Evening star., 1936-05-25
BY JOHN HI, CLINE.


The Public Utilities Commission is
firmly convinced" that construction
of subways should be treated as
last resort in attempting to solve the
problems arising from the operation
of mass transportation lines in Wash
ington.
Subway construction in the down.
town area has been advocated by
Peoples Counsel William A. Roberts
and other persons interested in the
transportation problem here. They
take the view that present measures
to improve the situation will at best
prove only temporarily beneficial and
that ultimately subways will have
to be built.
Before issuing its orders requiring
track changes in a rerouting pro-
gram that will cost the Capital
Transit Co. some 81, 700, 900, the Public
Utilities Commission gave serious
consideration to the question of sub
ways. AS a result of this study, the
members of the commission came to
the conclusion that the need for
immediate improvement in the service
was imperative and that better results
could be obtained by arrangement
of the present surface transportation
facilities.
Abandonment Not Urged.
Despite this unfavorable attitude.
however, the commission did not come
to the conclusion that consideration
of future subway construction should
be abandoned. The members realized
that conditions affecting mass trans
portation here have been getting pro-
gressively worse, and probably will
not get any better. Particular study
was given the growing tendency to
concentrate the bulk Of the city's
working population in a relatively
centralized area, which can be reached
only by travel over streets con-
verging in the downtown district so
as to form a series of badly congested
traffic bottle necks.
With this future prospect in mind,
the commission, in preparing its re-
routing orders, gave due consideration
to the question of whether, in reason
able probability, the changed track
layouts would continue in whole or
| in part, even If at later time the
construction and operation of sub
ways should be found necessary.
Pointing out that traffic congestion
here during rush hours has reached
point probably not equalled in any
city of comparable size, the commits
sion acknowledged that attempts to
give relief by widening streets had
proved of temporary benefit only.
The reserve capacity created by
widening of streets has been absorbed
by increased population and addi-
tional automobile registrations Large
sums of money have been spent on
these projects and in providing me-
chancial means to regulate traftic,
yet the inability of traffic to flow
smoothly because of street conditions,
has reulted in loss of time to every
one and considerable expense to the
transit company.
Tremendous Cost Seen.
As against these undesirable con-
ditions, however, the commission en-
phasized the cost of subway con-
struction that would serve a use
full purpose would be tremendous.
The commission also has stated
its belief that it would be unsound,
both financially and from an oper-
ating point of view, to consider a
subway system unless it would be of
substantial length.
"The value of tunnels for short dis
tances is highly conjectural," mem
bers of the commission said, and
1t is seriously doubted If their cost
would be justified by results attained.
Portals to such tunnels would not
enhance the beauty of the. city and
would encroach on roadway area re-
quired for general vehicular traffic"
Roberts has urged a system Of SUBJ
ways serving the congested district