Evening star., 1941-07-23
Hunter Assai|s
D. {. Hand|inq
Of Traffic
Coils 1t Pathetic
At Hearing on Cos
Tax Increase
BY JAMES f. CHINN.
Handling of traffic in Washing

Handling of traffic in Washing,
was described today as "pathetl
by Chairman Hunter of the Fisca'
Affairs Subcommittee of the House
District Committee as he opened
hearings on a bill that would in
crease the gasoline tax here from
2 to cents gallon to help finance
a proposed $44,50O,0O0 highway i'm
provement program.
Representative Hunter said he
had watched policemen at busy in
tersections during rush hours and
observed that some of them paid
no attention" to traffic unless there
was serious violation of the regu-
lations.
THE handling of traffic through
out most of Washington, he de-
clared, lis pathetic
Chairman Hunter made his COM
ment while Capt. H c. Whitehurst,
director of highways, was on the
witness stand, explaining the pro-
posed s445000OO highway improve
ment program and pointing out the
necessity for raising the gasoline
tax TO 4 cents gallon to provide for
its completion in eight years.
Whitehurst Explains Plan.
Capt. Whitehurst explained that
a l-cent increase in the gasoline
tax would bring in about s1,5O0.OOO
a year in additional revenue, while
a 2-cent increase would produce ap-
proximately S3000,000 He estimat-
ed that with a 1-cent increase the
proposed work could be completed
within II years, and that with 2
cent increase it could be completed
within eight years.
Capt. Whitehurst told the subcom-
mittee that plans in the program for
Improvement of approaches to three
of the bridges crossing the Potomac
Highway, Key and Memorial
would help relieve the traffic con-
gestion near these spans. In rush
hours, he said. traffic is DELAYED as
long as 40 minutes in the vicinity of
Highway Bridge.
Chairman Hunter was particularly
critical Of the situation at Highway
Bridge, which Capt. Whitehurst ex-
planned, would be remedied when an
overpass is completed at the inter-
section of Fourteenth street and
Maine avenue.
The trouble with both Key and
Memorial Bridges" declared Capt.
Whitehurst, lis not the bridge
capacity. but the approach capacity
Waiting to Testify.
Representatives of the American
Automobile Association and the Key
stone Automobile Club were waiting
to testify when the subcommittee
adjourned the hearing until Tuesday
! at 10 a m.
George E Keneipp, manager of
! the Keystone Club, said his organi-
zation would oppose the increased
/ gasoline tax until it had a better
understanding of the specific pur-
| poses for which the additional reve-
nue. would be used.
! Washington I. Cleveland. man.
ager of the District Motor Club of
I the A. A. A, indicated his organiza-
ton would not oppose an increase
of l cen7 a gallon to carry out the
extensive highway improvement
program, if the Federal Government
would raise its annual payment
toward District expenses to help
support it. The present Federal
payment is S60O0.O0O a year.
Would Lower Federal Share.
Representative Springer. Repub-
lican. of Ohio. who has sponsored
a bill in the House to increase the
local gasoline tax from to 4 cents
a gallon, testified he believed the
levy should be increased so the an
nual Federal payment could be
/ lowered.
Subcommittee members, however,
pointed out that any increased
revenue from the gasoline tax would
be applied to highway improvements
and would not bring about a cut
in the real estate tax rate.
Representative Bates. Republican.
of Massachusetts said in his opinion
Washington has a traffic problem
not equaled by any city in the coun-
try, and Representative Habert.
Democrat, of Louisiana expressed
the opinion that the best sources
OF additional revenue here would
be an increase in gasoline and liquor
/ taxes and local tax on cigarettes.