Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-05

CoHlIoHttng the street car com nantes
OF Washington
Washington's street railway system
must undergo complete change, sery-
ice must be speeded up and EQUIPMENT
improved, otherwise the car companies
never will win back the thousands of
riders lost to the private automobile or
cheap rate taxicab. This Is the opin-
ion of William A. Roberts. assistant
general counsel of the Public Utilities
Commission and keen student of tina
Districts complex transportation prob
lens.
Ihe transition, because of economic
and other conditions. will have In take
pace gradually. Mr.. Roberts believes
atCnougn there are several preliminary
moves the companies can make without
further delay, he said, which undoubt.
eoly would bolster up the now rapidly
oechnlng revenues. or these. he points
OUT quicker service Is paramount. The
very foundation of the success ana
popularity of the taxicab, in his opfrl-
lon' Is the speedier service it offers.
Proposes Radical Change.
Mr.. Roberts has a plan quite fan.
tastic, and yet fundamentally sound
Ior improving street car service ard
giving IT renewed public appeal.
Briefly, it is this:
First, establish zone system in the
downtown area with a scent rate Of
fare. Va
Second make the present system az
lose 70 rapid transit system as pos
Sioie without building subways.
InlrQ. nf0yidA q l0vy r. ~.
ice from the outlying residential CEN
LeIs 10 the nearby business sections.
which would appeal particularly to
shoppers who do not want 10 come
downtown.
A special scent service from down.
Town short-haul passengers, according
10 Mr.. Roberts, could be established
without delay and he believes 1t would
Immediately bring back to the street
| cars hundreds of persons now riding
IN lucent taxicabs. Cars providing
this scent service, he said. should rim
over short routes and on a fast sched-
uie He believes they should have a
distinctive color and make the trim
with the fewest possible stops.
Cites Boston System.
AS an illustration, he said. cars ON
Ine Georgetown line of the Capital
traction Co, providing a scent service.
snoulo not cover any greater distance
S S1a from washington Circle to Peace
street line running from Fo,Irteenth
street and Florida avenue to Peace
monument, and those on the Savent1
street line, from Florida avenue to the
Wharves W VAC
With the short haul-zone routes ss.
GaDnsneo, Mr. Roberts said, the COM
pahleS next could work toward ir,nrov-
ca service for communities outside the
none system. by developing a system
patterned after that in Boston High
speed cars bring passengers from, tho
SuDurpS to the centers of nonuIatio,,
ne explained, where they change IN
downtown. 'ei 'A0e
FarKlng areas for automobiles a1so
are provided at these transfer noinfs
tor residents In the suburbs who want
70 orlve a portion of the distance hl,t
40 40 hoC want TO bring the machines into
the congeSted business section whero
parking space is limited. Under this
arrangement the car Companies he
pointed out. attract a number OF mas
sengers who otherwise would never rjda
on street car. -'o
Urges Transfer Terminals.
The Washington street railway lines
MI NaI. ROBERTS believes. could put a SINH
Iar service into effect, and should take
steps to acquire property in various
sections Tor transfer terminals and
parking spaces for automobiles such
terminals In his opinion should he
established In Mount Pleasant George.
town. on Capitol Hill and at Fifteenth
and II streets northeast
with a transfer terminal in Georpe-
oo"n, Mr.. Roberts explained, residents
IN nearby Virginia communities Could
drive their automobiles to the ternojnai
parking lot, pay small fee for the
privilege OF parking the machine. board
street car and be hustled downtown
ouch cars should operate on an ex-
press schedule, with the fewest nos
Sioie stops, he declared, and traffic an
thorities should cooperate with the
car companies in working out a plan
.nsI Wouio permit the cars to give q
real express service.
The Mount Pleasant express service.
Mr.. Roberts said could be given on the
existing Eleventh street line of the
washington Railway 81 Electric Co.
This line. he declared, is now virtually
useless, and plan could be DEVELOPED
10 permit an express service on this
hne without stops between U street
and New York avenue.
People Willing to Pay.
Somewhere in the vicinity of the
northern terminus CT the Eleventh
street line, Mr.. Roberts said, the Wash
ington Railway g. Electric Co. could
establish transfer terminal with park
ing space for automobiles. Motorists
could drive there, park their cars and
take an express train downtown, arriv-
ing there in short time and without
the annoyance of driving around Look
ing for parking space.
The car companies, according to Mr..
Roberts, should recognize the limita-
ton of parking space downtown, as
well as the fact that person today
wants speedy service and willing to pay
for it. The thousands of expensive
automobiles parked in the downtown
business section, he declared. illustrates
the public's demand for speedier trans
portation
No one but the car companies them
selves, Mr.. Roberts declared. can be
blamed for the existing transportation
conditions. The companies, he said
could have experimental with a dozen
different plans to make car riding
popular. but thus far have failed to do
anything but complain about lost pas
ennOerg and Iaplff7frU rnyan1.oe