Evening star., 1941-11-27
Snow Parking
Ban Goes Into
Effect Dec. IS
Committee ExpIoins
Reasons for Order on
81 Miles of Streets

The Districts annual snow-re-
moval parking ban will go into
effect December IS and run TO
March IS, making illegal automobile
parking between am. and 8 am.
Or some 81 miles OF Washington
streets, under plans perfected by
q committee headed by 1t. Col. Bev-
erly c. Snow, Assistant Engineer
Commissioner.
For the first time since the ban
was used some years ago, District
officials this year issued 10-page
mimeographed statement explaining
reasons why the plan was used
and answering numerous questions
about it's purpose and operation.
Because of protests raised in the
past against the ban, Col. Snow said,
it was decided this year to stage
something of an educational cam
paign before the ban went into
effect.
Protest Timing.
Heretofore, protests have been
based principally on the fact that
the ban on the night time hours
went into effect December Is, re-
gardless of whether a heavy snow
fall was predicted for that day or
the next or the next. In reply,
District officials have asked how
they could clear the streets of snow
if it had fallen on parked cars and
showed them under at the curb.
They recall that whenever this has
happened in earlier years, before
the ban was used. municipal officials
were roundly denounced for their
inability to clear the streets Of
snow.
Under the current appropriation
act. the commissioners are auth
orized to expend up to $4,000 out
OF highway department funds for
snow removal purposes. any sums
so spent to be restored by supple
mental appropriations.
Snow removal expenditures in the
District can vary from $4,000 10
more than 100000 a year, depend
ing on the severity Of the winter,
and depending upon availability of
funds, the committee said. The
major cost is for hauling of snow
from some Is miles of business
streets, in the downtown section and
along arteries in outlying business
areas. on bridges and important
intersections.
Point to Objective.
The purpose of the ban on park
ing from 2 to a-n..' on the desig-
mated streets listed under the ban,
the committee said, is not for the
physical removal of snow by haul
ing, since the cost OF a wholesale
snow removal program would be
prohibitive, but to make it possible
to plow snow up on the curb so as
to open to traffic the whole width of
the street
Without this ban" the commit
tee added. "a serious traffic condi-
ton would exist following a heavy
snow due to the narrow width of
roadway left for traffic after bulky
wlndrows Of snow have been placed
against automobiles parked at the
curb"
Public cooperation was asked by
the committee as means of limit
ing costs to the minimum while still
making an effective attack on the
snow problem. Property owners
were urged TO clean their sidewalks
promptly, but not to shovel snow
into the cutters or streets, where
1t might block traffic.
Members of Col. Shows COM
mlttee added warning that in
time of heavy snow motorists should
not attempt to drive cars without
chains. They reiterated that snow
from private property, especially
gas stations. parking lots and bar
beque stands, should be piled on
private property but not thrown on
public space