Evening star., 1941-09-30
Senate 10 Get
New District
Traffic Bill
McCorron to Push
f-Street Parking
Legislation

Kansas, was requested 10 1nbrOQuCe
Immediately the Commissioners
new traffic bill, in a telegram re-
ceived today from Chairman Nc
Carran of the Senate District Com
mittee. Senator McCarran, who is
in the West, said the measure would
be taken up Immediately on his re-
turn to Washington. by a Subcom-
mittee which he heads
The Commissioners bill would
authorize the purchase of property
for off-street parking, and provide
for installation of additional park
ing meters.
This measure was the subject OF
conference yesterday in which
the Traffic Committee of the Board
of Trade Joined with Commissioner
Guy Mason and other District off,
cials. The subcommittee on parking
of the trade body is expected soon
to consider the bill along with a
plan now under consideration to
ban the loading or unloading of
commercial vehicles on principal
traffic arteries during the morning
and evening rush periods.
Support for these and other plans
was urged on the Traffic Committee
at the luncheon conference with city
officials which was held at O'Don-
nell's Restaurant. At the same time,
some criticism was voiced by COM
mittee members of the ruSh-hour
parking ban on commercial vehicles
Park Policy Hit.
From Inspector Arthur E Miller,
chief of the Metropolitan Police De-
partments Traffic Division, the COM
mittee also heard criticism of the
removal of all speed limits on major
park roads Inspector Miller de-
clared that this policy, inaugurated
by the Office of National Capital
Parks about a year ago, has handi-
capped the District police force in
its efforts to reduce the speeding
hazard on city streets.
Emphasizing that about half of
the Districts traffic fatalities are
caused by excessive speeding of mo-
torists, Inspector Miller declared
that police cannot depend on the
motorists judgment to reduce his
speed when he leaves park roads
and enters city streets.
He added that sometimes they
can't tell when they pass the park
limits, but Traffic Director Will
liam A. Van 'Duzer interposed to
say that signs are to be erected at
all park exits notifying motorists of
the speed limit on the streets they
are entering. Commissioner Mason
told the group that, If the Commits
sioners decide to order the rush hour
parking ban on commercial vehicles,
1t will be done as an experiment.
He admitted that 1t might cause
some inconvenience and added ex-
pense for merchants, but added that
I'VE can't make improvements with
out making some sacrifices"
Opening Times Cited.
When one committee member
pointed out that some stores do not
open in time to receive deliveries
before the morning rush-hour pc
riod, Commissioner Mason said he
believed it would be the Commits
sioners' duty to make a direct ap-
peal to merchants to cooperate by
opening earlier or making some such
arrangement to meet the new condi-
tions.
Capt. H c. Whitehurst, highway
director, urged support of the Com
missioners' request for off street
parking legislation, and explained
that the Motor Vehicle Parking
Agency, proposed in the bill, would
coordinate all phases of the park
ing problem. 1t is his personal
view, he said. that the agency should
include representatives of CONNER
cial and automobile interests, park
ing lot operators and citizenry.
This plan is worthy of a full
trial" he said
Traffic Director Van Duzer, citing
the Districts alarming traffic toll
this year, and the fact that more
than half of the children injured
this year are colored, said it was
clear that more off street play
grounds are needed for colored chill
dren. Commissioner Mason said the
Commissioners now are taking steps
to provide more playground facili-
ties.
Wider Staggering Suggested.
Mr.. Van Duzer suggested that
wider staggering of rush-hour traf-
f1c Is needed as result of the great
influx of Government workers since
the staggered-hour plan was placed
In operation some months ago. He
said this would tend to speed up
movement of traffic. In the con-
gested area, he pointed out, traffic
moves between 13 and 18 miles per
where the rate is about 812 miles
per hour.
Inspector Miller, voicing support
for the off-street parking program,
said drastic measures" are needed
to speed up the flow of traffic and
reduce accidents.
He urged full support of requests
for new policemen, declaring that
he could use at least 100 more men
in traffic work alone.
Capt. Whitehurst explained that
the District hopes to encourage pri-
vate interests to operate the pro-
posed fringe parking lots. He said
the Government is not interested in
operating parking lots, but that
neither does it want to subsidize
them. He added, however, that any
deficit in the operation of such lots
would be made up out of highway