Evening star., 1921-12-21
COMMITTEE URGES
ONE-H0URPARK|N
|NCONGESTEDAREA
Citizens Body Makes Report
on Proposed Remedies
of Conditions.
RECOMMEND OPEN SPACE
AT EACH STREET CORNER
Would Provide for Loading and
Unloading of Passengers
and Merchandise.

Unloading of Passengers
and Merchandise.
A one-hour parking limit and pro-
vision for open spaces at the. ends OF
each block and in the middle or the
longer blocks for the loading and un-
loading of passengers and merchan-
disc in the congested business sec
tion are the outstanding features Oh
the recommendations to the District
Commissioners today by the citizens
committee appointed by them to con-
slider ways and means of improving
automobile parking conditions.
Many other changes in the automo-
bile parking regulations are recon-
mended by the committee, such as the
removal of center parking OFF street
between 14th and 18th streets, a re-
, duction of the space between parked
vehicles from five to three feet and
the prohibition of parking in front Of
the entrance of any church, theater
Office building, public dance hall. club,
hotel. depot. freight entrances and
fuel intakes.
provided in each block of the con-
sested area the committee recon-
mends that on all streets where park
ing is permitted a twenty-foot space
be kept clear at all corners for ma
chimes to discharge or take on pas
sengers or merchandise, and that on
II blocks of more than 200 feet in
length an additional thirty feet in the
center of the block should be kept
clear on both sides of the street
AS to the parking time limit, excep-
tions are made as to certain blocks
where two-hour parking is recon-
neuded.
Another important recommendation
is that the police be empowered to
chain the steering wheels of machines
for major violations of the parking
rries. making it necessary for the mo-
torist to go to the nearest police sta
tion to have the shackles removed.
street Widening Recommended.
Widening Of a score of downtown
streets as an effective means of re-
lieving traffic congestion was recon-
mended.
The committee urges the Commits
sioners to endeavor to obtain more
traffic policemen and seek immediate
establishment of a traffic court.
1t is suggested that the ofHcer~in
charge of the trafic bureau-no~
Capt. Albert ]. Headley-be given
the rank Of inspector and designated
an assistant to the superintendent of
police.
The committee redrafted in less
drastic terms the proposed regula-
tion made public by the Commission
ers several months ago. which would
have prohibited the parking of auto
mobiles in front of all business es-
adjustments in the downtown Sec
tion.
Publication of the proposed order
stirred, up such a storm of protest
that the city heads appointed the
present committee to cover the en-
tire parking situation. The commit
tees recommendation that parking
he prohibited in front of the en-
frances to churches. theaters, Office
buildings, dance halls, clubs, hotels,
depots. freight entrances and fuel in
takes is a modification of the orig
i,,.,. draft. in which the Commission
ers added the phrase, "or other places
uI business.
The committees report gives the
superintendent of police discretion
ary power to designate places other
than those mentioned where, in his
opinion, machines should not be
parked in front of the entrances.
should Encourage Building.
The committee tells the Commits
sioners the erection of garages in
the downtown section, where ma
chimes could be stored all day at
low rentals, should be encouraged.
The committee urges that physi
clans, calling on patients in the con-
gested area, be given special con-
sideration in the enforcement of the
time limit on parking and provides a
method for issuing special permits to
doctors.
The report recommends that the
claiming of steering wheels be re-
sorted to only for major violations of
parking rules. For minor infrac-
tions the committee suggests that
the police be supplied with duplicat-
officer would make note of the al
legged violation. paste the original
COPY on the windshield in front of
the steering wheel and turn in the
carbon to his commanding officer.
The committee recommends that more
consideration be given by the Commits
sioners to the revocation and suspension
of operators permits for violations of
the traffic laws.
The Commissioners probably will not
be able to give much consideration to
the committees report until after the
hearings before the House and Senate
appropriations committee on next years
District bill have been concluded.
The report OF the cOnmlltee, praCt1-
cally in full, follows:
Your committee, after an exhaus-
re study and careful consideration
of all the questions involved. respect
fully makes the following recommen-
dations. which are classified to cor
respond with the paragraphs of the
order of the District Commissioners:
The committee recommends that
the principal congested area should
be bounded beginning at the south
last corner of 7th street and Pensyl-
Yania avenue, thence along the south
curb of Pennsylvania avenue to the
west curb of 18th street: thence to
west along the south curb of D street to
the west curb of 18th street: thence
north to the south curb of Pennsyl-
vania avenue; thence west along the
south curb of Pennsylvania avenue to
the west curb of 18th street; thence
street to K street; thence east along
the north curb of X street to 7th
street; thence south along the east curb
of 7th street to the beginning point
The committee recommends that the
construction of garages should be en-
couraged in order that facilities may
be provided at a reasonable rental for
the storage of cars Of such persons
as may transact business in the con-
ccsted area, and thereby materially
reduce the number of cars which
would otherwise be parked in public
spaces.
are that the time limit for parking
: automobiles in the public places
within the congested area be not to
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