Evening star., 1943-04-16
New Bus Line
Across Town
Is Authorized
Experimental Service
Via Military Rood
Ordered by PUG

The Public Utilities Commits
sion today ordered the establish
ment-on an experimental basis
of a new crosstoWn bus service,
effective May 9, which will oper-
ate between Wisconsin and West
ern avenues NV. to Fourteenth
street and Colorado avenue NV,
via Military road.
The new service was sanctioned
by the ODT with the understanding
there would be no net increase in
the yearly mileage in crosstown
bus service. This will mean a re-
duction of mileage on the H-2 line,
the main crosstoWn service, to COM
pensate for the Military road runs.
The commission, therefore, an
nounced the new service would be
experimental and that if the Mill
tary road service does not justify its
installation, its operation should be
discontinued.
Maintenance Costs High.
The commission said it had been
disturbed by the high mainte-
nance expenditures" on the H-2
service, caused by the fact the
kllngle road bridge is not sturdy
enough to carry the larger buses.
The small buses operated over this
heavily Travelled route are subject
TO severe wear and tear" on the
heavy grades along the route.
palgned for Military road bus
crossing for Rock Creek Park have
contended establishment of such
service would greatly tighten the
load on the H-2 line.
The route for the Military road
service will be from the Capital
transit Co. streetcar-bus terminal.
near Wisconsin and Western ave-
nues, over Western avenue, McKin-
ley street, Thirtieth place, Military
road, Concord avenue and Four
teenth street to the streetcar-bus
terminal at Colorado avenue. The
western trip follows this route in
reverse.
Route May Be Extended.
The commission said the route
may be extended at the eastern end
10 connect with the Georgia avenue
streetcar service, during rush-hour
service. Some 100000 bus miles per
year must be saved by changes in
the H-2 line to compensate for the
new service. The PUG said this
would be done, in general, by reduc-
ton IN the service during non-rush
hours and by turning some of the
H-2 buses back on the inner" sec
tlonS OF the line, such as at Tenlev
Circle, Park place and Seventh street
and at Michigan avenue.
Also the commission said th.
number of trips between Westmore-
land Circle and Tenley Circle NAV
De reduced from the present week.
day number of 140 to about IS. the
number OF runs from Tenley Circle
10 Park place from 266 to about 22O.
The PUG explained that operation
J OF the new line only to Fourteenth
street and Colorado avenue instead
OF 1urther east as civic groups had
requested, still would afford contact
with the J-2 buses, which operate
between that point easterly along
Kennedy street and northerly to
Takoma, as we'll as providing con-
nectlon with services to business
centers on Fourteenth street.
The commission today also Or
dered the establishment of shuttle
bus service during short periods of
morning and evening rush hours, to
operate on Nebraska avenue NV.
between Tenley and War circles.
This begins next Monday morning
and is primarily for the benefit of
employees of the Naval Communica-
tlons Center. The new line is onlv
for the duration of the war. One
bus is to be used, to make four trips
In the morning before a m. and in
the evening after 4:3O pm.