Evening star., 1938-09-22
DISTRICTS HEADS
WILL RENEW BIDS
f. ON PARK METERS
All Previous Estimates Are
- Thrown Out for Second
Time.
SEEK LOWER PRICES
ON COIN-COLLECTORS
Commissioners Believe Fully
Automatic Type Is Best
Suited to Capital.

Suited to Capital.
= The Commissioners today prepared
to advertise for the third time in the
last two months for bids for the BIC
parking meters which are to be in
stalled along downtown streets fol-
the experiment ordered by Congress
at the last session. The third set OF
bids Is to be opened October 8.
Plans for Washington's trial of the
coin collecting machines were delayed
late yesterday, when the Commission
ers rejected the seven offers already
before them, deciding to install only
those meters of the fully automatic
type.
The set Of bids opened nearly a
month ago called for provision of 100
meters of the automatic type and for
2l0 meters of the manual" or semi
automatic type, the latter requiring
that handle be turned to place the
machine in operation after deposit
of coin.
Find Automatic Type Best.
In explaining the decision to limit
the meters to the fully automatic
type 1t. Col. David McCoach, jr, new
Engineer Commissioner, said it had
been found from tests that the fully
automatic type was more suitable, and
that most Of the meters of the man
'hal" type for which bids had been
received did not meet requirements
The Commissioners have accepted
: one of the bids received for provision
of 100 automatic type meters, but it
was believed that lower price might
be offered under new bidding for 80
meters, Col. McCoach added.
The first set of bids, received about
Two months ago, were returned to
the manufacturers unopened as re-
suit of protests from one manufac-
turer that the specifications were too
restrictive" Thereafter these specifl-
cations were revised somewhat and
new bids were advertised. These were
the ones before the Commissioners
yesterday.
Price Is $3.50 Each.
the low bid was received from the
Graybar Electric Co., Inc, Of Wash
Algton, which offered to. supply them
at $3.50 each. The only other bid
for this type Of machine came from
the Dual Parking Meter Co. of Okla
homa City. which called for payment
Of SIS each.
Bids from five other manufacturers
for the provision of 210 meters of the
manual type called for prices rang
ing from $2825 to $65 each. District
officials said that the manual type
Of meters which met specifications
had higher unit price than the low
bid received for the fully automatic
type.
~ Regulations designating the loca-
ton and use of the parking meters
were adopted yesterday by the Com
missioners shortly before they decided
to call for new bids for the machines.
These rules will be advertised before
they become legally effective. They
will come into use, however, only
after the meters are placed in op-
Grafton.
Area for Meters.
The meters are to be installed in
all available parking spaces on E, F
and G streets NV. between Ninth
and Fifteenth streets, and on the
north and south streets in this area,
and on Seventh street above E street;
along bank buildings on the west side
of Fifteenth street between Pennsyl-
vania avenue and H street NV. on
the north side of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. between Fifteenth street and
y Madison place NV, and on E street
In front of the District Building.
Motorists who occupy meter zone
where another motorist has not used
up all his paid-for time will have
to keep a close watch on the time.
according to an explanation of some
OF the rules.
Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer said that while it would be
legal for one motorist to take ad-
vantage of the unused time paid for
by . previous parker, he still could
not stay there longer than the total
Lllnc dllOI1lSIll. oOIIlt VI IllC 1iaCCSAo D
will be set for Commute limits, and
uothers will permit an hours parking.
The price in both cases will be 5 cents.
Hour Is Limit.
This would indicate in the case OF
a 20-minute meter zone that II a
motorist parked there when he could
have the use of 10 minutes left by
\ previous parker. he would have to
. return in 10 minutes. drop in arnickel
and move his car out Of the place
after he had used up but half of his
own time, assuming that there will
be rigid enforcement.
One of the other rules is that
rnotorist may not return at the end
Of his time limit and drop in another
nickel and by this means keep the
space as long as he wishes. Mr.. Van
Duzer said the purpose was to assure
\ rapid change in the use Of the
metered spaces to provide parking
facilities for a greater number Of
persons.