Evening star., 1941-02-20
Decision Withheld
As Hearing Ends on
Crosstown Buses
Utilities Commission
To Allow Time for
Additional Briefs

Decision will be withheld by the
Public Utilities Commission until at
least March 10 to permit any in
terested party or group to file a
brief on the proposed establish
ment of a cross-town bus line un-
der a ruling by Commission Chair
man Riley E. Elgen as a protract-
ed hearing on the subject was con-
cluded late yesterday.
One group of potential bus riders
had demanded a cross-town route
using Military road as the key link,
and another had insisted that Por-
ter street-Klingle road-Park road
should be the key to the route.
The latter ran into testimony by
Highway Director H. C. White
hurst that the Klingle Bridge
should not be permitted to carry a
load of more than 10000 pounds.
This contest was somewhat fur
ther complicated at the closing ses-
sion yesterday afternoon when Ma
than M. Lubar. representing the
Steering Committee of Citizens As
sociations, retreating from his for
mer inSiStence for a Military road
route. suggested what might be
called "a compromise route" This
new suggestion was intended to
permit the company to salvage" a
portion of its Park road route in
tie-up with the proposed cross
town line.
Salvage" Plan Doubted.
Dean j. Locke. staff engineer OF
the Capital Transit Co., declared
the latest proposal by Mr.. Lubar
would permit the company to SAL
wage nothing" He added "this
routing completely disregards fixed
habits of people living along these
lines"
The new suggestion from Mr. Lu-
bar would call for a route from
Westmoreland Circle along Massa-
chusetts avenue, Yuma street, Ne
braska avenue, Military road (croSS-
ing Rock Creek Park, which would
use the existing MA bus route, then
south on Fourteenth street NV,
east on Kennedy street, then along
Illinois avenue, Webster street, Sec
ond street, Rock Creek Church road,
Warder street, where the existing
H-2 bus line would be picked up"
then Michigan avenue. Monroe
street NE, South Dakota avenue
to Bladensburg road.
The portion of this route from
Warder street east is the same as
the existing eastern end of the pres
ent Park road line and the same
as the eastern portion of the cross
town line advocated by the propo-
nents of the Klingle road route.
Mr. Lubar and his group formerly
had insisted on northern cross
town line which would traverse
Western avenue, Military road,
Concord avenue, North Capitol
street, Hawaii avenue, Taylor street,
Twelfth street, Monroe street NE.
and South Dakota avenue to
BladenSburg road.
Compromise Opposed.
Mr.. Locke, who was on the witness
stand for the most of yesterdays
session, insisted that If any cross
town bus route used Military road
it should be a connection between
the streetcar and bus terminal at
Fourteenth street and Colorado ave-
nue. NV. and Chevy Chase Circle.
A.D. Calvert, president of the Lin
coin Park Citizens Association, a
member of Mr.. Lubar's steering
committee" pleaded with Mr.. Lubar
to withdraw his compromise plan.
Mr.. Locke and other company
spokesmen had declared they did not
think present conditions warranted
a crosstown bus line; that the pro-
posal for Military road route would
cost an annual gross of S105, 1872;
that the suggestion of Porter
street-Klingle road-Park road route
would cost an annual gross of $58,-
lis; that they did not think result
ing passengers would be enough to
cover the cost of either. Mr.. Locke
said the company would prefer the
lower route, and his suggestion was
for a modified" crosstown line, to
be provided by an extension of the
Bureau of Standards line to permit
a transfer to the Park road line.
This would be at regular token fare
and free transfer.