Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-03
MIDTOWN STATIONS
OF BUSES REMAIN,
COMMISSION RULES
No Change to Be Ordered
Until Terminal for Carriers
Is Constructed.
TWO OPERATING GROUPS
SAY READY TO BUILD
Chamber of Commerce in Favor Of
Interstate Depot in Bust.
ness Area.

The Public Utilities Commission ap-
parently has no intention Of compelling
interstate bus lines to abandon their
numerous stations in the downtown sec
ton for at least year. or until ade-
ouate terminal facilities are provided.
This assurance was given the oper-
ators by Maj Gen. Mason M. Patrick,
chairman Of the commission, yesterday
afternoon at the close of two days OF
hearings devoted to the various traffic
problems involved in the use of Wash
ington streets by interstate common
carriers.
Board FavOrs Terminal.
Meanwhile. the board OF directors Of
the washington Chamber of Commerce
has gone on record in favor of an in
terstate bus terminal. At meeting last
night the board recommended that the
terminal be located in the area bounded
by G.. L. Fourth and Thirteenth streets.
It expressed the opinion, however, that
such vehicles should be excluded from
streets or portions of streets which AZ
present are used to capacity.
The Public Utilities Commission. &C
eorcing to Gen. Patrick, has no inter-
est in promoting any single private en-
terprise and he indicated further that
the business district should nave sew
eral cooperative terminals instead OF
a single union station.
Testimony given by various utility
witnesses at the hearing developed 1t
would require from nine months to a
year. or possibly Is months, to erect a
suitable terminal to take care OF all the
fNako efafo hue
city.
Route Revision Sought.
One of the purposes of the hearing
Is the revision of bus routes in the con-
gested area boundaries. While the
commission has determined no question
definitely, 1t Is apparent from teSti-
mony given by operators and suburban
patrons that the downtown business
section is the only area for a terminal
that would be acceptable from the view
point of public convenience.
At least two groups OF operators
have told the commission they are
ready to go ahead at any time author
lied to construct bus terminals, and
as soon as the commission announces
what area would be suitable for such
q location the race to erect the first
station doubtless will begin.
Maurice Judd. representing the
Washington Bus Terminal Co.. Inc,
told the commission his clients we're
in position to erect a terminal with
in nine months after the ground Is
broken. While declining to reveal his
hackers, Mr.. Judd said the plan in.
volved q four-story structure Of the
monumental type. No other enterprise,
save the renting of Office space and
the operation Of concessions, he said,
would be conducted in the building.
Regulations Held Inadequate.
In aligning itself in favor of a bus
terminal, the directors of the Cham
Der of Commerce commended present
regulations covering the operation of
interstate buses are inadequate. In
the same resolution the board recon-
mended that suburban BUSES should
be allowed to continue picking up and
discharging passengers and should not
be excluded from the downtown CEN
trail business district
A plan of the Atlantic Coastal High
way Association now convenlng in
Norfolk, Va, to prevail upon the Bu-
reau of Public Roads to make q new
coastal highway, running from Jack
sonville. Fla, to Wilmington, Del, by
way Of Norfolk and Cape Charles. the
main North and Southeastern high
way, AAlo " lluHlOcI " AOuCC - Woo
vigorously opposed by the board. The
directors did not object to the high
way itself. but secuted the plan to
divert the traffic to the North and
South which now passes through Wash
ington and Richmond.
Efforts of the West Virginia Highway
Commission to build a direct route
from Charles Town to Largent, w. Va,
linking a new bridge completed four
years ago. and shortening the distance
between Washington and Cumberland,
Md, by rs miles, were Endorsed by the
board.
Thomas P. Littlepage, chairman of
the chambers five-year expansion pro-
gram, announced that la new mem
bers had been acquired during the re-
cent membership drive, bringing the
years total thus far to 623 new
members.
The board Endorsed the downtown
parking ban between to $50 am, and
commended Capt. H. c. Whitehurst and
other District officials for their work in
downtown street widening and planning.