Evening star., 1935-01-27
1880 Study Results Used.

AS basis OF comparison. the COM
mission used the study it conducted
under Lieut.. Col. U. S. Grant. Sd, in
1880. The survey last Spring vas
sponsored by the Public Utilities
Commission. Capital Transit Co,
Board of Trade, District Relief Ad-
ministration, the chief clerks of the
various Government departments and
the Planning Commission.
OF 10000 cards distributed among
Federal employees some $1,000 cards
were returned filled out. In addition
$4,000 cards were distributed through
the Board Of Trade. but the results
of this inquiry have not yet been
published.
John Nolen, jr. director of plan
ming of the National Capital Parks
and Planning Commission, pointed
out that in 1880 there were some
10000 Government employees here. In
1884 this number had increased to
80000, to all of whom traffic cards
were sent. Now, Nolen said, the Civil
Service Commission estimates there
are nearly $4,000 Government work.
ers here.
Charles Herrick, city planner of the
commission, was in charge of the
survey.
THE survey was conducted to OBJ
tain data needed in solving general
transportation problems in Washing
ton. with particular reference to re-
routing" Nolen explained. The Pub
lie Utilities Commission has been
given the results of the inquiry"
Improvement Suggestions Asked.
Mass transportation facilities in the
1930-l934 period have remained prac-
tically stationary, Nolen said. Among
the important questions asked in the
survey, he said, were: Would i'm
provement in street car or bus serv-
ice influence you to change your pres
ent mode of transportation?" and,
what suggestions do you have as to
improvement in service?"
OF those street car riders answer
ing, 1922 per cent were for improved
transit service and 81 per cent were
Tor better equipment. Nine per cent
wanted street traffic improvement.
Two per cent were for lower fares in
the form OF an extension of transfers.
Reroutlng interested 5.4 per cent and
those desiring substitution of busses
1or street cars numbered but eight
tenths of l per cent.
Seven-tenths of l per cent were
Tor better tracks. One and four
tenths per cent favored better parking
facilities. Express service found favor
with 4.6 per cent and, this category
included skip stops.
Few Wanted Subways.
Subways, much discussed question
now, interested only II per cent.
Nolen made it clear, however, that
this question was not prominently in
the public eye when the traffic census
was taken. Very few favored a
"stagger" system of Government
working hours. ->
Forty-seven per cent of the total
made no suggestions at all and street
car patrons had more improvements
In mind than had others. Among the
drivers of private automobiles, 8.5
per cent suggested better transit serv-
ice. Those Government workers
coming to and from work in private
automobiles as passengers registered
15.5 per cent bloc in favor of better
transit service.
Fifteen per cent Of the auto drivers
want better parking facilities and less
than 51A per cent of the automobile
passengers mentioned parking. Only
a small percentage mentioned public
nrovided marking spaces hit thnSe
that did expressed a desire to have
very cheap rates.
About SO per cent of the motorists
who are Government workers park on
the streets during their work hours.
the survey showed. Ten thousand
cars were parked on the streets, 2,8l5
were placed in reserved spaces fur
nished by the Government, 5000 were
left on parking lots and S6l put into
garages.