Evening star., 1963-06-30
BY LEE FLOR
star staff Writer

Dy AEE EANJAS
Star staff Writer
All IL city and county gov
ernments in the Washington
area will have to take an in
creasing planning role in re-
gional transportation because
Of 1862 legislation, officials
said yesterday.
The IL local governments
could start now, since impor-
tant policy decisions are being
made on regional Transports
ton projects such as the re-
evaluation of the North Leg
freeway, Mrs. Anne A. wilkins
said.
Mrs. wilkins, a Fairfax
County supervisor, is in a key
position since her selection last
week to be chairman Of the
executive board Of the Metro
politan Washington Council Of
Governments. The Council of
Governments represents all Of
the jurisdictions in the Wash
ington area, except Montgom-
cry County.
Most Of the IL local gov
ernments have their own local
highway programs, which
should be co-ordinated with
a regional transportation plan,"
Mrs. wilkins said.
Re-evaIuatiOn Ordered
resident Kennedy last month
ordered a re-evaluation of the
Three Sisters bridge, and the
Potomac and North Leg Free
ways.
These three projects are the
foundation stones of a regional
highway system. Decisions on
these projects affect the sub
urban jurisdictions, Mrs. Will
kins pointed out.
The Three Sisters bridge
spans the boundary between
Northern Virginia and the Dis
trict traffic from both Mary
land and Virginia would use
any substitute for a North Leg
freeway, Mrs. wilkins said.
Last year Congress passed
legislation which requires that
the Commerce Department sus-
pend Federal highway aid for
metropolitan areas that do not
establish comprehensive, con-
tinuing and cooperative" PLAN
ming processes.
Local officials have urged
that the improved process be
established as soon as pos
sible because only "a months
remain before federal aid will
be suspended. Several hundreds
of millions of dollars are in
volved.
The Council of Govern
ment's executive board already
has stated that any improved
planning process should "in-
clude representation of local
governments"
All Are Represented
The transportation commit
tee of the Council of Govern
ments could be a key group in
any reconsideration Of trans
portation projects. Mrs. Will
kins said.
All of the participating gov
ernments have an elected Off
cial on the transportation COM
mittee. This would insure re-
gional representation for con-
sideration of regional problems,
she added.
If the local officials do not
enter planning controversies,
key decisions which effect all
of the jurisdictions may be
made by technicians, she said.
AS one example of this. she
cited the National Capital
Transportation Agency's selec-
ton of a standard of 1,700 cars
per lane per hour for freeway
planning.
Local officials might feel
that the more commonly used
standard Of / 500 cars should
be used. The standard that
is accepted would influence a
decision on freeways which are
regional problems.
Local governments should be
in on the ground floor" on
such judgments, Mrs. wilkins
said.
Key decisions on transporta-
ton are not confined to free
ways. The Arlington County
board, which opposes the Three
Sisters bridge, also wants the
transportation agency to run
its subways UP Wilson boule-
ward. The agency has plans to