Evening star., 1939-11-14
Curb Parking Space
In Downtown D. T..
Ha|ved Since 80
Main Business Area
Declared to Be Near
'Soturotion Point

A 5U per cent reQuctlOn IN CuTD
space legally available for automo-
bile parking in the Capitals central
business district has been effected
since 1880, according to report
submitted today by the Safety and
Traffic Engineering Department of
the American Automobile Association
to the A. A. A. Committee on Park
ing and Terminal Facilities, meeting
in the MayfloWer Hotel.
In the area bounded by Sixth,
Nineteenth and L streets and Con-
stitution avenue NV, the report
declares, recent surveys show 5,204
curb parking spaces, computed at
the rate of Is feet per car. except
the $40 parking meter spaces, meas
ured at 20 feet per vehicle. Rush.
hour prohibitions reduce this total to
$3.50 spaces between the hours of 8
and $50 am. and and pm.
In 1880, the report states. 10,4l5
legal curb spaces were available.
Near Parking Maximum.
That lack of downtown parking
opportunities is speeding the satura-
ton point for vehicular traffic enter
ing the business section is a factor
suggested by the study. 1t points
out automobile flow increase has not
kept pace with mass transportation
facilities traffic since 1880, the latter
holding an per cent advantage in
the gains.
Although a check of parking lot
locations indicates lots within 300
feet of any destination in the central
business area. except a few squares
west of the Ellipse, that park area
and part of the White House
grounds. it does not indicate ade-
quate offstreet parking facilities.
Only two lots of 15O-car capacity
or more are located within eight
blocks of Twelfth and F streets NV.
Solution of the city's downtown
parking headache apparently does
not lie either in more lots or OPEN
air garages, because of the inter-
vention of economic factors, accord
ing to the report.
As@AAu 0AuNS a dCkOIs
Current land values in the down.
town area preclude operation of
lots at all-day rates which would
appeal to the majority of car owners.
A cost of over $4,000 per car space
even in the interior of blocks in the
heart of the section would make
unfeasible opening of non-frontage
lots, such as have proved satisfac-
tory in Garden City, Long Island,
N. Y.
Some land would be available in
fringe" areas, 10 to 20 blocks from
the center Of the business section,
at relatively reasonable cost for con-
version into municipal lots, the study
indicates. It is emphasized, how
ever, that most users of such areas
would be obliged to travel from
parking lot to place of employment
by street car or bus.
Combination of parking fees and
incidental transportation cost would
not make possible an attractive
proposition for most motorists dur
ing the period of amortization of
original lot cost, it is contended, al
though use of parking-meter receipts
as an aid in making payments on
the land which would be acquired by
the District is suggested AS a posi-
bility.
The Committee on Parking and
Terminal Facilities is expected to
study the report at its session today
and make recommendations The
committee, formed two years ago to
consider parking problems in cities
throughout the Nation, is meeting
in conjunction with the A. A. AS
37th annual convention.