Evening star., 1938-11-04
Fairgrounds
Parking Ban
Advocated
Civic Spokesman Ask
Prohibition to Stop
Traffic Deaths

%
General support for prohibition
of automobile parking beside play
grounds during the hours of their
operation was voiced today by
spokesmen for civic groups and by
public officials at a hearing before
the Commissioners.
The proposal was advanced by
Miss Elizabeth K. Peoples of the
Community Center Department and
others as one means of preventing
. recurrence of the wave of traffic
deaths among children, such as oc-
CURED last summer.
All speakers agreed with the gen.
eral objective, although there was
some disagreement over details and
some speakers took the opportunity
to oppose any blanket or general
extension of parking prohibitions
until ample provision has been made
for off-street parking facilities. Ap-
parently this was in reference to
the current revival Of the debate
over the suggestion for ban on
all-night parking.
Technical Study Ordered.
The Commissioners named COM
mittee of four officials to make a
technical study of the proposed
playground parking ban and tc
bring in final draft. Members are
Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer, DR.. Thomas w. Gosling, as
sistant superintendent of schools;
Miss Sibyl Baker, supervisor of
Fairgrounds, and Assistant Corpo-
ration Counsel Edward w. Thomas.
! George E. Keneipp, manager of the
Keystone Automobile Club, declared
parking of vehicles alongside of or
opposite Fairgrounds constituted a
serious hazard when in locations
where there was any danger of chill
dren inadvertently walking into the
street from behind parked vehicles.
He said his club favored the grant,
Ing of authority to the traffic di-
. rector to restrict parking at such
times and in such places near play
grounds as he found necessary.
However, Mr.. Keneipp added, I'VE
do not favor the indiscriminate pro-
hibition of parking everywhere in
the vicinity of Fairgrounds, because
we fell 1t would be unduly burden
some"
Opposes General Extension.
Washington I. Cleveland, manager
OF the District branch of the Amer
lean Automobile Association, agreed
that prohibition of parking on the
side OF the street adjacent to play
.grounds would help, but he said his
organization was opposed to any
general extension of parking rcsrric-
lions until provision is made for of
street terminals where the cars could
be placed. He described the play
ground area plan as an isolated mat
ter and urged the Commissioners to
60 far beyond that in handling the
whole parking problem.
Commissioner Melvin C.. HaZen,
with chuckle, then interrupted:
''Do I understand that you are in
favor of banning all parking?"
was not until and if ample off,
street parking is available to take
care of all the cars" He added that
while he did not expect the District
government to bear the cost of off,
street parking facilities, he thought
the Commissioners could help.
Miss Bayer said children should
be trained to cross streets at the
crosswalks at intersections and asked
that study of Fairgrounds be made
with view to placing entrances to
Fairgrounds as near as possible to
the crosswalks. She emphasized
that lack of fences around play
grounds Is a cause of part of the
problem.
Whitney Leary, chairman of the
traffic advisory council, gave gen.
eral approval to the plan as de-
scribed by Mr.. Keneipp.
Arlington Example Cited.
Harry S. Wender, speaking as
chairman of the Traffic Safety Com
mittee of the Federation of Citizens
Associations and as representative
OF the Southwest Citizens Associa-
tion, approved the proposed regula-
ton and argued that Washington
should follow the example. of Arling-
ton County in requiring that any
new apartment house development
must provide off street parking ia
cilities.
George A. Corbin, president of
the Manor Park Citizens Associa-
tion, suggested that the rule be
limited to possible ban on parking
on the nearside of streets alongside
OF Fairgrounds. Questioning the pos
sible effect of the regulation as now
araWn, he suggested the need for
q technical restudy, which was or
dered.
Support for the plan came also
from Mrs. Ernest William Howard.
speaking for the District Federation
OF Women's Clubs, and Mai. Ernest
w. Brown, superintendent of police,
and Mr.. Van Duzer.
Louis L. Bowdler, president of
the Society of Natives, approved a
ban on parking on the nearside of
streets adjacent to Fairgrounds, but
protested that any general extension
OF parking restrictions should con-
slider the lack of sufficient off-street
parking facilities.
October Crashes