Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13
INCREASED FUNDS
|. MAY Be PROVIDED
TRAFFIC BUREAU
Senator Hastings Indicates
Congress Action on Re-
port OF Hearings.
6 OR 8 TECHNICAL MEN
NEEDED, HE BELIEVES
Closer Coordination by U. S. and
D. G. Agencies Suggested
as Important.

More liberal appropriations for the
Traffic Bureau. and a recommendation
for closer coordination Of effort among
all Federal and District agencies that
have any bearing on the planning OF
future trafic requirements may be pro-
posed as a result of the hearings just
completed by a Senate subcommittee.
The subcommittee has not met to
draft conclusions since the hearings
ended Friday, but Senator Hastings OF
Delaware, chairman, indicated yester-
day what his personal reactions were
to the testimony taken.
Senator Hastings said 1t appeared to
him that the Trafflc Bureau, under d.
rector Harland. is doing "a pretty good
Job" with the funds at its disposal. Re
ferring to testimony taken Friday as
to what some other cities are doing in
the way Of studying trafic trends and
planning to meet future traffic prob
lens. Senator Hastings said he thought
the local bureau should have at least
six or eight technical men to carry on
such work Mr.. Harland told the COM
nnittee he had only one technical man
available for this activity at present.
Would Relieve Company.
The Senator also said he felt as a
result of the hearings that 1t is mis-
take to have the salaries of the 81
crossing policemen paid by the trac-
ton companies.
The suggestion for closer co-ordina-
ton by Federal and District agencies
In considering future traf1c needs in
connection with city planning grew out
OF the testimony given by several wit
nesses that Thirteenth street Is too busy
a thoroughfare to be closed south OF
Pennsylvania avenue when the Federal
building program is carried out.
Senator Hastings indicated that he
does not believe Congress should at
tempt to pass on details of trafhc regu-
lation, such as the need for new light
at this or that corner, but that assist
ance might be rendered by directing at
tention to the need for co-ofdinated
study of future trafic needs by the
various agencies whose activities have
an effect on trafic.
Hearings and Objects.
The hearings were started primarily
to consider the suggestion advanced
earIy this year BY Senator Keari of New
Jersey that steps be taken to restrict,
gradually, automobile parking, but as
the hearings progressed the testimony
branched out into a general discussion
of WashingtonS future traff1c needs
Senator Kean was out of the city yes
terday, and until the subcommittee
meets 1t will not be known what recon-
mendations will be made regarding
parking.
There are indications, however. that
members of the subcommittee were i'm
pressed by the objections raised at
Fridays hearing to the abolition OF all
night parking. The protest against
preventing all-night parking was pre-
sented by Edward r. Williams and
w. w. Keller, who filed a petition on
behalf of 1900 employees of the naval
gun factory, and automobile owners
from every section of the city.
Estimate Parking Effect.
The attention Of the subcommittee
was attracted particularly to the es-
innate In the petition that 80 per cent
of those who park on the streets
would be compelled to dispose Of their
automobiles because of the additional
expense, If all-night parking is eliminat-
ed. Senator Hastings asked a number
of questions at the last hearing re-
garding this part of the petition. The
petitioners told the committee that an
all-night parking ban would be hard
ship on families with small incomes.
They also contended the city Is with
out sufflcient garages and that an all
night parking ban would increase the
cost of garage space.
Senator Smoot of Utah, in comment
ing on the traffic hearings, voiced the
belief that the 22-mile speed limit in
Washington is too low for the free
movement of traff1c, and that it is fire.
quently the cause of accidents. He
mentioned the Massachusetts, avenue hill
as an example of places In Washington
where '22-mile limit is not called for
Other large cities, such as Chicago, he
said, direct their efforts on keeping
traffic moving.