Opposition to highway construction was also rising in Maryland and Virginia. In Virginia, citizens were beginning to oppose the construction of I-66, and saw the construction of the Three Sisters Bridge as requiring construction of that freeway.Edwards, Paul. G. "Opposition Mounts Against 1–66 in Arlington." Washington Post. February 23, 1971; Barnes, Bart. "Major Battle Shapes Up Over Building of I-66." Washington Post. March 7, 1971; Scannell, Nancy. "I-66 Foes Begin New Legal Fight." Washington Post. October 14, 1971. Republican Representative Joel Broyhill, a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and vocal advocate against home rule for the District of Columbia, proposed denying D.C. any appropriation in 1971 if it did not build the Three Sisters Bridge. But opponents of the bridge pointed out that Broyhill held land near the bridge which would skyrocket in value if the bridge were built."Bridge Move Sought Today By Broyhill." Washington Post. October 15, 1971; Scharfenberg, Kurt. "Foes Charge Broyhill Stands to Profit From Three Sisters." Washington Post. October 23, 1971. Scared by a narrow re-election win in 1970 and by the 1971 accusations of impropriety, Broyhill turned against Natcher and demanded that Metro funds be released.Schrag, p. 138. In Maryland, too, opposition to construction of the Potomac River Freeway and the Palisades Freeway was quickly building in Montgomery County. Members of the Maryland state legislature from the area denounced the control that congressmen from Illinois and Kentucky had on local affairs. Representative Gilbert Gude and Senator Joseph Tydings also condemned what they saw as "intolerable interference in...local affairs".Schrag, pp. 137–138. In September 1971, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments asked President Nixon to intervene in the dispute.Eisen, Jack. "Area Governments Appeal to Nixon to Help Metro Get Federal Funds." Washington Post. September 10, 1971.
