Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-25
ASKS ELIMINATION
| OF NIGHT PARKING
Group includes Ban in Con-
geSted Area in Morning
Among Plans.
Continued From First Page.)

governmental agencies, which form the
Automobile Parking Committee, in the
belief that the automobile terminal
problem is of such importance as to
challenge the best constructive efforts
of those who are responsible for COM
munity developments"
The committee believes that the prob
lem can be solved economically and eff
fectively only on the basis of adequate
facts, and the survey was undertaken
with this idea in mind and with the
further idea that "henceforth buildings
and city planning might take cogniZance
Of the implications of the parking and
garage problem If serious consequences
are to be avoided"
The committee states in its report
that the Government building program
in the triangle area and other critical
traffic conditions have rendered "im-
perative and immediate evaluation of
the problem"
"The Automobile Parking Committee
of Washington presents these conclu-
Sions," declares the report, lin the be-
lief and hope that their application will
bring immediate relief and eventually
q complete and permanent solution of
the troublesome and costly problem of
parking"
Expects Problem to Grow.
THE committee believes that the flu
ture development of Government areas
and a more intensive use of land areas
within the central district, even without
| the present height limit of buildings,
will greatly increase the automobile
terminal problem. According to the
report, street widths in the central dis
| trict offer no special advantage, for the
| tIOI. Il
ments and street parking is relatively
limited.
In comparison with other cities,
Washington is revealed in the report as
| a community of distinctly more than
normal automobile ownership" The
report contains figures showing the
population and number of automobiles
owned in Washington and several other
cities of similar size. Based on the 1880
census and automobile registration
there are three persons for every au-
| tomobile in Washington, which shows
greater number of automobiles than in
Boston, Buffalo, San Francisco and st.
| Louis.
Automobile registration" continues
the report, lis substantially higher with
respect to population than is the case
in other cities of similar size. The
| Gordon count reveals the movement of
26S,671 vehicles in and out of the CEN
trail business district on a typical day.
| Comparison with earlier counts indi-
| cate that Vehicular traffic through the
central district is growing rapidly.
| Other cities Of similar size show
lesser vehicular concentration A study
OF personal movements indicates that
the automobile serves necessity as well
as other riding requirements. The de-
mand for parking facilities now exceeds
| the eHective supply, and additional
| provisions must be made If this form
OF transportation is to develop"
| Results Of Check Reported,
The report states that not only are
the curbs of the central business district
saturated" with parked cars, but much
OF the surrounding area carries almost
| as heavy q burden. In reaching this
conclusion, checks were made on the
area bounded by Rock Greek, Florida
avenue, U street. First street northeast
and street southeast. The check was
made on June~a, 8, 4 and of this year
and over 1920 cars were recorded in
| this study as parked at the curb. with
more than ITO additional double parked
Thirty typical bio ks in the central
district show parking overload from $50
am. until pm, ranging for 80 Sc
iected blocks to as much as per cent
IN excess OF the legal capacity. In GER
tain individual blocks the overload was
found TO be as much as 100 per cent in
excess OF legal capacity 1t is stated
mat OF 1858 parked cars observed T.
zI1, or 17.8 per cent, were in violation
OF the letter or intent of the regulations
respecting the manner of parking Ap-
proximately / out of every 90 cars was
found In double line.
study OF 1887 cars, parked in 25
business blocks, revealed the fact that
approximately so per cent stayed less
than 80 minutes and that 988, or per
cent OF the total, stayed from 3 to 10
hours, occupying 329 per cent of the
available one-hour spaces.
Summarized for Stores.
"The customers transportation study"
continues the report, las summarized
Tor seven department stores, reveals the
TACT that at least there is some basis for
the tradition respecting the special
value OF So-called carriage trade as
sales to automobile customers average
more than 81 each, as compared to an
average OF $2.67 for other classes. The
relative purchasing power of automobile
customers, as well as their unusually
large numbers. present the question OF
adequate automobile terminal facilities
as one of the critical merchandising
problems of downtown Washington.
1T is to be questioned If even the
present number of automobile GUS
toners can be accommodated indefi-
nitely under present parking conditions,
which are far from convenient. Cur
rent tendencies in decentralization
would seem to suggest negative
answer Business, however, cannot re-
main static-it must continue to grow
or decline. A very pertinent question
would be: How can an additional 10
or IS or IS per cent increase in auto
motive patrons be expected, with an
existing practical Saturation OF ter
minal spaces?"
The report goes on to say: Parking
saturation is q definitely limiting factor
on the accessibility of the central dis
trict. Unless relieved, it will tend to
discourage continued or increased use
of the district by the automobile shop
per- who Is shown by the study OF de-
partment stores to constitute Al per
cent of transbuying power. II not en-
couraged these shoppers VIII tend 10
seek markets with greater terminal con-
venience and will, thereby. foster the
movement toward decentralization.
Inconvenience Found.
The report declares that actual nelo
operations OF the experience OF custom
ers with curb parking shows delays
and inconvenience of sufficient sever
ity to warrant immediate action.
"Store employees" adds the report,
"show a substantial use of the automo-
bile as a means of personal transpor-
sation, and in use of curb space are
deemed to be in direct competition with
potential automobile patrons"
The transportation requirements OF
Government employees, according to the
findings of the committee, form one OF
IT, most important and crltlcaI
aspects" of the traffic situation IN TINS
CITY, The committee says that efficient
operation of the Government and main