Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-08
3 Sites Proposed
For County Airport
Montgomery
Planners Get
Firms Study

Three sites in the Rockville.
Gaithersburg area have been
recommended for a proposed
new Montgomery County Air.
port.
The recommendations were
made in a special report sub.
mitted to the Maryland-Na.
tional Capital Park and Plan.
ming Commission by Thomas B.
Bourne Associates. Inc. archie
tect and engineering consult
ants here.
The sites deemed suitable by
the consulting firm we're:
/. Some 720 acres at Hunting
Hill, at the intersection Of
Route 20 and Shady Grove
road. about three miles west Of
Rockville.
2. A similar size tract lust
northwest Of the new AtomiO
Energy Commission headouar.
tiers at the new National pike
and Route 118.
8. Some $40 acres about two
miles north of Gaithersburg at
Route ia and Snouffer School
road.
The report was prepared, for
the Montgomery members Of
the commission for submission
to the county council which d.
nanced the study.
Must Decide by April Is
The council must decide BY
April is whether it will under.
take development Of an airport
and take advantage of Federal
matching funds for purchase
Of the land.
The airport issue has been a
controversial one in the county
with the Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association prodding the
council to develop a new field
to supplant Congressional Air.
port just south Of Rockville.
The latter field went out Of
business with the development
Of a new shopping center there.
Cost estimates for Develop
ment Of q suitable airport
ranged from $l.8 million for
the Hunting Hills site, given
top priority. to $1.4 million for
the North Gaithersburg pro-
posal. The Acc site cost was
put at SIT million.
The consultants studied two
other sites, but did not recon.
mend their development.
One was at Claysville paral-
leling Route 108. just west Of
Mt. Zion. Development cost
Tor an S4O-acre Held was put
at SIT million.
The fifth site studied was q
smaller field. Some 470 acres.
that would be a readjustment
of the area Of the old Congress
sional Airport. The cost was put
at Al A million
Would Base 80 Planes
The consultants said that it
was estimated that 80 planes
would be based on a field at
present. This would increase to
more than 200 by 1875, the re.
port said.
Use Of the field would in
crease from an estimated 10000
trips a year to some 10000 by
1875. the consultants reported.
The consultants recon.
mended a 4.500-foot paved run.
way 100 feet wide with 1900.
foot end zones. A paved 40-foot
wide taxing area would par.
allel the runways.
A cross runway 1000 feet
long also would be needed, the
consultants said.
Space also should he allowed
for eventual extension Of the
runway 1000 feet in length and
so feet in width to handle
future airline service and larger
business aircraft, the report
said.
The report said the Owners
and Pilots Association and the
National Business Aircraft As.
ISOLATION had confidential in
formation" indicating that
prime contractors in Govern
ment procurement would build
in the county If an airport were
provided.
1t also asserted that there
was criticism by scientific, en-
cheering and medical supply
manufacturers over the lack Of
airport facilities near the Acc
and the National Institutes Of
Health.