diff --git a/drc/DRCbasic.c b/drc/DRCbasic.c
index 9f4aaf41..de60f127 100644
--- a/drc/DRCbasic.c
+++ b/drc/DRCbasic.c
@@ -604,9 +604,17 @@ drcTile (tile, arg)
 		}
 		else if (cptr->drcc_flags & DRC_MAXWIDTH)
 		{
-		    /* bends_illegal option only */
-		    if (firsttile)
-			drcCheckMaxwidth(tile, arg, cptr);
+		    if (cptr->drcc_flags & DRC_MAXWIDTH_BOTH)
+		    {
+		        if (firsttile)
+			    drcCheckMaxwidth(tile, arg, cptr, TRUE);
+		    }
+		    else
+		    {
+		        /* bends_illegal option only */
+		        if (firsttile)
+			    drcCheckMaxwidth(tile, arg, cptr, FALSE);
+		    }
 		    continue;
 		}
 
diff --git a/drc/DRCextend.c b/drc/DRCextend.c
index c05515b3..1a4ad0a1 100644
--- a/drc/DRCextend.c
+++ b/drc/DRCextend.c
@@ -257,11 +257,14 @@ forgetit:
  */
 
 int
-drcCheckMaxwidth(starttile,arg,cptr)
+drcCheckMaxwidth(starttile,arg,cptr,both)
     Tile	*starttile;
     struct drcClientData	*arg;
     DRCCookie	*cptr;
+    bool both;
 {
+    int			width;
+    int			height;
     int			edgelimit;
     int			retval = 0;
     Rect		boundrect;
@@ -314,8 +317,11 @@ drcCheckMaxwidth(starttile,arg,cptr)
 	    if (TTMaskHasType(oktypes, TiGetLeftType(tp))) PUSHTILE(tp);
     }
 
-    if (boundrect.r_xtop - boundrect.r_xbot > edgelimit &&
-             boundrect.r_ytop - boundrect.r_ybot > edgelimit)
+    width = boundrect.r_xtop - boundrect.r_xbot;
+    height = boundrect.r_ytop - boundrect.r_ybot;
+
+    if ( (width > edgelimit && height > edgelimit) ||
+          ( both == TRUE && (width > edgelimit || height > edgelimit)) )
     {
 	Rect	rect;
 	TiToRect(starttile,&rect);
diff --git a/drc/DRCtech.c b/drc/DRCtech.c
index 9aa1792b..c61c68a8 100644
--- a/drc/DRCtech.c
+++ b/drc/DRCtech.c
@@ -1550,6 +1550,7 @@ drcOffGrid(argc, argv)
  *	bend_ok - Used mainly for wide metal rules where metal greater than
  *		some given width must be slotted.  Also, used for things
  *		like trench, where the width is some fixed value:
+ *      both - implies bend_illegal and both directions are checked
  *
  *			XXXXX		XXXXXX
  *			X   X		XXXXXX
@@ -1608,6 +1609,7 @@ drcMaxwidth(argc, argv)
     {
 	if (strcmp(bends,"bend_illegal") == 0) bend = 0;
 	else if (strcmp(bends,"bend_ok") == 0) bend = DRC_BENDS;
+	else if (strcmp(bends,"both") == 0) bend = DRC_MAXWIDTH_BOTH;
 	else
 	{
 	    TechError("unknown bend option %s\n",bends);
diff --git a/drc/drc.h b/drc/drc.h
index 41547c00..abcc2b40 100644
--- a/drc/drc.h
+++ b/drc/drc.h
@@ -73,8 +73,9 @@ typedef struct drccookie
 #define		DRC_AREA		0x020
 #define		DRC_OFFGRID		0x040
 #define		DRC_MAXWIDTH		0x080
-#define		DRC_RECTSIZE		0x100
-#define		DRC_ANGLES		0x200
+#define		DRC_MAXWIDTH_BOTH       0x100
+#define		DRC_RECTSIZE		0x200
+#define		DRC_ANGLES		0x400
 #define 	DRC_NONSTANDARD		(DRC_AREA|DRC_MAXWIDTH|DRC_RECTSIZE\
 					 |DRC_ANGLES|DRC_OFFGRID)