The Washington herald., 1921-05-04
Wine is wont to show the mind of men.
-Theognis-
Washington Street Railways.
VIII-Paving,

GECOND only to taxation in making low
~ Street railway fares possible and permanent, is
change in the policy of street paving as re-
lated to these utilities. The present spread of the
cost of paving in the District is to assess all the
paving cost of the center strip occupied by the
rails, and two feet either side-making 10 to IS
feet-sganst the street railway companies The
cost OF the balance is assessed, one-hslf against
abuttng property and one-half to general taxation
Get firm grip on the fact that street cars are
merely one kind of vehicle using the streets and
that shey run tracks, laid, paid for, maintained
rfhaited, replaced and owned by the street railway
companies. 1t is evident, then, that there is no
more reason and less fairness in assessing any part
Of the paving cost against the companies than
against any heavy and light trucks, or other motor
cars and vehicles of all kinds.
Get another grip on the fact that motor trucks
have been the direct of expensive street
paving. 1t has to be heavier, with a greater sus-
tSinLng power and more durable wearing surface,
beesuse of them. Fast moving motor cars have,
also. made necessary hard surface paving in both
chies and country districts, since they have made
maintenance, even of rock macadam, an almost
hopeless charge.
Under any merely fair system, street railways
should be relieved of all paving charge. They
should only bear the cost of laying their tracks
under specific regulation The character OF the
paving, street construction, we'll the traffic
volume, should determine weight of rails and per-
manency of the work Beyond this the companies
might pay repairs along their trackage made nee
cssary by their operation, though this is not re-
CURED trucks and other vehicles. They might
pay for ALL replacement made necessary in under
ground repairs to their system or to track re-
placement, though track replacement would largely
disappear through regulation OF the initial con-
struction.
How should the charge borne by the COM
panies be met? There would be various ways. II
should not be charged to abuttng property. Ii
could justly be charged to the District whole
1t could be spread a benefited district is
usual for main sewers. Such district might in,
ciude four blocks on either side of the street tc
be improved as this is the distance usually regard
ed as a street car line In residence districts
closely settled, there is occasion to pave the
t-ackage space A paved way of IL to Il feet or
either side is sufficient for vehicle traffic. Tht
trackage strip with smoothly graveled surface
would be used only for turn-outs, the "shoul
dcrs" of paved country highway.
The effect of relief from paving charges woulC
chiefly be seen in the financial strength of the com
psny. Reserves for this would not be neces
sa-y. Earnings could be held closely to op
Grating charges. Without this superAuous burder
the borrowing power would be strengthened. TIL,
woods ahead would not be so thick and there woulC
be more daylight.
There is much to be said for the policy of tn,
District going still further and itself owning tn,
tracks, with the use to the companies free, or at
moderate charge. AS we have said streets are nov
constructed with special reference to the use o
heavy or fast moving vehicles. Why not for thu
use OF this other form of vehicle far more essen
iial to the population whole with far greate
direct value to all property OF every kind? TIL,
-, oh, - fbe initial Il
purchase OF the present tracks But possibly tn,
District could make no better investment for it,
own benefit and so solve the street railway far,
! problem at a stroke. including merger.
Perhaps YOU have noticed that the only na-