Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1958-07-24
River Rd.
Hearing
Draws l25


A four-mile improvement to
River Road from a point be-
low Seneca Creek west to
Hughes Road was the subject
Tuesday of public hearing
at the Rockville County
Building.
About 125 persons attended the
hearing. The record was closed
after an hour and a quarter of
testimony.
Main point of discussion was
new, elevated bridge where River
Road crosses Seneca Creek. The
improved road and the bridge
would cost an estimated 100000,
half of which would be paid by
the Federal Government and half
by the county.
The county also would have to
pay for construction plans and
Tor r1ghtS-OI-Way,
The improved section would be
a "50-mile-an-hour.road," accord.
ing to Mason Butcher, director of
public works for the county.
Butcher defended the pro-
posed route of the road,
which would closely parallel
the existing route, against
speakers who would have
almost all of the lower half
of the road traverse the old
West farm, Immediately TO
the east of Seneca Creek.
That route would require the
taking of several homes whereas
no houses would be touched by
following the old route, Butcher
declared.
The new bridge would be about
125 feet long contrasted to the
existing 90-foot bridge. 1t would
be 80 feet wide and have side
walks and rails. The under side
of the new bridge would be about
10 feet higher than the roadway
of the existing narrow bridge
which is submerged whenever
the Seneca Creek floods to any
extent.
James r. Miller, ST., attorney,
said the road fills necessary for
the proposed brid ge would
seriously impair the property of
Guy Allnutt, who owns a store
on the west bank of the Seneca
Creek. His store would be below
the level of the raised road and
steep ramps would have to be
built to service his property,
Miller testified.
Council President Wilbur N
Baughman said the Council
would 60 to the site of the pro-
posed bridge and inspect Allnutt's
property
Mr.. Miller also said it was the
feeling of most persons present
at the hearing that the county
should take the money that
would be spent for the bridge and
its approaches and spend it for
an extension of River Road west
of Hughes Road.
He said that the neW bridge
and parts of River Read, i'm
proved or not, would be flooded
anyway if a high level dam is
built at River Bend
On the other hand, Mrs. Harry
Y. Pierpoint, who owns 1893 acres
adjoining Seneca Creek and who
lives at 4700 Bradley Boulevard,
Chevy Chase, said that although
she would have to give up eight
acres of land to the w d e n d
River Road, she was all in favor
of the project.
Bernard Seigel, of Poolesville,
also was in accord with the en-
tire project. ut is progress in its
finest form" he declared.
Mrs. Helen M. Lessig, of
Poolesville, testified that she re-
signed from position with the
government last year, because /
couldn't keep committing over
River Road" Her statement
drew big laugh from the group.
Donald Birrell, assistant to the
Chief District Engineer Corps of
Army Engineers, testified that if
the Army ever builds dam that
floods any roads, they will be re-
located and repaved at the
Army's expense His office did
not offer any objection to the
River Road project, he said.