Evening star., 1942-09-15
Capital Transit
Protests New
Bus Plan
Sixteenth Street
Proposal Called
Impractical

Plans for institution Of new
type of express bus service on upper
Sixteenth street NV, outlined to-
day at public hearing before the
District Public Utilities Commission,
drew protests from the Capital
Transit Co. that the plan was a
mathematical formula which ignores
nbny practical considerations.
Attending the hearing were spokes-
men for numerous organized groups
from several communities in the
District and nearby Maryland. Some
of these we're expected later in the
day to urge q commission order for
express service for upper Sixteenth
street, but others were expected to
protest against an element of the
plan which calls for elimination of
bus service on Alaska avenue be-
tween Georgia avenue and Sixteenth
street.-the northern end of the So
bus route.
Engineer Developed Plan.
The plan was championed by Carl
w. Harris, a PUG engineer, who
developed the proposal under the
direction of Gregory Hankin. PUG
member and former chairman, on
the basis of the much advertised
origin and destination" survey.
Mr.. Harris, the first witness, under
continual hammering in cross
examination by S. R. Bowen of
company counsel, agreed that the
plan would cause inconvenience to
the public and trouble" for the
company in the beginning, but he
argued that after the new arrange
ments had been shaken down" the
results would be worthwhile.
He said the plan was inspired by
the call by the Office of Defense
Transportation for saving in bus
mileage, tires and gasoline and a
shifting of as many riders as possible
from bus service to streetcars.
Start at Eastern Avenue.
In brief, the plan calls for Ger
tain Sixteenth street buses to start
at Eastern avenue, run local to
Underwood street and then express
to downtown points: others to start
at Underwood and run local to Tay-
lor and become expresses there, and
others to start at Taylor and run
local to Euclid street and then be-
come expresses. Some of these
buses would go to terminals at
Constitution avenue and Seven
teenth street, some Sixteenth and
streets and some to- Eleventh street
and Pennsylvania avenue.
Mr.. Bowen brought out that with
the elimination of the Alaska ave-
nue. section of the So route the
people in that area would be ex-
pected to walk either to the Georgia
avenue carline or to the Sixteenth
street bus, When Mr.. Bowen asked
Mr.. Harris If he thought those
people would walk, the witness re-
piled, Il should think they would"
but he said he could not say how
many would be involved.
Mr.. Bowen then brought from the
witness statement that If the rider
missed his express bus, he could ex-
n,
point the witness argued that resi-
dents of New York City, having a
similar problem of catching certain
trains, do not miss those trains and
are able to get to work on time.
Will Make 1t More Difficult.
When Mr. Bowen asked the wit
ness to explain about the shifting
Of bus passengers to street car lines
Mr.. Harris replied that the plan
was based on the idea that those
who logically should use the electric
line should use it-and the plar
will make it more difficult for them
not to-
Mr.. Bowen brought out that the
PUG engineer had based his plan or
the idea that the express buse.
would be loaded to full capacity ane
that those buses not so loaded wer,
to be transferred back to local serv.
ice. Mr.. Harris said it was estimated
that the express runs would saw.
about six minutes trip, but tha
this applied only to those startins
from the upper reaches of Sixteenth
street.
He added that he could not nov
estimate exactly how many bus mile
would be saved, or exactly how man,
company patrons would still have t,
or want to ride local buses insteat
of the expresses; that the plan o
necessity must be started on al
experimental basis.
When Mr.. Bowen argued tina
Washington now was filled will
strangers and wanted to know
what would happen to one VIII,
got on an express by mistake an,
wanted to get off before he 90
to downtown Washington, Mr.. Harri
replied, THE only thing to do woul,
be to let him ride down to K stree
and take the local back"
Montgomery Officials Protest,
Protests by three members of tn
Montgomery County Board O
County Commissioners and by L.
Col. E. Brooke Lee, Democratic can
didate for Congress from the 6tI
Congressional District of MARYLAND
against proposed elimination of bu
service on Alaska avenue were file
with the commission before tn
hearing began.
The commissioners statemen
signed by Board Chairman Thoma
E. Hampton, Odorion w. Roby an
r. w. Farmer, declared that sus
pension of the Alaska avenue Lin
would be distinct inconvenienc
to $4,000 persons who live in tn
Silver Spring area"
Stating that the proposal woul
deprive Silver Spring residents {
direct bus connection with "impoi
tant" locations in Washington an
Virginia, Col. Lee revealed that til
commissioners are considering e
tablishment of county operate
parking fields at Capital Trans
terminals at Wisconsin avenue ar
Western avenue and at Georgia av,
nue., Eastern avenue and Alasl
avenue.
Takes Over Airline
The Bolivian government recent