Evening star., 1945-11-28
Transit Route
HeariingDe|ayed
1oDecen1ber Z
Opponents Of Shift
In Prince Georges
To Continue Fight
BY J. b. ZATMAN.

opponents OF a plan to reroute
Capital Transit Co. facilities serving
Prince Georges County today gath
cred their forces for an all-out fight
against the proposal after the Mary
land Public Service Commission in
Baltimore yesterday continued its
hearing on the plan to December IL.
The hearing, attended by more
than 80 county residents and several
transit company officials, was on q
petition for approval submitted by
the County Independent Trade As
sociation, which formulated the plan
with the aid of transit company
representatives.
Many at the hearing had copies OF
. story in last Sundays issue OF
The Star describing the issues in
volved in the proposed plan. Rep
reSentatives of both sides said ii
was the only true account they had
seen in a Washington newspaper.
AS the commission prepared to
adjourn for the day, Walter F. Null
ligan, president of the County Civic
Federation and leader of the op-
position, requested a 30-day con-
tinuance on the ground that the
plan presented to the regulatory
body differed from that contained
IN the original petition. "a.
Need More Time.
I'VE came here to talk about one
plan and we find that another has
been presented" Mr.. Mulligan de-
clared. I'VE need more time to con-
suit with our people in view of the
difference"
Transit company representatives
maintained, however, that the plan
before the commission was essen
TALLY the same as that proposed in
the original petition with the excep-
tlon OF minor changes in the routing
OF buses Through Mount Rainier.
After conferring briefly, the COM
mission then announced the two
week continuance.
Most of yesterdays testimony was
given by proponents, who were in
terrupted frequently by those op-
posing the proposal. The plan, as
explained by Dean J. Locke, staff
engineer for the Capital Transit Co.
inciud IS:
l. establishment of high-speed
streetcar service by streamlined cars
between Branchyille and downtown
Washington, with a shuttle line be-
tween Branchville and Beltsville. Al
present through service is provided
by old-type cars only during rush
hours. This feature of the proposal
also contemplates the construction
OF a terminal at Branchville and
"tlHn-arounds" at Riverdale and
Branchville.
Service to Hospital.
2. Inauguration of bus service be-
tween College Park and the Prince
Georges General Hospital, near
CheyerlY.
3..A new cross-town busline be-
tween Queens Chapel Manor, Castle
Manor and Clearwood and the
Mount Rainier terminal.
4. Substitution of a shuttle bus
line between Greenbelt and the pro-
posed high-speed Branchville street.
car line for the present Greenbelt-
Mount Rainier bus service This also
includes an extra community busline
in Greenbelt.
5. Recruiting of the present East
Riverdale and Cheverly bus lines to
end at the Mount Rainier terminal,
where streetcar and bus connections
could be made to Washington.
Send Buses to Terminal.
8. Rerouting of the present River
dale and College Park buses to the
Mount Rainier terminal, where con-
nections could be made with shuttle
lines to the two communities.
Mr.. Locke said it also is planned
to petition the District Public Utili-
ties Commission to permit the ex-
tension of the E-2 bus line now
terminating at Twenty-second ano
Shepherd streets NE. to serve the
haywood Gardens shopping center
at Eastern avenue and Varnum
street, Mount Rainier. -.
He explained the bus mileage
saved through rerouting the lines tc
the Mount Rainier terminal would
enable the transit company to effect
the proposed changes without ar
appreciable increase in manpower.
In response to a question by Luis
Granados, a member of the Civic
Federation, Mr.. Locke said the use
OF the Mount Rainier terminal is
essential to the plan, which could
not be put into effect piecemeal.
Won't Increase Fares.
He also denied charges by oppo.
nents Of the proposal that it woulc
result in an increase in fares, add
ing that there is mo intention or
the part of the Capital Transit Co
to set up a separate transit COM
pany in Prince Georges County"
Mr.. Locke said approximately g..
100 persons use the Mount Rainier
terminal during a normal 18-houl
day and that under the new plan
this number would be doubled.
He emphasized, however. that tn,
terminal is designed to handle man,
more people than at present ane
that it would be adequate to care fol
the increase number of patrons un
der the proposed system.
He said it would require virtual,
the. same time to travel from Bla
densburg road and Thirty-eightl
street in Cottage City to Ninth ant
r streets NV, including a transfe
at Thirteenth and D streets NE
during the rush hours as it wouls
II persons would transfer at tn,
Mount Rainier terminal, as proposed
Statement CHALLENGED.
This was disputed, however, b,
several persons in the hearing room
who were from the East Riyerdal
and Cheverly sections. They ais,
expressed doubt that the termina
waiting room, which was described
by Mr.. Locke as Is by 81 feet in size
would be large enough to accom-
modate the increased number o
passengers waiting to transfer t,
buses and streetcarS.
Others who testified on behal
Of the proposed program includet
Mayor Harry A. L. Barker Of River.
d4le, chairman of the Trade Asso
Il