Evening star., 1945-11-20
AAA Offers Plan
To Ease PARKING
Problem Here
Four-Point Program
Backing Revived
Agency Proposal

Agency Proposal
A comprehensive program tc
eliminate automobile parking con-
geStion in the District is included
in program for the coming year
adopted unanimously yesterday by
the District of Columbia Advisory
Board of the American Automobile
Association.
In addition to listing specific prof.
ects for which the board will cam
paign, the program enunciates a
four-point program of support for
the recently revived Motor Vehicle
Parking Agency. The board recon-
mends that the agency should have:
/. The unqualified and full sup
port Of the District government.
2. A qualified full-time technician
to direct its staff and activities.
3. Adequate field and engineering
services made available to 1t from
existing departments of the District
and Federal governments.
4. A $4,000 appropriation for the
next two years, as asked by the
Commissioners.
Parking Facilities Urged.
The program sets forth that de-
velopment of adequate of-street
parking in the central business dis
trict should have No. priority fol.
lowed by the development Of facil-
tiles in fringe areas, business sub.
centers and around Government
buildings in that order.
Washington I. Cleveland, man.
ager, of the Advisory Board, said In
presenting the program to the
membership that solution of the
parking problem is the No. objec.
tive Of the District AAA."
Brig. Gen. Gordon r. Young, guest
speaker at the meeting, said, Il am
heartily in accord with the pro-
gram"
He added, however, mo matter
what solution you arrive at, some
one has to pay for it." He said the
solution would have to cost some
one a lot of money, and that the
money would have to be recovered
either from the parker or the tax
payer or both.
Would Review Regulations.
| AS for specific methods for solving
the parking problem, the program
adopted by the board advocates:
Current parking regulations should
receive an immediate review and
the regulations should be enforced
strictly.
Additional parking meters should
be installed.
| The Zoning regulation requiring
apartment and hotel buildings to
include off-street parking should be
extended to include all new large
commercial buildings.
Additional police should be pro-
vided
The OPA should modify parking
rates 1t authorizes so as to attract
short time parkers to existing facu-
tiles.
The program also favors the fol-
lowing highway Improvements:
Construction without further delay
Of new Highway Bridge and early
completion of the South Capitol
Street Bridge.
Early completion by the District
government of subway studies and
approval of an underground street.
car program for the central busi-
ness district.
Immediate construction of the
Dupont Circle underpass.
Asks X Street Projects.
An underground bus and streetcar
terminal at Barney Circle at the
northwest approach of Pennsylvania
avenue bridge.
Streamlining at an early date of
K street from Key Bridge to Wash
ington Circle and from Mount Ver-
non Square to Fourth street NE.
making both sections of the street
depressed highways.
Early construction of the proposed
Baltimore Washington freeway.
Construction of q permanent
boundary channel bridge where q
wooden structure now stands.
Streamlining of the intersection
in Bethesda of Wisconsin avenue
Old Georgetown road and the East
West Highway.
Streamlining of through highways
In Silver Spring concurrently with
construction of new B. g.. o. Rail.
:oad grade separation.
The boards program also advo.
Gates a number of specific projects
including the opening of East Exec.
utive avenue, additional traffic light.
where needed at signal-controllec
intersections and central control fol
traffic lights so lights can be syn.
chronized and cycles varied to NEE
changing conditions.
The plans also call for additiona
personnel for the Department O.
Vehicles and Traffic, for the Polio,
Accident Investigation Unit and fol
the Police Traffic Division. Tn,
board would also amend the finan.
cial responsibility legislation to re.
quire proof of ability to pay damage.
as a condition for the right t.
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