Evening star., 1938-01-16
To the Editor of The Star:
ON JANUARY there appeared an edi-

To the Editor of The Star:
ON JANUARY 7 there appeared an edi-
torial in your paper referring to the
elimination of parking on some of the
downtown streets of New York City. This
article states that great saving of time
has been made by motorists traversing
these streets and recommends that 1t be
tried at once on some of the busy streets
of this CITY,
It seems to me that the first thing to
be considered in making a change in
parking rules. or in any regulations gov
ernng automobile traffic, is that Of safety.
Secondly, that the effect such change will
have on the merchant establishments
located on the streets which are affected
by this change Thirdly, the convenience
to the public
Fast-moving traffic through the section
of downtown which is most heavily trav-
eled by pedestrians would constitute q
far greater hazard than that Of conges-
ton caused by parking on these same
streets. Hazardous not only to the autoist,
but far more so to the pedestrian. 1t has
been my observation that while a few
accidents occur in the downtown section.
far the greater number and the most
serious ones occur on the streets that are
not heavily travelled
Could Affect Real Estate Values.
The downtown section of this city is
not a residential section: it is retail area
patronized by every man. woman and
child living in or nearby Washington. Mer-
chants located in this locality have in
vested heavily in real estate and mer-
chandise, not only for thir own profits,
but for the convenience Of the public.
These merchants must be given serious
consideration. The effect upon their busi-
ness a discontinuance of parking would
have might be disastrous and vitally affect
the shopping district in Washington S
dcwtown area. Real estate and rental
values would be greatly disturbed and
financial losses taken not only by the
merchants. but by every property owner
in the downtown section. Assessments on
these properties would have to be mate
rally reduced, causing tremendous loss
In revenue to the District of Columbia.
Must We measure the handling Of auto
mobile traffic always with time saving
device especially designed for the motorist
who wants to get somewhere in a hurry?
Convenience for the motorist who goes into
the downtown area to shop should be
given first consideration. The shopper
comes to this section to buy the necessities
OF life. His or her purchase is the very
life blood that throbs through the veins
of this shopping area. If parking is BAN
ned downtown, where is the one going to
park who goes there to participate in the
very thing for which it has built up? Must
they leave their cars far away and walk
block after block in fair weather or foul to
purchase clothing food and household
goods, while the motorist who simply wants
to go somewhere in hurry monopolizes
the downtown streets? Let the downtown
streets serve the purpose Of the people most
vitally interested in its welfare, and let
the one who desires to drive across town
in hurry use some other street for that
purpose.
For the above reasons strongly OPPOSE
any further ban being placed on parking
IN the downtown area of this city.
A. w. MARSHALL,