In closing, I would like to congratulate the State Roads Commission,
its engineers, contractors, inspectors, right-of-way agents and all who
contributed so much time and effort to see that the Beltway, the largest
public works project in the history of the Washington suburban region,
was delivered on schedule. To the Federal Bureau of Public Roads,
I would express my personal thanks and the official gratitude of the
people of Maryland, for the very important role the federal government
played in this mammoth and exacting job. I could not refer to the
Bureau of Public Roads without congratulating Mr. Whitton and his
able staff on the progress our nation is making on the vast interstate
system of which this Beltway is a part. In addition, I am delighted to
see that Maryland is upholding its end of this federal-state partnership
in work on the interstate system. With the opening of the Beltway,
Maryland now has 70 per cent of its interstate mileage under traffic,
placing it sixth in the nation. We are proud of our record, Mr. Whitton,
and I can assure you here today that we will continue to cooperate with
you and your fine field offices to keep Maryland's interstate mileage on
the move.

The Maryland National-Capital Park and Planning Commission de-
serves great credit today. The foresight of its planning operation and
the coordination between its staff and the State Roads Commission is
an example of what can be done with a good relationship between local
and State governments. Also, the job the County Council of Mont-
gomery County and the Prince George's County Commissioners have
done with regard to die Beltway has been immense. All of us, federal,
State, and county government, plus private business and individuals,
now face new challenges, new responsibilities in making wise and
proper use of this road of opportunity.

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