Evening star., 1941-06-18
Whitehurst Parking Plan
Proposed to Save Parks
Fringe Auto Lots on City Outskirts
And Shuttle Buses Seen as Solution

the spaces WOulQ De reSuIlCIeQ 10
no more than 400 or 500 car capac-
ity. Further, 1t was suggested that
they be sdvantageously located to
serve the parkers with places OF
employment relatively near.
In brief, it was believed that
the District government, perhaps,
should take the initiative in es-
tablishing the first parking facility OF
this kind, leasing it later on a
suitable basis. Legislation, of course,
would be necessary.
1t was not believed that private
developers would undertake to es-
tablish fringe parking facilities, Ger
tainly until suitable low-cost short
haul transportation were available.
Public subsidy would be the only
means upon which such operation
could be based and then only in
limited quantity the report stated.
Question Of Payment.
The question of payment charges
no doubt would raise in the event
the Navy Department or some other
defense agency should succeed in
getting "squatter's rights" to occupy
certain downtown park areas. But
park officials are not crossing that
bridge until they come to it.
There was also the question of
whether such parking concessions
on Government reservations should
Lon t,tr IN tho "A1foFn md
Recreation Association for opera
'tion. as a semi Government agency,
or whether they would be operated
by individual Federal agencies or
leased to private operators. In
either event. considerable portion
of the revenue would be diverted to
the creation Of additional recrea-
tional areas, if the park officials are
given say in the matter.
Secretary Knox having returned
to Washington from Montreal, it
was probable that a showdown"
between the Navy and Interior De-
partmentS would come soon on this
question of using the public parks
for the convenience of additional
automobile riders Although Navy
officials had diSclaimed making a
demand" on Secretary Ickes for
parking spaces. some of the latter's
right-hand men complain bitterly
OF "high-handed tactics" used by
their neighbors across the way.
System at Fault.
On the other hand. they concede
that the parking and transportation
system in the West Potomac area
is woefully at fault for the thousands
of Government workers employed
there. Restrictions on taxicabs dur
ing the rush hour cause an addi-
tional handicap.
The staggered hours for releasing
departmental workers have helped
the transportation system consider
ably, but workers still have to 90
downtown to board the Virginia
buses. 1t is practically impossible
during the rush hours for private
automobiles to pick up workers at
the curb outside either the Navy or
Munitions Building.
Then, to add to their troubles, it
is almost impossible to get either
bus or streetcar transportation after
the rush hours, without long and
indefinite waits.
Must Walk Half Mile.
1t is not unusual for some of the
Navy and Munition Building workers
to walk a half mile, or even a mile,
to their cars parked on distant road
ways along the river front and near
the Tidal Basin Water Gate.
This problem could be better
solved. it was claimed, by shuttle
bus services going to and from
fringe parking lots outside the CEN
tral district.
Underground parking spaces in
the downtown area or even in the
parks are not being considered Sc
riously because of the great cost
involved. And unless President
Roosevelt orders it, surface parking
lots in the National Capital Parks
will not be approved. Interior De-
partment officials said.