Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.

In making its recommendation for
strict prohibition of double-line park
ing, the Automobile Parking Commit
tee of Washington, on which the Fed
eral and District Governments and local
trade and civic bodies were represented.
with traffice experts being consulted,
considered the question as 1t has work.
ed out practically in other cities.
"Double-line parking has no legiti-
mate place IN the trafIice scheme of any
city" says the committee at the outset
Of its proposals on this subject.
In the face of the fact that most
cities are combating this practice as
one OF the most serious factors In traffic
congestion and irregular parking COP
ditions, 1t is surprising TO find the fol-
lowing provision in the traffic and mo-
tor vehicle regulations for the District
of Columbia:
All vehicles must park within 6
inches of the curb where there is space
available, and If no space is available
within reasonable distance passenger
vehicle may stop parallel and as near
as practicable to parked vehicles only
long enough to take on or let of pas
Sengers, and commercial vehicle while
actually engaged in loading or unload
Ing merchandise, provided, that such
vehicles while so parked will not unrea-
sonably impede or interfere with traf-
fic.'
LiberaiIy Interpreted.
THAT this provision has been liberal
ly interpreted by the police and by the
driving public Is apparent to any casual
observer" continues the committee,
and it is revealed in the studies of
40. 653 parked vehicles, in which almost
1000, or approximately one in every 20,
was discovered in a double line.
"All reasonable convenience should
be afforded to the users of vehicles, and
every effort should be made to provide
adequate terminal facilities, properly
located, but 1t Is not believed that the
present practice can have anything but
very detrimental effect upon the
sound development of automotive equip
ment for central business district use"
The committee worded its fiuding
against automobile double parking as
follows:
1T is recommended that the provision
tolerating double line parking be re-
pealed Immediately, and there should
be substituted strict prohibition Of
the practice, to be made effective after
sufficient space at the curb has been
provided for loading and unloading"
The committee finds that double line
parking is partially the result of "laX-
Eess," and it says makes some drivers
unwilling to draw into the curb or
drive to a point where curb space is
| available.
It finds that the principal cause, how
! ever, of this evil is curb saturation'
| that leaves no spaces available for the
use of those vehicles which desire to
stop momentarily for the purpose OF
loading or unloading passengers OF
merchandise.
This USE" says the committee, sis
the most legitimate and profitable to
which the curbs can be put. The turn
| over is high, and the vehicle stands
no longer than is necessary for the
| performance of an act directly con-
nected with the business of traffic and
| transportation"
| Need Of Reserved Areas.
1t is declared by the committee that
| wherever double-line parking Is OBJ
| served because of curb saturation'
| the necessity is indicated for the ere.
alton of reserved areas, commonly calico
| loading zones. The central district
and many other districts in the city
the committee has found, require
much wider use of this regulation. j
| is true, admits the committee, that i
will eliminate number of curb space!
now available for time-limit parking
but it is believed by the committee tha
the great regularity of parking anC
freedom of movement will be more thar
ample compensation.
The members of the committee
whose names were not made public, a:
meetings were executive, diSsented from
the recommendation against double-lint
parking until convinced by actual tria
that some substitute method is work
able 1t is proper to say that both o
these committee members were repre-
sentatives Of the Merchants and Manu-
facturers' Association and were prob
ably looking at the problem mainl
from the viewpoint OF the storekeepe