Evening star., 1927-05-22
SIXTEENTH STREET
TRUCKS STIR ROW
OVER ESTHETICISM

Continued from First Page.)
traffic. 1t is maintained that the
physical character of the street, with
an upgrade from u street to Euclid,
together with the fact that truck
drivers make no especial effort to keep
over to the right curb, creates a gen.
uine traffic nuisance, which has it's eff.
feet on thousands of private car own
ers. Whether the motoring host thus
impeded outnumbers the group served
by the products handled by the trucks,
and thus should be favored in the
Commissioners decision, is a point diff
ficult to determine.
Considered from purely a traffic
point of view, the trucks are declared
to resent more of a problem on upper
Sixteenth street, where they are not
barred today. than they did on any of
the thoroughfares from which they al
ready have been banished. The hill,
which subdues the heavy vehicle to a
crawling pace. and the enormous vol
ume of private car traffic are the fac
tors involved in this conclusion. !.
Observation of traffic above U street
substantiates this allegation against
the trucks. Not one of approximately
so noticed on the hill was over to the
right curb, where the regulations
specify slow vehicles must travel.
TLey were not in the center of the
street. Instead, the majority Travelled
directly up the middle of the right
half Of the thoroughfare, making it
impossible for the fast.moving passen-
ger "ars to pass without getting over
the white line. A regulation permit.
ting passing to the right, such as has
been recommended to the District
Commissioners. would serve to permit
more cars to pass than Is possible now
with the trucks traversing the middle
of the thoroughfare. Several motor.
lists who took the chance of passing 20
tie right Of one truck during a par
ticularly heavy period of traffic sue
ceeded in getting by with less danger
than those attempting to pass to the
left.
Diversity of Opinions.
"Such a position seems to coincide
with the esthetic faction" says one
Sixteenth street resident, "but I am
considering the question from purely
the point of view of a car owner who
uses the street at least twice daily. : If
it could be shown that having the
larger number than were retarded by
having them there, my point Of view
could be changed"
No such temperate position Is taken
by the social and business groups in
volved in the controversy. The for
mer bases its demands for excom-
Of the heavy trucks upon
the fact that they are destructive of
the street surface and an eye-sore.
While favoring unrestricted use Of
the street by all types Of vehicles, bust.
ness interests declare there is more
logic and justice in the view Of the
on the issue than in
that held by the group arguing for
the esthetic side.
IF the question were put on an
issue of utility and it could be shown
that the heavy trucks were having
on Sixteenth street. there might be
a measure of logic and justice inclos-
l. e., it to them," said one business
leader, interviewed IF the trucks
really are killing off the arterial high
way advantages Of upper Sixteenth
street and there is no other remedy
than barring them, I think business
and commercial interests might be in.
clined to accept a verdict against the
trucks. But, putting it on an aesthetic
basis. 1t does not sound right"
Needed for Development.
A much more vigorous stand in
favor Of the truck users is taken by
another business man, associated
with several large enterprises, who
declares that "the development of the
city must not be hindered by the
adoption of regulations which would
stultify its growth by preventing the
r aSca uo 0f xyohicloS EyI,iCh are
essential to the great work of up.
building a sturdy community.
ut would be wonderful to have
Washington the most attractive city in
the world. But that is impossible un.
less the men who are striving to make
Washington such a city are allowed
to use the carriers which are vital to
the task. In proposing to rule heavy
trucks off Sixteenth street the very
ends which Washington is trying to
gain are defeated"
Still another point of view, one that
regards the ends of business as likely
to be served by banishment of the
trucks, is offered by merchant, who
says:
1T would be a good thing for busi-
ness II the thousands of shoppers who |
use their motor cars to come down. |
town could be assured the use of a |
main artery without dreading the |
often dangerous contingency Of thread |
ing their way through heavy trucks. |
In this respect believe that the bar |
ring of such heavy vehicles would be |
a genuine boon to business. 1t would |
furnish the shopper-motorist with a |
direct lane of travel to the downtown |
section, a thoroughfare free of slow |
moving trucks and limited to the faster |
traffic. 1t would help business by TAX |
ing away some Of the dread which |
many motorists. particularly women |
drivers, feel regarding the trip down |
town.
Esthetic View Given.
The perspective of the social group
which Is standing for banishment of
the trucks is represented in this typi-
cal statement:
1T Is unthinkable to imagine giving
over street as markedly beautiful as
Sixteenth to an unceasing flow of
huge trucks. Washington has been
designed to be a city beautiful, and 1t
never can be developed to it's proper
destiny unless it is kept free of harm
full and unsightly traffic.
There Is no necessity for marring
the appearance Of a thoroughfare so
as@t5