Highway Matters

NEW KENT WINS ROUTE OF HIGHWAY TO OCEAN

Assembly Committees Decides in Favor of Commission,After Stormy Hearing.

RICHMOND IS SPLIT IN MATTER

Chamber of Commerce and Merchants Association Favor Northern location, and T.P.A. Comes Out for a More Direct Road.

Completion of some highway from the Capitol to the ocean is of more importance than continual bickering over a route, Guy P. Murray, of Newport News, last night told a joint legislative roads committee which for four hours heard proponents of three proposed routes cite the advantages they had to offer and scorn the arguments of those who disagreed with them.

The meeting was called for the purpose of hearing arguments for and against the proposed change in route of the original highway system, which had as its nucleus the Charles City Road. The Highway Commission proposes to change the route to pass through New Kent, while an amendment by Senator Douglas Mitchell to the bill would have the old Williamsburg Highway become the established route. The Highway Commission's recommendation was adopted by both committees at the end of the meeting.

Richmonders were split on the proposition, as evidenced by the Chamber of Commerce and Retail Merchants Association supporting the Northern route, or the one suggested by Senator Mitchell, while the Travelers Protective Association came out for the more direct route, the one selected by the Highway Commission.

Those who spoke Were: W.P. Tunstall, Rocksbury(sic); C. D. Coleman Richmond; P.C. Bock, Rocksburg(sic), and Manley H. Barnes, New Kent, for the central route; Coleman Wortham. A.B. Trimble and W.A. Clarke, of Richmond. and C.L. Harrison, New Kent, for the northern route, and Dr. Lyon G. Tyler and Tom Clark, of Richmond, and J.M. Gill, of Charles City, for the southern, or original route.

Wade H. Massie and James H. Beck, members of the Highway Commission, defended their choice vigorously and were questioned from all sides, the interruptions bringing loud applause as one of the three sides scored.

Delegate Norvell L. Henley, who represents all routes interested, announced his neutral attitude at the outset of the hearing and introduced all speakers.

- Richmond Times-Dispatch, February 9, 1922