Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
TWO MOVES START
TO SOLVE PARKING
DIFFICULTY HERE
BiCentennial Official Will Seek
Provision for Cars Expected
Here in 1882.
ROBERTS TO PROPOSE
MUNICIPAL GARAGES
Cruising Taxicabs Are Barred From
Seventh Street Business Area
During Daytime.


to aid in the solution Of Washington
automobile parking problem were In
itiated today, one by the George Wash
ington Bicentennial Commission OF the
District and the other by William A.
Roberts, assistant corporation counsel.
Holding that the parking situation
As one Of major Importance In connec-
ton with the George Washington BIZ
centennial celebration next year, DR..
George G. Havenner, executive vice
chairman of the District commission,
announced his plans to appoint a
special assistant to study the problem.
It will be the duty of this of1icer 10
confer with special committees OF the
Bicentennial Commission, ofncialS OF
the Federal agencies having Jurlsolction
over public parks, and traction company
executives, in an effort to work out
plan to provide adequate parking space
for the thousands Of prospective Bicen-
tennial visitors.
Urges Municipal Garages.
At the same time Mr.. Roberts an
nounced he intended to go before the
Federal Bar Association, at its meeting
November IS, and urge support Tor his
plan for solution of the parking PROB
lem-erection of a large municipality
owned garage, where automobile own
erS could park for nominal Zee OF 10
or Is cents day.
Mr.. Roberts made 1t clear that his
activities in connection with the Solu-
ton of the parking situation would be
as a member of the executive council
of the Bar Association, which has been
interested in the parking problem for
some time, and not as an official OF
the District. Details of his plan are
to be embodied in a special report
which he plans to submit at the forth
coming meeting.
municipal corporation be created and
that it be empowered to condemn
property for public garages.
Control of the garages would be
placed in the Public Utilities Commits
sion or some other District agency.
while actual operation would be let to
ccncessionaires who put in the highest
bids, with maximum charge for stor-
age fixed in their contracts.
Public garages operated under TINS
plan, Mr.. Roberts believes, could yield
a return of about 4 per cent on the in
vestrnent. If property is condemned
and thereby acquired at reasonable
price. he said, 1t might be possible for
the garages to operate on a small stor-
age fee of 10 or is cents a day.
Cabs Barred on Seventh Street.
The District Commissioners today
adopted a regulation prohibiting use OF
Seventh street, between Pennsylvania
and New York avenues, by taxicabS ex-
cept when they enter this stretch to
take on or discharge passengers. the
regulation, which applies only between
O'Clock in the morning and at
night is similar to the regulation bar
ring cabs from F and G streets in that
the burden of proof is placed upon the
cab driver to show that he had previ-
ously ascertained the need OF MS
vehicle on the street.
In explaining this regulation, franc
Director William A. Van Duzer reported
that approximately 80 per cent OF all
traffic on Seventh street consists OF taxi
cabs. most of them cruising on the look
out for passengers. AS result, he SAID,
the street has become so congeSted that
traffic on it Is exceedingly dlmcult 10
handle.
Another regulation adopted prohibits
U-turns on the same section OF SeVentn
street between the same hours.
Mr.. Roberts said his plan would have
four distinct advantages over garages
financed by private capital and oper-
ated by private interests. First he
pointed out. the rate of interest would
be low; second, the District could To-
cate the garages where they would pest
serve the public interest instead OF loca-
lions selected by private owners; tnlro'
property could be acquired by CON
domination at lower price. perhaps,
than private owner would pc IoIce1 "
pay, and, fourth, by placing operation
Of the garages in the hands OF the con-
cessionaires public officials could not
take advantage of the operators by de-
rnanding free parking space:
AS the public garages would take the
parked cars off the streets and enhance
the esthetic beauty Of washington, MT
Poberts feels that the Federal Govern
ment might be willing to aid III
financing the projects.
Outgrowth Of Criticism.
The two plans for solving the park
ing problem are an outgroWth OF tne
recent criticism of parking conoltlonS
in washington by the Commission OF
Fine Arts. Indications are tnat Itte
district Commissioners are planning 10
Give serious consideration to the Sit
uation. A,.o,,,
s232 Ellicott street, wrote to franc Dl-
rector william A. Van Duzer, criticiZing
existing parking conditions.
mo other city that know Of" ne
said. lis as lax In parking reSIricIloIIS'
nor as generous or wholehearted IN pro-
yiding free parking space "a hours per
day for its automobile owners as IS
washington" -..,,. l.,
this CITY" he added, where an mol-
Vidual owning both cars and garages
parks his own cars in the street and
rents his garages. This amounts TO per
hitting such an individual to gam a
revenue from the streets.
Owns Many Garages.
Mr.. Altemus said he owns one large
garage with accommodations for $50
cars, and 81 one-car garages. For the
last six months, he declared, the
average number of cars housed in the
large garage was from S to IS, whereas
40 of his 80 one-car garages are now
vacant.
In my judgment, unless conditions
are changed soon," he said, 1.-The Gov
eminent will have available many
garages, because the present owners,
I unable to pay the taxes on them, due
to their inability to rent them, will
lose them for non-payment Of taxes"
DR.. James Ford to Speak.
Plans for the Presidents Conference
on Home Building and Home Owner
ship will be outlined by DR.. James