Evening star., 1941-10-30
Public Necessity
Status Is Urged
For Traffic Aids
Conry Cites D. c.
As VitoI City in
Defense of Nation
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

In Boston, to decree that improve
ment of traffic conditions In the
District sis public necessity and a
help to national defense"
The plea was made before a spe-
cial Senate subcommittee studying
the traffic problem as it resumed
public hearings on bills providing
for an increase from 2 to cents
in the local gasoline tax and author
izing establishment of municipality
owned parking lots on the fringe
of the central business area.
THE District Of Columbia Is the
center OF national defense" declared
Mr.. Conry. TT is essential that
every faculty should function with
watch-tool precision. A blunder
here might work damage from
Vladivostok to Archangel."
Burton Sees Blessing in Layout.
Chairman Burton interrupted Mr..
Conry to point out that it had been
his observation that In Washington,
cit doesn't taks as long to get from
one section to another" as 1t does in
some other large cities.
comparisons are odious.' replied
Mr.. Conry. but the traffic problem
here differs from that in most other
large cities"
The people Of Washington are
especially blessed by the layout of
the city's streets" continued Sena-
tor Burton. 'LEnfant, in laying
out the street system, provided ave-
nues that make every part of the
city accessible in a direct line. The
problem here is to seek a greater
degree of perfection than in other
cities"
Would Develop Facilities.
Declaring that transportation Is
the trunk of defense" Mr.. Conry
said the first thing that should be
done to give comfort for the Dis
trict and success for the Nation"
is to ban parking on the streets
as public nuisance" Second,
he suggested the Commission
ers be authorized to provide Off
street parking facilities either above
or below ground when reasonable
evidence is submitted of a demand
TO use such space on payment OF
fair rental"
His third proposal was that the
Interstate Commerce Commission
be requested to confer with Dis
trict, railroad and transit officials
as to the practicability of building
and operating through tunnels or
open cuts around the congested
section. a system of speedy trans
portation for residents Of the
suburbs
One-hah of the total cost of
building and operating an improved
transportation system, Mr.. Conry
said, should be paid by the Federal
Government, since such an i'm
provement would be a defense meas
ure as we'll as a public necessity.
Improper parking of automobiles.
he told the subcommittee, has
caused 'intolerable congestion" and
healthy public opinion asks that
the community cooperate with the
citizen in clearing the streets of OBJ
structions by providing safe park
ing space for private cars when not
in use"
Calls for Quick Action.
Many men are of the opinion
that no ban should be placed on
parking until sufficient parking
space is provided for the cars now
illegally occupying the streets" he
continued. II cannot support this
contention. Building and mainte-
nance of public street is due to
public necessity, the street to be
used for the benefit of the entire
public"
Mr.. Conry said plans proposed for
remedying the traffic situation
have merit on paper" but all mean
delay while the District wants i'm
mediate relief or at least promise
of early action.
Criminal negligence somewhere"
he declared lis responsible for
waste of time in getting from one
end of the city to the other
Gas Tax Boost Protested.
Washington I. Cleveland. manager
of the District Motor Club of the
American Automobile Association,
Endorsed the so-called fringe park
ing bill, but registered vigorous pro-
test against a 2-cent increase in the
gasoline tax.
He argued that District motorists
should not be required to pay more
than l cent additional per gallon
to help finance the long-range
Whitehurst traffic improvement pro-
gram and that the Federal Govern
ment, because its activities are con-
tributing to congestion, should "as-
sumo a substantial portion" toward
the cost of projects listed in the
program.
Mr.. Cleveland pointed out that
motorists, through the gasoline tax
and license and other fees, are now
bearing nearly 100 per cent of the
cost of highway maintenance and
development.
ITO expect organized motorists of
the District to pay the whole bill,
with the exception of highway aid"
he declared, sis unfair and not the
accepted policy throughout the
country"
OFF, Street Parking Asked.
Mr.. Cleveland declared terminal
facilities for parking cars in the
downtown area and on its fringe
are among the most pressing of
traffic needs, and urged that all new
construction homes, apartments,
hotel, theaters, Office buildings, both
private and public, be required to
have off-street parking facilities for
at least a proportion of tenants.
Commissioner Guy Mason imme-
diately told the subcommittee that
legislation would be needed to give
the Zoning Commission authority to
issue regulations to carry out such
plan
II didn't know that" remarked
Mr.. Cleveland. IF legislation is
needed, then we very definitely rec
ommend it"
The hearing today is the final
~ L.