Evening star., 1922-01-29
CAR LINK MAY END
14TH Street JAM
Proposal to Route Some Of
Capital Traction Cars on
nth Street Made.

| When the street car rate hearing
begins before the Public Utilities
Commission Wednesday morning a
new scheme for relieving congestion
on the 14th street and the Connec-
ticut avenue lines may be considered.
The new proposition is to connect
the 14th street tracks of the Capital
Traction Company with the l1th
street line of the w. r. and E. by
laying a short stretch of track be-
tween these two lines on some street
north of Florida avenue.
| This plan also would call for the
| extension of the 1lth street tracks
nue., switching into the avenue
tracks
One of the principal reasons why
an entirely new north and south line
has not been built in the past few
\ years is the high cost Of rails, cement
and other materials entering into
track-building. 1t has been estimated
| that new north and south line
| would cost close to a million dVllars.
|. Cost Comparatively Small.
The plan mentioned is to be put
| forward as one that could e~carried
out Immediately. because it would in
volve only few squares of track
1
one block Of track on 1lth from i;
street to the Avenue. The cost would
be small in comparison with a.l en-
tirely new north and south line.
With these connections made. it
will be argued. part of the heavy
14th street traffic could be diverted
downtown by way 'of 11th street.
The 11th street tracks are now op-
Grating below the capacity of that
line. On 14th street the track ca
pacity has for a long time been
reached and Connecticut avenue dur
ing rush hours in rapidly approach
ing the condition of 14th street
the tying together of the 14th
| street and 11th street lines need not
be permanent arrangement, its ad-
| vocates say. but would afford much
needed street car relief until the cost
of laying new north and south line
| comes down.
If a considerable number of Capital
Traction cars were operated via 1lth
| st-ce under this plan, it would prove
negotiable to the Washington Rail-
| way and Electric, Company Those
| who suggest this scheme of relief
| reply. however. that this could be
equaliZed by adjustments between
! The companies.
| Use Of 18th Street.
! A suggestion also is likely to be
! made at the hearing that when the
!
would prove more advantageous on
| 18th street than any street west of
| l4th street.
Persons who study street gar traf-
| should adopt at this hearing a def
mite policy on track extensions. Even
| IL it should be more economical to
wait while longer before building
new tracks, 1t is the general belief
| that the commission should at least
announce where it believes the new
| tracks should go.
Builders of apartment houses and
office buildings. it is pointed out.
will continue to place these structures
| on or near 14th street and Connecti-
cut avenue until they know where
| another north and south line is to be
\ built.
This. it is contended. will tend to
two car lines. If investors knew
! where new car line would be built.
, it is said. they would be encouraged
1 to build near that thoroughfare and
| thus bring about a more even de-
| velopment of the city.
I Companies to BE Heard.
| Both street railway companies will
| be prepared to tell the commission at
| the hearing Wednesday where they
| believe new trackage should be laid.
| If the commission should decide to
| order immediate construction of new
lines. such action probably would
preclude the possibility Of reduction
! in the rate of fare at this time.
! William f. Ham, president of the
w. r. and E.. already has indicated
that his company is willing to do its
share of the necessary expansion of
trackage if the company is allowed
| to earn a reasonable return.
j. II. Hanna, vice president of the
| Capital Traction Company, does not
!.expect to discuss either the rate OF
| fare for the future or needed track
1 extensions prior to the hearing.