Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25


The canvas was made as q diree
Traffic Director william II. Harland to
street between Thirteenth and Fourte
circles as the FIRST step toward the gr'
the coneested business area.
There are precisely l3l business {
to Fifteenth streets inclusive. The pl
asked specifically whether a prohibiti'
would be Objectionable. The remain
ing q could not be located after re-
peated calls.
Showing Of Survey.
Succinctly, the survey showed. aside
from the fact that 48 favor a prohibit
ton against parking, and 81 opposed,
S are not concerned what Is done with
respect to the parking problem, an
equal number are non-commital. and
one approves parking only for motor
lists who come to r street on mission
of business.
The r street merchants. the inter-
views showed conclusively, have an m
tense interest in the parking situation
and are vitality concerned with the va
rious suggestions for relief. Their chleI
complaint is against the cruising
taxicab and the lack OF enforcement OF
the existing parking restrictions, blamed
by maiorlty Of them for the con-
eested conditions and the lack OF avail
able parking space for customers.
AS the division indicates, there are
two Numerically opposed schools OF
thought among the r street business
men. Those who favor the elimination
of parking are confident that 1t VIII
come eventually anyhow. The oppon-
ents feel just as strongly that prohi-
bition against parking will be injurious
to business-that 1t will drive proSpec-
tive customers TO some other section
where parking may be done with I'M
punity.
Several amusing incidents were de-
veloped by the survey. In one case
merchant revealed he had kept sys-
tematic check on a car that parked
regularly in front of his establishment
and learned upon investigation at the
ONCE of the superintendent of licenses
that 1t belonged to another business
man on the same block, who admitted
he did not leave the car In front OF his
own place Of business because he want
ed the space for his customers.
The survey likewise brought to light
a number CT ideas that have matured
in the minds of the merchants for
solving the present parking problem
One advocated a reduction in the park
ing limit from an hour to 80 minutes
Unusual. however. was plan Of sub
way parking which would require the
excavation of the streets and the con-
struction Of parking stalls below the
surface. The merchant WHO advocated
this scheme was of the opinion that
the District could receive enough in
rental fees to defray the expense of
sucn a project.
Besides interviewing the business
men a check was made by The Stars
representative on the approximate
amount of parking space available on
F street between Eighth and Fifteenth
streets. and his estimate was 225 ma
chimes of average size. There would be
space for several hundred more save
for the regulations forbidding parking
at shipping entrances. street car load
ing platforms and within 10 feet OF
fire hydrants. In other words. the pres
emit area in which parking is prohibited
between Eighth and Fifteenth streets
is equal In size to nine blocks equiva-
leent to the one between Eleventh and
Twelfth streets. or slightly less than
six blocks of the size Of the block be-
tween Twelfth and Thirteenth streets.
In terms of cars, the space now
closed to parking represents about IS
per cent Of the total curb area. A ban
in one block alone, that from Thir-
tenth TO Fourteenth streets, on both
sides, 1t was estimated, would wipe out
space available for "a cars. whereas an
extension of the no-parking zone from
Thirteenth to Twelfth streets would
shut out 81 more machines. Twelve
cars can park without crowding be-
tween Eleventh and Twelfth streets,
and is on Ahe adjacent block from
Eleventh to Tenth. From Tenth to
Ninth, there is a decided increase. the
count there showing there Is space FOR
a vehicles. In the stretch from Ninth
to Seventh streets. however. the space
will permit the parking Of only Is cars.
OF the IS blocks surveyed. counting
one side as a block, went for no
parking. Y for parking, were evenly
divided and the remaining block was
evenly divided with the odd merchant
expressing his belief that there should
be no parking except for the customers
Of the merchant in front Of whose place
the vehicle was stopped. OF the Z
blocks included between Eighth to
Fifteenth, 1t was found the total showed
4 for no parking while 3 were for
parking.
From Eleventh to Fifteenth. both
sides Of the street showed total
ma jority for no parking of slightly less
than to /, although the south side
of one block was evenly divided. the
vote being 40 for no parking, l for
no parking except for customers. "a for
parking. while said they did not care
which method was selected. The two
blocks from Eleventh to Thirteenth
gave no parking 2la-to-1 lead. the
8 for parking and others neutral.
From Eighth to Ninth streets not q
vote was cast for no parking, and from
Ninth to Tenth parking again ran up
a big majority, the vote for parking
being II, while but evidenced their
belief in the value Of no parking The
combined vote on both sides of F from
Tenth to Eleventh also showed parking
to be in the lead with q 2-to-1 ma
jority, although the north side of this
block was evenly divided. The north
side of the block from Fourteenth to
Fifteenth was evenly divided also. but
the tie was broken for one side or the
other by the merchant who voted for
parking for customers OF the particular
store facing the parking space, but for
no one else.
Voting IL Close.
There were 80 lines represented in
the occupations surveyed, and OF these
10 were for no parking, IL for parking,
evenly divided and no opinions were
obtained from 5. Between Thirteenth
and Fourteenth streets on the south
side, where It is now recommended that
there be no parking, the vote was ex-
ceptionally close. Six were recorded as
in agreement with the director of traf-
fic, expressed themselves as preferring
a continuation of the existing arrange
ment and indicated a complete lack
of concern In the matter.
From Tenth to Fourteenth street
there was a general complaint about
the congestion on the street which, 1t
was said, was caused by cruising taxis.
Time and again The Star representative