Evening star., 1942-08-11
Action Delayed
On Arlington
Bus Proposal
Decision Is Put OFF
Until After Public
Hearing Tomorrow

Vanced by the Washington Re
gional Committee of Transportation
Administrators as a substitute for
the Van Duzer plane to halt Arnold
operated buses at Rosslyn during
all hours of the day.
While no definite action was
taken by the commission at its
meeting last night. officials indi-
Gated that it would be approved fol-
lowing a public hearing on the al
ternate plan at pm. tomorrow at
the Arlington Courthouse.
Under the counter proposal, Ar
mold buses would stop at the RosSlyn
terminal only during off-peak hours
and passengers would be able to
transfer to Capital Transit Co
streetcars at no additional cost.
Cars Held Inadequate.
An agreement concerning free
transfers would have to be drawn
up between the Capital Transit Co
and the Arnold company, since there
is no such agreement at present
Persons interested in the plan
were urged by the commission tc
attend tomorrow's hearing and ex-
press their views
According to survey made re-
Gently by commission officials OF
traffic over Key Bridge, facilities of
the Capital Transit Co. are made
ouate to handle the tremendous in
xy,t,i ioI,
would result from the transfer OF
patrons from Arnold-operated buses
to Transit company street cars dur
ing rush hours.
w. Glen Bixler. commission sec
retary, said that 20 street cars pass
Thirtieth and M streets NV. in g
l5-minute period during the morn
ing and afternoon rush hours. Any
additional street cars placed on thi,
line would result in terrific con-
gestion," he said.
Between 7:15 and 7:30 am. E
total of 392 passengers passed Key
Bridge in 10 Arnold operated buses
en- route to Washington, the survey
showed.
Off-Peak Traffic Light.
Streetcar passengers during this
same period totaled 48 in streetcars
while automobiles carried an addi,
tional 494, according to the survey
Between 4:45 and S pm, 1853 per.
sons passed Key Bridge in buse,
en- route to Virginia while six street
cars carried 1854 passengers. Auto.
mobiles carried an additional 50(
persons. the survey showed.
If all the bus passengers were
suddenly dumped on street cars,
Mr. Bixler asserted. "the transit
company simply would not be able
to accommodate them"
The number of street car passen-
gers carried in off-peak hours past
Key Bridge dropped sharply, it was
disclosed in the survey.
From 1890 to 10:45 a m, for ex-
ample, only six persons passed Key
Bridge in two streetcars, while 1873
persons were carried in five buses
Mr.. BiXler said the bus passengers
could be taken care of much more
easily by street cars at this time.
Between 2 As and pm. two stree
cars carried only five passenger!
past Key Bridge During the same
period. five buses carried IS pass,
engers.
In survey, also made by county
officials on May /, the average mum.
ber of passengers per car was 173
indicating that people have not vol
unfairly set up a program, it wa
said.
School Decision Deferred.
In answer TO a request by tht
Public Utilities Commission tha
county schools be opened one-hal
hour later in order to avoid conges'
ton, Fletcher Kemp, superintend
ent of schools, told the commission
that a decision on the matter will
be deferred until after the opening
of school.
The bus companies and I vii
then be better able to judge tht
conditions with which we are facec
and to make suitable adjustments,
he explained in letter to w. Gler
Bixler, commission secretary.
Noting that it is his desire tt
conserve gasoline, tires and othel
materials needed for the war effort
Mr.. Kemp thanked the group fol
its consideration of this question
and for your helpful suggestions,
The commission also was re.
quested by Franklin L. Lane, presi'
dent of the Arlington 81 Fairfa,
Motor Transportation Co., to con.
slider a change in the route travelled
by A. g. F. buses in Washington.
New Route Suggested.
In the event a new location fo1
the terminal of the company is be
lieved necessary, Mr.. Lane sug
gested that instead Of going nortt
| on Twelfth street NV, east OF
Pennsylvania avenue and south or
Tenth street, the buses be permitted
! to operate north on Fourteenth
street to the District Building, eas
| on PENNSYLVANIA avenue to Twelfth
/ street ana SOuLh on lWellIn SIreel
The new route, he said, 'Woult
undoubtedly relieve congestion OF
| the corners of both Twelfth ant
| Tenth streets NV. at Pennsylvania
avenue, and, in effect, make a saving
in rubber by shortening the presen
route within the District of Co
| lumbia"
The District Public Utilities Com
mission has proposed to move th'
A. & F. bus terminal from Tentl
street between D and E streets NV
to the west side of Tenth stree
south of Pennsylvania avenue
Sharp opposition has been expressed
by Mr.. Lane to this proposal.
Boy Severely Burned