Evening star., 1947-06-09
.busiinessAsked
For s50,0 100000
To Ease Parking
Parking Agency Plon
Coils for investments
By Privote interests
p p.3~I>L K~GI- II
By Rudolph Kouffmonn u

It's downtown parking problem was
given to the public today.
It came In the form OF 36-page
Illustrated report by the cityis Mo-
tor Vehicle Parking Agency that
was made public at special lunch
con sponsored by the Washingto'
Board Of Trades trafic and cit.
planning committees.
The result of nearly 18 months
work, ;. it puts squarely up to Wash
ington businessmen and investors an
estimated $4,000 900 investment In
private parking garages to help keer
downtown values from trickling on
into outlying sections of the Dis
trict and nearby Maryland and Viz
1inia because traffic is slow ano
,arking spaces scarce.
McGavin Drafted Report.
The investment, the report con-
tends, is one that can mean legiti-
mate profits too, If properly made
under the parking agencys guidance
The report was drafted by Charles
T. McGavin, chief economic analyst
of the District Highway Department
and nationally known parking ex-
pert. The report has been laid be-
fore the Commissioners with the
endorsement of P. Y. K. Howat ane
members of the 7-man parking
agency.
In addition to sounding a chal-
lenge to Washington business tt
solve the knotty parking problem
it urges the District and Fedora
Government to take certain steps
to relieve the parking situation.
1t calls for:
/. Enough parking garages in thu
downtown retail area to house ar
additional 1850 cars; enough ga.
RACES in the private Office building
area to house an additional 2,57(
cars and responsible Federal off,
cial" to mend the parking mistakes
made in the Federal building area
after building by building survey
5000 Federal Spaces Needed.
The report cites shortage OF
more than 5000 spaces in Federal
areas and urges that the mistakes
of the past not be repeated as the
Federal building plan is carried out
in permanent form.
2. A system of large parking lots
at the rim of the downtown area
where motorists could park all day
on a single ticket emitting them
to shuttle bus or st"ec1ccar ride
the remainder of the v-cr to work
and back. The success OF this pro-
posal would hinge largely on the
attitude of the transit company.
8. Extension of parking meters
into the Federal Triangle, through
out the private Office building area,
up Connecticut avenue as far, sas
Dupont Circle and In coagested out
lying shopping areas.
IA system of express buses oper-
ating on express streets to tempt
people to leave their cars at home.
The report does not specify the
streets.
New Zoning Rules Urged.
5. Strengthening of the zoning
regulations to require off-street
parking in large new commercial as
well as large new residential struc-
lures and to require off-street load
ing platforms for certain businesses.
The zoning Commission and Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission already are studying
these proposals.
The report lists no specific loca-
tions for parking projects because
the agency does not want to tip of
property owners on its intentions.
1t stresses that private enterprise
should have the chance to meet the
parking garage needs of the city
but that if private efforts fail, q
resort to publicly operated garages
will have to be made.
A generation of business men have
failed to meet the problem, the re-
port says, but success is possible
now that the agency's surveys arlc
land acquisition powers can bt
thrown into the balance.
90-Day Trial Urged.
Business must guard against say.
ing, why don't THEY solve tht
parking problem" and starting talk
ing. I'VE must solve the parking
problem" the reports warns.
1t adds that downtown business
men must realize they are in groul
competition with outlying area!
when it comes to parking, and grouI
cooperation, not competition, il
called for.
The report urges 90-day-tria
at using the Polo Grounds in Wes
Potomac Park and the big vacan
lot just south Of the Municipal Cen.
ter as terminals for shuttle bu!
line just to see how the agency!
shuttle bus plan will work.
The agency may be doomed tt
disappointment on this plan, how
ever, because it has been indicated
the Capital Transit Co. is willing
w 80 diOllS Ou tiiC I OtU SlouAie1
only and there is some Nationa
Park Service opposition to using
the Polo Grounds.
Park officials feel that once the
lot were established they would have
a hard time getting rid of it.
The only other rim" project car
ried in the report and revealed fol
the first time would convert ths
Western Market at Twenty first ane
K streets NV. into a parking gar
age. The District could lease it te
Ia private operator under the plan
Some lot-shuttle projects, the re.
port says, may grow out OF the slun
redevelopment plans of the Nationa
Capital Park and Planning Com.
mission and the city's new Lane
Redevelopment Agency. 1t calls or
the planners and the land agency tt
keep parking in mind when they
come to neighborhoods at the edges
of the downtown area.