Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-05-24
BRIDGE Wanted

County by Don Warren in
Sundays Star was read with
great enthusiasm by the peo-
pie here in Solomons. How
ever. as We eagerly scanned
the story we were disap-
pointed that it did not mem
ton the pressing need for a
bridge. But it did mention
the bridge at Hallowing
Point. and therein lies a tale
Of woe.
From the beginning Of its
existence, Solomons has been
more or less isolated because
it is a dead end. At long last
Senator Goldstein had a
bridge built in Calvert County
which turned out to be a de-
plorable waste Of the taxpay-
ers' money. 1t was built in
the upper end Of the county
for reasons that escape most
of us. 1t connected Calvert
County with a section across
the river totally hostile to the
bridge and in such a little
used area that it has served
no useful purpose whatso-
ever. In an effort to divert
traffic across it the toll was
removed but this has had no
appreciable effect. Further
more, the bridge has done
nothing to improve the eco
nomic status or invite prog
ress in the county. The con-
sensus is that the bridge
never should have been built
there and people. in general.
are quite bitter about 1t.
A bridge is definitely indi-
Gated at the lower end Of the
county in Solomons for many
reasons. First. it would estab-
lish a link between Calvert
and st. Marys Counties. This
means that such a link would
provide a north-south route
from Maine to Florida, as it
would easily lead to the Poto-
mac River bridge and thence
south.
Second, the Navy still has
a number of housing units
on our side which should and
undoubtedly would be used.
AS it is now, their emptiness
but adds to the bleakness OF
the landscape. During the
war the Navy ran boats fire.
quently and all the housing
units were filled with naval
personnel. That has been
discontinued.
Third, the bridge would
serve a vital defense pur-
pose In the event that
it was ever needed for that
reason. The Patuxent Naval
Air Base is directly across
the Patuxent River from
Solomons, q distance of about
a mile. To span this distance
would not be an expensive
project. 1t would be but a
fraction of the cost of the
proposed second Chesapeake
Bay bridge from Cape
Charles to Norfolk. A bridge
here would cost approximate
ly 50 million and the latter
has been estimated at $l67
million. 1t is our understand
ing that the Navy would
grant a right of way on their
side, since the value Of a
bridge at this location can
not be estimated too highly
for the benefit Of the Navy.
Nor can it be overesti-
mated for its peacetime and
civilian benefits. It would at
once eliminate the traffic
bottleneck discussed in your
article. Drivers from Wash
ington would merely cross
the bridge to the dual high
way Sol. At it is now, any
body just out for a drive
must retrace his route In
order to get back home. This
usually proves to be a frus-
trating experience which
most people avoid thereafter
Calvert County is one Of
the finest natural beauty
spots in Maryland. A bridge
would not take away any o.
this God-given beauty bu'
would give it a new lease or
life. The potentialities fol
good living here are unlimited
The resources and unsur
passed harbors are valuabi,
assets for industry and prog
ress. Why then. with the bill
lions being expended il
Washington and Baltimor
on construction and improve
ments, could not a little por
ton be set aside for a bridg
which would pay for itsel
over and over?
Evelyn Ayers.
eolomons, Nd. a