Evening star., 1932-07-14
OPENING HIGHWAY
TO OBUSSES FOUGHT
Only Limited Communter
Service Is Asked by Fair
fax Residents.

Vigorous opposition to the granting
of permission for more than limited bus
service on the Mount Vernon Memo
rial Highway. and that only on the
southern portion of the road between
Alexandria and Mount Vernon, devel-
oped at the public hearing this morn
ing before Lieut.. Col. U. S. Grant. Sd.
who is weighing the question of allow
irg bus service on the highway.
More than a score Of residents of the
lower end of the road appeared to ask
for permission for the Alexandria, Bar
croft g. Washington Rapid Transit Co.
to operate hourly service on the high
way between Mount Vernon and Alex
andria
A., B. & w. Only Applicant.
The A, B. & w. Co. was the only
applicant for permission to operate COM
mCter service, the other applications
being from local and QUITO town sight
seeing companies and Washington utili-
ties who seek permission to run char
tered coaches along the highway.
Presenting the petition of about 100
residents OF the lower portion of the
road, Gardner Booth, attorney for the
A, B. & w. Co, argued that at the time
the right of way of the old electric line
which once served that section was re-
moved, those residents were assured
they would have adequate transporta-
tion facilities when the Memorial High
way was completed.
William F. Roberts, corporation coun-
sci, offered the most vigorous opposition
to the granting Of bus use Of the high
way declaring the Washington Public
for granting regular routed service
through the District Of Columbia to
what is generally known as the Mount
Vernon Memorial Highway route, that
is, from the business district out onto
the Mount Vernon Memorial Highway
by way of the Lincoln Memorial and
the Memorial Bridge"
Opinion Is Reserved.
He said the commission reserved its
opinion as to the necessity for sight
seeing buSSeS being routed through
washington to the Memorial Highway,
IN the Of the n1
adequate bus service by other routes
without routing additional busSeS or
buSses now on other routes over the
Memorial Highway.
Representative Howard Smith of Ar
lington County declared he saw no rea-
son for any regularly scheduled bus
service between Washington and Alex
andria. but advised Col. Grant he did
see a limited need for bus service below
Alexandria. He suggested the director
Of the Office of Public Buildings and
Public Parks, under whose jurisdiction
granting any bus service so as to pre-
serve the park aspect and memorial
sacredness of the scenic highway.
Harry Fellows, president of the Ar
lington County Board of Supervisors,
reiterated the statement Of Represent
ative Smith. R. E. Toms, chief of the
division of designs of the Bureau of
Public Roads, who had charge of the
construction work on the Memorial
Highway, read a statement from the
Bureau of Public Roads, which pointed
out that the Memorial Highway was
especially constructed to accommodate
local bus traffic. He declared that at
considerable expense paved turnout
stops were built at 10 points along the
highway and shelters for persons wait
ing for buSseS erected.
Col. H. H. Dodge Appears.
Appearing also in favor OF bus
service for the lower end Of the high
way was Col. Harrison H. Dodge.
superintendent of Mount Vernon, who
declared the staff at Mount Vernon
and those persons living along the
lower end are not now adequately
served by the present bus line which
runs over the Fort Hunt road, and
would benefit greatly by the Inaugural
ton of service along the Memorial
highway, at least as far as Alexandria.
The hearing opened with the state
ment of all of the bus companies seek
ing permission to use the road, out
lining the type Of service they sought
to give.
L. R. Caller, representing the Wash
ington Sightseeing Motor Coach Own
ers' Association. which includes the
Blue, Bl4tk q White, Grey and other