Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-20
More Police and Parking Lots
Ranked First in Traffic Needs

for additional police when 1t Is
considered that In 1880, when the
population of Washington was 1885,
800, there were 1852 men on the
force: yet, in 1910, when the popula-
ton has increased to 663, 153 per-
sons, the force numbers but 1,437.
If growth OF the force had been In
the same ratio as the population in
crease. there would be 1,7l9 police
men in the Metropolitan depart
ment. These figures are for the
District only; at the same time
that the population within the
District has been increasing. so has
that for the adjacent suburban
areas-people who. for the most
part. work in Washington and use
the city's streets. We believe that
an increase to the 1,7l9 mentioned
above is an absolute minimum.
With respect to the of street
parking item, our club was success
full early this year in securing pass
age of a measure directing the
District government to make a sur
vey Of off-street parking needs.
That survey is now being made, and
the A. A. A. has co-operated in it
to the extent of circulating q ques-
tionnaire among Washington motor
lists to determine their opinions on
the type of facilities needed, how
they should be provided, and other
details. In brief, the several thou
sand replies to the QUESTIONABLE
indicated that 80 per cent of the
motorists favor increased of street
parking facilities in the downtown
business district; IS per cent of
those answering think it should be
provided by the District govern
ment; rs per cent think private and
public parking facilities should be
declared a public utility and made
subject to regulation by the Public
Utilities Commission: 37.5 per cent
favor open-deck type parking
garages; ESQ per cent favor under
ground parking facilities; 22.2 per
areas, and 14.7 per cent voted for
eIlClOScu garages.
There was a wide variety Of
responses concerning fees to be
charged for such regulated facilities.
the majority favoring sums no
higher than IS to 80 cents per day.
Better Street Lighting.
With respect to our recommended
ton for modernization of the street.
lighting system, we need but point
to the improved traffic situation
which has resulted from the install
lation of traffic safety lighting in
number of other large cities, includ-
ing Detroit. Cleveland, Syracuse and
Los Angeles. Experience of these
cities shows that night fatalities
vary in almost exact proportion not
only to light, but to the degree of
light, and that accidents after dark
can be cut as much as 80 per cent.
We believe the separation of local
trafic from high-speed through
trafic, our fourth recommendation.
should automatically follow as a
result OF the comprehensive high
way planning and traffic safety sur
vey now being made jointly by the
District Highway and Traffic De-
partments and by the Public Roads
Administration.
On the subject of taxicab regula-
ton, all one need do to agree with
our recommendation We believe, is
stand on any downtown street
corner during the rush hour and
note the proportion of taxicabs to
other vehicles. Their slow move
ment in seeking to pick up fares
along the streets hampers the move
ment OF all traffic. since many Of
them are empty. The latest avail
able survey showed that during the
rush hours In the more congested
business district Al per cent Of the