Calverton Citizens Association (CCA)
Takes Position on Roads

The following was sent to our elected officials and to the county executives, councils and planning boards of both Prince George's and Montgomery counties. The purpose is to obtain a coordinated comprehensive plan for protecting Calverton and contiguous communities from the onslaught of nearby development. Development will occur whether we like it or not; so, your association is working to minimize the impact.

"Development planned for West*Farm Technology Park and the Naval Surface Weapons Center/federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the south, and the Cross Creek Golf Community, Gunpowder Golf Community and Fairland Regional Park on the north will add to the already failed level of service intersections and roads surrounding Calverton and contiguous communities.

The Calverton Citizens Association recognizes that development will eventually occur in the area and we do not oppose the two golf communities. However, these developments should not occur without providing adequate transportation, recreational and school facilities. Here is our strategic vision of the road infrastructure. It is based on existing roads, up-graded roads and new roads which will satisfy immediate and long term requirements.

We recommend that a set of circumferential roads, consisting mostly of five lanes (the center lane is a turning lane for safety and traffic flow reasons) surrounding Calverton, Tanglewood and the planned Cross Creek Golf Community, be created from existing and new roads. The attached map outlines this circumferential.

1. On the south, Cherry Hill Road already exists except that it needs to be widened to five lanes from the Montgomery County line to Powder Hill Road (Route 212) and beyond.
   
   
2. On the west, Route 29 already exists.
   
   
3. On the north, we recommend that Briggs Chaney be made five lanes from Route 29 to a point near Dogwood Drive. At that point, we recommend constructing a new road which turns northeast in five lanes and intersects Greencastle Road at Greencastle's elbow and continues to the east on Greencastle in five lanes where it would intersect Old Gunpowder Road.
   
   
4. On the east, we recommend that Old Gunpowder Road be made five lanes from Greencastle south and intersect Powder Mill Road (Route 212).
   
   
5. intersection of Old Gunpowder south to Beltsville Drive; however, Powder Mill should be widened east to Route 1.
   
   
6. A few yards south on Powder Mill from Beltsville Drive, we recommend a new road be constructed west from Powder Mill through the Great Oaks Center to intersect Cherry Hill Road at the intersection of Gracefield Road for entry into West*Farm and the new FDA facility. We recommend an over pass be constructed over Cherry Hill for safety and to expedite traffic associated with the great increase in employment and shopping activity and the existing heavy east-west traffic flow on Cherry Hill Road.
   
   
7. We recommend that bikeways and walkways be constructed with all roads to provide safe, easy and environmental friendly access to the West*Farm/FDA facilities on the south, the Fairland Regional Park on the north, and Briggs Chaney shopping center on the west.
   
   
8. We recommend that no automobile or truck entrance and egress be constructed from Cross Creek onto the existing Briggs Chaney Road from the creek north of the Fairland Road intersection to Old Gunpowder Road. Entrances to Cross Creek should be onto Old Gunpowder on the east and onto the new connector between Briggs Chaney and Greencastle. THE PLANNED INTERSECTION AT FAIRLAND ROAD, BRIGGS CHANEY, AND CROSS CREEK SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED. It's too dangerous and will be too congested.
   
   

The rationale behind this plan is to provide easy access to the Briggs Chaney shopping center, to the autopark and to Route 29 on the west, to the I-95 interchanges on the east, and to the FDA and West*Farm on the south. These provide paths of least resistance to intensive employment and shopping nodes while diverting traffic around residential areas.

We recognize there are bi-county and state jurisdiction issues and the need for immediate relief from traffic problems. However, we feel this is an opportune time to work together and do the job right the first time.

The two golf community developers can bring good quality of life to the area IF proper infrastructure, recreation, and school facilities are provided. We support the idea of joint meetings with the various parties to reach an equitable and comprehensive plan as soon as possible, and we are ready to participate in the meetings."

Members of the CCA Transportation Committee are: Stan Doore (MC), Chair; Charles T. Brannan (PGC), John I. Hill (PGC), Louis Landi (PGC), George Sippel (MC), Frank Spear (MC), Luther Swafford (PGC).

The CAA Transportation Committee welcomes comments and suggestions. Please send them to Stan Doore, 2913 Shanandale Drive or call 572-4939, or contact other members of the committee.