Evening star., 1941-01-12
Dirksen Demands
Quick Action on DC.
Traffic Problems
Remedy Is Needed,
Not More Surveys,
Representative Says

Demands for immediate action
toward solution of Washington's
"acute" traffic problems were made
last night by Representative Dirk
sen, Republican, of Illinois.
AS the ranking minority member
OF the House District Committee, Mr..
Dirksen said he would propose Gre
alton of a special subcommittee to
develop well -delineated program
for removing traffic "bottlenecks"
and eXpediting the movement OF
traffic.
"We have had enough traffic sur
veys to show us what causes traffic
congestion" he declared. Now is
the time to seek remedy"
Mr.. Dirksen said the speclaI sub
committee should be appointed with
out delay so a definite plan of action
could be placed before Congress at
its present session. Recognized traf-
fic experts from the Federal Bureau
of Public Roads and Harvard and
Northwestern Universities should be
called on for advice. he explained.
as we'll as representatives of the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission, the Fine Arts Com
mission, Traffic Director william A.
Van Duzer and Capt. H. c. White
hurst, director of highways.
Favors Elevated Highways.
Permanent solution of the traffic
situation, according 10 Mr.. Dirksen,
cannot be brought about by widen
ing certain arterial highways and
the construction of a few under
passes such as the one at Thomas
Circle and the one soon to be
placed under Scott Circle. Subways,
be explained, probably would provide
the solution, but would be too costly
now. Elevated highways, he believes,
would cost less to construct and
serve the same purpose as subways.
I'm not traffic expert and don't
know what should be done to i'm
prove the traffic situation here" he
declared. But l do know that
something should be done and done
without further delay. Whatever
is done is going to cost lot OF
money, but every year of procras-
tination will increase the cost"
Mr.. DirkSen said financing should
be worked out by the congressional
committee which tackles the prob
lem. He emphasized, however, that
the Federal Government should bear
a proportionate share of the cost,
since the great influx of Govern
ment workers in recent years is
partly responsible for the conditions.
One of the major phases of the
traffic problem, Mr. Dirksen said. is
the lack of adequate off-street park
ing facilities. He recalled that sew
eral years ago he sponsored a bill
giving the Commissioners authority
to condemn property for the erec-
ton of municipality owned and op-
Grated parking lots.
Need Called Greater Than Ever.
This bill died from inaction," he
declared. but the need for munich
pally owned parking lots is more
pressing than ever. Privately owned
parking lots are inadequate and the
rates they charge too high"
One of the first proposals for
an elevated traffic highway in
Westinghouse similar to the
Pulaski skyway in New York-was
made several years ago by Repre-
sentative Collins, Democrat, of
Mississippi, when he was chairman
Of the House Appropriations SUBJ
committee in charge of the District
appropriation bill. At that time
he suggested an elevated, high
speed boulevard closely paralleling
the Potomac River from Fourteenth
street and Maine avenue SW. and
the Anacostia River to the Mary
land line, where it would connect
with U. S. highway No. l to the
north. 1t was his idea that such
"skyway" could be used as a by
pass for north and southbound traf-
fic, keeping the latter out of the
congested sections of the city.
Since then, however, proposals
have been made for construction of
additional vehicular passes across
the Potomac-either bridges or
tunnels-that could be used to by
pass through traffic, and the 1912
District budget now before Con-
gress provides s250,O00 to begin con-
struction of an overpass at Four
teenth street and Maine avenue to
remove the traffic bottleneck" in
the vicinity of the entrance to
East Potomac Park and Highway
Bridge.