridge as a part Of
the Route $40 cost to the city
The witnesses questioned the
economic BENEFITS Of spending
what was described as a tota
$72.5 million on the riverside
route. and declared Its round