Evening star., 1938-04-09
ADVICE Of PUBLIC
ON PARKING ISSUE
WILL Be INVITED
Capt. Whitehurst Announces
Suggestions vii! Be
Welcomed.
COMMITTEE WILL STUDY
MUNICIPAL LOT PLAN
Commissioner Hazen Suggests
Widening of X Street From
goth to 21st.

The public will be invited to lend a
hand in the latest effort to find at
least partial solution to Washing
tons increasingly perplexing parking
problem, Capt. H. c. Whitehurst, di-
rector of highways, said today.
Capt. Whitehurst. who is chairman
of the special committee named by
Commissioner George E. Allen to
study the feasibility of the pending
Dirksen bill for establishment of
municipality parking lots, said
the public will be invited to submit
suggestions to the group at its next
meeting-probably some time next
week.
We'll be more than glad to con-
slider any constructive proposals." the
highway director added
Broaden Scope Of Study.
Meeting for the first time yesterday
afternoon, for the purpose of discuss
ing financial plans for the parking
lots, the committee broadened the
scope OF its study to include variety
OF methods of facilitating the flow Of
traffic in the District. This was done.
it was explained, in the belief all
phases of the traffic situation are
closely related to the parking prob
lem in general, and the parking-lot
proposal in particular
Among the suggestions worthy Of
study by the group. it was decided. is
one calling for extension of the skip
stop system to street car lines and
bus routes in the downtown section
Other subjects deemed worthy of con-
sideration include the following:
The daily cost per automobile of
operating city-oWned lot.
The best possible locations for such
lots. Coordination of parking and
the movement of automobiles with
the general transportation system.
The experiences of other munich
palities in coping with the parking
and traffic problems.
Downtown Location Desired.
Possible locations for the parking
lots, it was agreed. should-for the
purposes of study and discussion. at
any rate-be near Government build
ings, on the edge of the downtown
area and even in more outlying sec
tions
The problem is an extremely COM
plex one" Capt. Whitehurst pointed
out, land We can't expect to solve
it overnight. We are determined. how
ever, to go thoroughly into all phases
Of it before making any recon-.
mendations"
Other members of the committee
are William A. Van Duzer. director
of vehicles and traffic: Vernon e.
West, assistant corporation counsel:
Edward A. Dent, District surveyor.
and John Nolen, jr.. of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion.
Hazen Urges Street Widening.
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen, as
his contribution to efforts to solve the
parking problem, suggested the WIDEN
ing of K street NV. from Twentieth
to TWenty-first. the scene of a recent
controversy over the right of K Street
Market dealers to park their cars and
trucks head-ln rather than parallel
to the curb, as required by the traffic
regulations
Funds for widening of K street from
Twelfth street to Connecticut avenue
have been provided by Congress. but
the cost of such a project in the blocS
in which the market iS locataS WOULD
have to come from the general high
way fund, it was pointed out. For
this reason, no definite action can he
taken on the proposal until Engineer
Commissioner Dan I. Sultan returns
from his vacation. probably about the
end of the month.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Hazen
has asked Capt Whitehurst to order
a survey of the area.