Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-22
Such Solution Declared to Be
Only One for Acute Traf-
fic Problem.
FISHER REPORT SHOWS
rs INTERSTATE LINES
Inspector Brown, Completing
Study of Congestion. Reports
Conditions to Be "Intolerable."
BY JAMES T.. CHINN.

Almost simultaneously oficials of the
Public Utilities Commission and the
Traffic Bureau renewed consideration
today OF the long dormant problem of
what to do with the big motor busses
engaged In interstate passenger service.
The increasing number of motor
buses operating into and out of Wash
ington, all having sidewalk terminals in
the so-called congested area. have
created an acute traffic situation. par-
ticularly on those streets where parking
space for private automobiles has been
limited by public vehicle reservations
and other restrictions.
The problem Is a perplexing one, and
It's only solution, according to the Of
ficials of the commission and Trafic
Bureau. lies in the establishment of 2
union bus terminal. Agitation for such
terminal was started about two wears
ago and abandoned after it appeared
almost certain that private capital
would be used to finance the project.
rs Lines Operating.
A report prepared for the Utilities
Commission by Earl v. Fisher. its exec-
utive secretary, shows that Is inter-
state bus lines are running into and out
OF Washington to all points, near and
1ar, and that their terminals have been
established at Is scattered locations. In
every case these buSses are parked on
tne streets during the necessary law
over.
While the trafic code limits the law
over period to 10 minutes to permit the
ousses to maintain their Schedules
Fisher declared that this regulation is
nagrantly disregarded, as we'll as the
regulation applying to all vehicles which
forbids parking abreast.
inspector E. w. Brown. in charge of
tne Tramc Bureau, who has lust COM
pieteo special study of the conres-
tlon caused by the busses on Pennsyl-
vania avenue between Fourteenth and
Fifteenth streets, said he found rom
d1tions to be 'intolerable."
1t seems to be the desire of all b,,sses
to establish terminal between Four
teenth and Fifteenth streets on Penn
sylvania avenue" said Inspector Brown
/ Between 40 and so buses come in anr;
leave that block every day. Under or
binary conditions this large number of
buses would create congestion. hit
their schedules send some Of them awav
from their terminals at 4:3O O'Clock in
the afternoon at the very height of the
rush hour. which intensiies the sit,ia-
tion."
Inspector Brown pointed out that
Cnree years ago he advocated a CEN
traliy located terminal, where the b,Isses
should be required to Law over off the
public streets. THE busses." he de-
ciared, should be taken of the streets
ana parked on private property. where
tney would not congest traffic and de-
prlVe private automobiles Of parking
space
One Terminal on Little Ninth.
Washington's only semblance of a
BUS terminal Is located on Little Ninth
street between C street and Louisiana
avenue. and this Is used by only sew
eral OF the rs interstate lines. The
busses which terminate there, however.
are parked on the street, as the facilities
OF the terminal are too limited to pro-
vide a space of the streets for the
layover
Fisher explained that the Utilities
Commission for two years exerted every
effort to interest real estate operators
and others in project to develop a
union terminal for the interstate busses,
but 1t failed primarily because of the
almost prohibitive cost of property in
the downtown section where it was pro-
posed to locate the terminal.
AAC NOuthliooAuti, DOIHIcQ OUT.
has no authority to establish and op-
crate a bus terminal. but it has the
power to order busses to operate over
a definite route to a certain point, and.
therefore. could require all motor buses
coming into Washington to terminate
at terminal erected by private capital.
Fisher believes it is not necessary to
locate the terminal in the contested
area where the cost of property would
make an investment in the project
somewhat dubious. A site outside of
the business district or in the vicinity
of the Union Station, he thinks, would
make a satisfactory location. A ter
minal so located, he said, would make
1t unnecessary for the big busses TO
come into the consested area, where
they add to traffic congestion.
Bus operators probably would object
to terminal outside of the business
area. Fisher declared. because some nj
them advertise that their service Is to
the heart OF the city in the vicinity Of
hotels. stores and theaters. Bus opera
tors desiring to give such service. ils
pointed out. could engage a fleet of
taxicabs which would give their pas
sengers this service to the business
section.