Evening star., 1934-04-24
ALL-N|GHTPARK|NG
BAN IS AG|TATED
BY POLICE SURVEY
Finds Present Garages Can
House 86 Per Cent of
Automobiles.
VIEWS OF CITIZENS
ASSOCIATIONS SOUGHT
New Downtown Restrictions May
Be Extended Rather Than
Lifted.

While traffic officials indicated tn,
parking ban in the downtown ares
may be extended. rather than lifted
despite the protests of merchants, tht
Department of Vehicles and Traffi,
made public today figures on the city,
off-street parking facilities, gathered
in a public survey, looking toware
complete elimination of all-nigh
parking in the Capital.
The department is now circulating
q QUESTIONABLE among citizens asso.
Citations in an effort to obtain theil
views on such a drastic measure.
Accommodations for Sc Per Cent.
The city has garage accommoda
tions for approximately Sc per cent
OF its automobiles at present, Traffic
Director William A. Van Duzer sale
today. Six or seven precincts are now
In a position to take care of all ve-
hicles on their streets. he said
The QUESTIONABLE directed to each
citizens association sets forth the
actual garage accommodations fol
automobiles in each associations ter
ritory. The various groups are asked
to submit their views on overnight
parking restrictions.
Taken by precincts, the availability
OF off-street parking for automobiles
is reported by the Traffic Department
as follows: No. !, 83 per cent; No. 2
IS per cent; No. 3, SO per cent; No
4, 106 per cent; No. 5. lib per cent;
No. 6, 1l9 per cent: No. T. 969 pei
cent; No. 8, Ill per cent; No. 8
69.3 per cent; No. 10, 631 per cent,
and No. IL. 1874 per cent.
Ban to Continue.
Referring to the downtown parking
ban, now in effect on F, G and Sew
enth streets, Van Duzer said there is
no doubt the experiment" would con-
tinue for the full 80 days it was or
dered by the Commissioners.
II am convinced" he continued
shat the only solution to the traffic
problem in the central area will be
the ultimate elimination of all park
ing. This, believe, is bound to come
soon" -
The traffic director pointed out that
statistics on vehicular traffic in the
District, based on gasoline consump-
ton here, indicate the use of the
automobile has increased SO per cent
during the last four years. At the
same time. he said. traffic restrictions
have been only slightly changed dur
ing this period
The Washington Board of Trade
and Merchants and Manufacturers
Association, meanwhile, continued to
receive protests from merchants on
the three streets against the parking
ban, as these two trade groups pre-
pared to meet tomorrow with repre-
sentatives of the Washington Chamber
OF Commerce and Seventh Street BuSi-
ness Mems Association to take some
action on the restriction.
Lamb Expresses Views.
In an address last night before the
Mld-City Citizens Association, Inspec
tor Benjamin F. Lamb of the TRAFFIC
Bureau, said, THE complete elimina-
tion of parking on downtown streets
Is the final solution to the traffic con-
gestion problem, and we might as well
get used to it now"
Declaring the parking problem to
be the most difficult now confronting
the Police Departments Traffic
Bureau, Inspector Lamb urged that
the 3o-day ban on F, G and Seventh
streets be given fair trial.
Discussing some of the manv COM
plants made by citizens against the
parking ban, Inspector Lamb read
from the report of Traffic Director
Van Duzer to the District Commits
sloners, in which the restriction was
recommended. The report pointed out
that not great deal of parking space
would be lost through the ban. be-
cause large amount of the space al
ready is taken up by shipping en-
frances or signs which prohibit Gus
toners from parking in front of stores.
He said the report showed that one
third OF the curb space on Seventh
street, approximately one-half on G
street and almost two-thirds of the
parking space on F street is now
taken up by store entrances and the
like.
Few Believed Shoppers.
Discussing the belief of merchants
that such restrictions in the business
section will have the effect of decen-
tralizing the shopping area, and af-
fecting their business, he said he be-
lieved "a very small percentage of
parkers are shoppers" The greater
part of the parkers are the business
men themselves and store clerks, he
said
MANY merchants have asked the
ban on parking be made during the
rush hours only, from 8 to $50 am
and from to 6 pm. Replying to
this, Inspector Lamb said this might
be all right in outlying sections, but
traffic in the business section is SC
heavy throughout most of the day
that a distinction could hardly be
made between the rush" and the
"slow" hours in this area.
COOLIDGE TO BE NAMED