Evening star., 1937-02-21
TRANSIT DEFECTS
.L|STEDBY CITIZENS
Committee Outlines Needs to
Traction Official, Who
Promises to Seek Help.

Deficiencies of transportation facili-
ties in the Northeast section of WASH
ington have been listed by an in
vestigating committee of the Rhode
Island Avenue Citizens Association.
Various complaints, rendered by res
idents under jurisdiction of the ave-
nue. group and probed by the commit
tee, composed Of John L. Fowler, War
rem S. Nigh, Clayton c. Marsh, Will
liam ]. BYne, Mrs. Frances j. Crilley
and E. G. Sievers, we're outlined be-
fore w. B. Bennett, assistant to the
president of the Capital Transit Co.,
at special meeting recently.
Emphasis was placed on the follow
ing points. cited as most in need of
correction" and as offering the best
prospect" of giving immediate relief
to transportation difficulties:
The citizens want an extension Of
night service beyond the present
schedule of 1890 am for busses and
am. for street cars. This affects the
Hyattsville-Laurel, Brookland-Twen-
ty-second and Shepherd streets and
East Riverdale bus lines and the
Mount Rainier Riverdale Beltsville
street car service.
Want Downtown Loop.
To avoid alleged delays incident to
the present operation of street cars
on the Rhode Island avenue line
(eastbound) from terminals at Cabin
John and Washington Circle, the as
sociation stated the need for estab-
lishment of a downtown loop east
Of the Treasury preferably Eleventh
street,. It was also pointed out that
this plan would relieve the over
crowded condition of the cars, which
is described as having reached ca
pacity limits" before crossing Four
teenth street.
The committee declared definite or
ders are needed to compel cars return
ing to lexington car barns from the
suburban terminals to stop for patrons
who wish to make use of this service
as far as it goes. 1t was alleged that
on numerous occasions street cars la
beled Lexington" have passed by
passengers who could have made con-
nections with bus line at points be-
fore the car reached its destination.
Coordination Of street cars with Bla-
densburg road busses at the Fifteenth
and H streets terminal was declared
lacking"
Seek New Cars,
Terminating the report the COM
mittee presented a statement for the
ALLEGATION to the Rhode Island ave-
nue. service of flair" proportion of
the newer and faster" street cars,
which will be displaced on the Four
teenth street and Mount Pleasant
lines when the purchase is completed
of 46 new cars of the Presidents con-
ference type, in relation to the popu-
lation Of the Northeast community.
John Fowler. committee chairman,
stated that 10000 persons reside with
in the associations territory.
In reply to the association report,
w. B. Bennett attributed part of the
Transit Co.'S defects in street car
service to the extensive rerouting pro-
gram recently. Enumerating extern
sions and improvements made in bus
service since the merger, the lowered
cost afforded by the weekly pass and
the company's plans for the purchase
OF new street car equipment, he prom
ised that prompt study and "imme-
diate action" would be accorded GER
tain of the listed complaints. He as
sured that "all practicable relief"
would be given.