Evening star., 1941-03-23
Schultz

CCnuICe
Continued From First Page.)
recommendations have been adopted
and are embodied in this report.
Since the subcommittee started
its investigation in the latter part of
January, 1t should be noted that the
number of traffic deaths has fallen
sharply.
Jams Called Worst Problem.
THE subcommittee makes the fol-
lowing recommendations and urges
their approval by the full District
Committee:
Il. The most pressing problem, in
the opinion of the subcommittee, is
the expeditions movement of traf-
flc. Numerous complaints have been
made and justly so, that 1t takes
longer to drive l mile in Washing
ton than in any other metropolitan
city. Traffic jams are not uncom-
mon, even during the non-rush
hours, when vehicular movement is
not at its peak.
This condition is due to a num-
ber of factors. the chief one being
this piecemeal. patchwork planning
of the past. Apparently there has
been assad lack of coordination and
long range planning in connection
with the traffic problem.
Inevitably, the situation will be-
come more serious from month to
month, and year to year, as WASH
ington expands. Steps should be
taken Immediately to meet the prob
lem, not only from the standpoint of
the needs of next year, but in the
future years when the population of
the city grows beyond the 1000, 900
mark.
Solutions Offered.
'The subcommittee believes that
the only logical solution is the con-
struction of either a series of SUBJ
ways for motor vehicles exclusively,
or a series of elevated highways pat
termed after the Pulaski skyway in
New York. Continued widening of
the streets and the establishment of
more one-way streets will not solve
the problem. That fact already has
been proven.
These subways or elevated high
ways should be located primarily to
facilitate the movement of traffic
into and from the congested busi-
ness area and the Federal triangle
into which thousands of Federal en-
ployes are concentrated. Quick
transportation of these Government
workers TO and from their homes,
particularly during this period of
the national emergency, is urgent
from a standpoint of efficiency. A
traffic tieup that delays these en-
ployes in reporting for duty on time,
costs the Government thousands of
dollars.
In planning the location of these
subways or elevated highways, and
the method of financing. a compre-
hensive survey should be made as a
preliminary step. The subcommit-
tee believes that a special board
composed of a representative of the
Federal Bureau of Public Roads, the
director of highways of the District
of Columbia. the chief engineer of
the Public Utilities Commission of
the District of Columbia and the
budget officer of the District of Co.
lumbia, should be created to make
this survey without delay and file
a report with House Committee on
the District of Columbia not later
than June 80, 1941.
Progress Reports Proposed.
Preliminary reports should be filed
with the committee monthly to show
the progress of the survey.
THE final report of the survey
board should show in detail:
"(a) The exact location of the
subways or elevated high
ways.
"Cb) The estimated construction
cost per mile.
"(c) The merits of subways versus
elevated highways.
"(d The method of financing.
I'm connection with the cost of
financing, the subcommittee believes
this is a joint problem for the Fed
eral Government and the District
OF Columbia, since the Federal Gov
ernment is largely responsible for
the existing acute traffic problem
and must find a way to get its
workers to and from it's Office build
ing without undue delay.
THE subcommittee is of the
opinion that the most equitable plan
of financing would be to increase
the local gasoline tax from the pre-
sent tax of 2 cents to 4 cents a
gallon. 1t is estimated this additional
2 cents tax would yield about $780,
600 year in additional revenue and
the Federal Government should be
adequate to finance a comprehensive
program of subway or elevated high
way development, which should be
completed in at least five years.
Upon completion of this program
the gasoline tax should return to 2
cents a gallon.
Uniform Signs Favored.
1.-TWO: The traffic department
should be urged to make more uni
form its signs for no parking park
ing one hour only etc. Presence
of dozens of varieties of these signs
on Washington streets only serves
to confuse motorists. 1t appears
to your subcommittee that in most
instances one sign conspicuously
displayed should be enough for one
block. 1t also appears that a gen.
eral resurvey should be made of the
one-way street system which has
become a hodge-podge also confus-
ing to motorists.
Three: Traffic lights should be
refined in accordance with scien-