Evening star., 1932-07-10
OPPOSE BUS LINES
ON MEMORIAL ROAD.
Citizens Voice Opposition to.
Use of Mt. Vernon BouIe-
vard-Hearing Tuesday.

Widespread public resentment against
the proposal that bus lines use the
Mount Vernon Memorial Boulevard as
a regular commercial highway to carry
commuters back and forth between the
Capital and points in Virginia has been
aroused in the Capital, it was disclosed
yesterday
Pointing out that the road was built
for the enjoyment of the public and not
for the exploitation of bus companies,
who seek to run regular scheduled "ex-
press" trips between Washington, Alex
andria and other points along the high
way, public-spirited citizens, including
the heads Of the District and National
George Washington Bicentennial Com
missions, expressed their unqualified
disapproval Of any proposal that would
turn over the memorial boulevard to
the convenience of any private interests.
Hearing Set Tuesday.
The nine bus companies which have
asked permission to use the highway
will have their requests weighed at a
public hearing in the Office of Lieut..
Col. U. S. Grant, Sd, director Of the
Once Of Public Buildings and Public
Parks, Tuesday, and vigorous opposition
to the granting Of permission to run
commuters bus service is expected to
develop.
Opponents to the proposal take the
view that there are ample highway IA
cilities for bus lines between the Capital
and nearby Virginia points without
cluttering up the Mount Vernon Boule-
ward with the bus traffic travelling at
rush-hour speed. iockeying for position
and constituting an actual menace to
lives and property along the scenic
route.
DR.. George c. Havenner, executive d.
rector Of the local Bicentennial Com
mission and president Of the Federation
OF Citizens Associations, and Repre-
sentative Sol Bloom, associate director
OF the United States George Washing
ton Bicentennial Commission, were ex-
plicit in their demand that the high
way not be used for commercial pur
poses, but rather retain its park as
poets. and be preserved for the enjoy
ment Of the people, while the buses
carry commuters over other routes.
Said Dr. Havenner:
"AS citizen Of Washington, as presi-
dent of the Federation of Citizens As
sociations Of the District of Columbia
and as active head of the District of
Columbia George Washington Bicen-
tennial Commission, l most certainly
believe that the Mount Vernon Memo
rial Highway should be preserved as
park and not as a road for the con-
venience of bus companies operating
service to and from the District. The
regularly scheduled bus lines should
use other routes to Alexandria. Mount
Vernon and points south of Mount
Vernon and leave the great memorial
highway for the enjoyment of the thou
sands Of sightseers who visit the Capt.
tai and the historic points in the Old
Dominion to which the highway leads -
Mr.. Bloom declared;
THE park aspects of the Mount Ver-
non Memorial Highway should be pre-
served for the Nation and not rele-
gated to the convenience of people
travelling by bus between the Capital
and points in Virginia. There are other
roads the commuters can use which
would serve their purpose and preserve
for the American public, particularly
in this Bicentennial year, the beau
ties of the Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway"
A. A. A. Voices Opposition.
The heads Of two of the largest
motorists organizations in the country
also added their arguments against the
indiscriminate use OF the memorial
highway by bus companies.
"There would seem to be no reason
for permitting the operation of buses
on the Mount Vernon Memorial High
way on a fixed schedule merely tor
the TRANSFORMATION Of individuals 10
and from points in Virginia and wash
inpton or points beyond Mount YER
non" declared Charles P. Clark, gen.
eral manager of the American Auto
ynonile Association. "Other highway
facilities are ample for such buses ana
there is probably no necessity LOT use
of the highway in this connectlon'
he added.
Thomas J. Keefe, general manager
Of the American Motorists Assoclatloh
was emphatic in his denunciation OF
any attempt to use the memorial hlgh-
wav for commuter trafflc, declaring
"IJse of this great memorial hlghWay
bv regular bus service between WASH
inpton and Alexandria is out OF the
question. 1t would spoil the beauty ana
charm of this picturesque roadway.
THE American Motorists Association
stands foursuuare in its opposition TO
anv such plan. 1t would be dis
grace to the National Capital and the
Shrine to which the roadway leads Tor
it to be cluttered up with pusseS con-
tinually jockeying for position ana pas
sengers along the route ana enoanger-
ing the lives of motorists: Our Or
ganIzation will take every step to COM
bat such proposal"
Primarily a Park Area.
That the road was built primarily as
a mark project, for the enjoyment OF
the people rather than the business
expediency Of bus companies, was
pointed out by Thomas H. Macdonald,
chief of the Bureau of Public Roads
of the Department Of Agriculture. who
said. THE Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway is primarily park area and
I believe in preserving it as such. 1t is
the gateway to three major park de-
velopments, and in true sense is
memorial"
The following firms and organiza-
tions have been invited to attend the
public hearing in Col. Grants office:
washington Rapid Transit Co., Capt.
tai Traction Co.. Washington Sight
seeing Motor Coach Owners Assocla-
ton. the Gray Line, the Green Line,
the Capital Sightseeing Co, White
Line Tours, Black and White Sightsee-
ing Tours. Tidewater Lines. Alexandria,
Bancroft and Washington Rapid Tran
sit Co. Monumental Motor Tours, Inc,
of Baltimore, Terry Neifert and Major
the Arlington County Chamber OF Com
merce. the County Board of Arlington
County. the mayor Of Alexandria, the
Virginia State Highway Commission,
the Arlington County Civic Federation,
the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce
and the Arlington County Board of
Supervisors.
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