Evening star., 1947-10-23
5BarneyCirc|e
Counter Plans.
CopitoI Transit Co.
Offers a at Hearing
To Cure BottIeneck

Barney Circle by putting the street.
car terminal there underground
were under study by the Commis.
sioners and the Public Utilities
Commission today.
Four of the counter proposals
presented at a public hearing in the
District Building yesterday, came
from the Capital Transit Co. The
fifth was that of A. D. Calvert OF
the Lincoln Park Citizens Associa-
ton.
Mr.. Calvert, whose views had the
Endorsement of the Southeast Coun-
Gil of Citizens Associations. called
on the Commissioners and PUG Of
ficials. sitting as a Joint board" to
put the bus terminal, as well as the
streetcar terminal, underground In
the area bounded by K, L, Fifteenth
and Water streets Sc.
The Highway Department. s
scheme, recently announced by Capt
Whitehurst. would pass through
traffic from Pennsylvania avenue
to the Sousa Bridge directly through
the center of the present circle. over
the proposed underground street.
car terminal Loading areas for
buses would be provided on the
sides.
Cars Back-up on Bridge.
In presenting their four alterna-
tives to Capt. Whitehurst's plan
transit company officials denied
buses and 'streetcars. are responsible
for traffic jams at the circle, which
cause lines of cars to back up on
the Sousa Bridge during morning
rush hours.
The chief cause of the congestion,
they contended. Is the fact that
traffic coming. into town over the
bridge and down Pennsylvania ave
nue. is stopped one third of the time
10 allow outbound traffic to enter the
circle from Seventeenth street and
kentucky avenue
They said that, as opposed to the
highway Departments scheme
lelr four alternatives would take
are of this difficulty.
Specifically, they suggested:
l. That all traffic now coming
Ter Seventeenth street and Ken
ucky avenue Sc. should be de-
oured through Potomac avenue
nd Fifteenth street to approach
the circle along Pennsylvania ave-
hue. seventeenth street would be
made one way, northbound, and
Aentucky avenue would be blocked
eli south of Potomac avenue.
:. That if this did not provide
"f1cient relief. buses following this
cute as far as Fifteenth street and
eAnsylvania avenue Sc. might
2iltlnue south to K street Sc.
2.minating their run alta loading
ga Immediately southwest of the
circle, without ever entering the
circle itself, as they nowSdo. l.
Overpass Proposed. -''
8. That, if experience should
prove neither of these : remedies
aufficient. an soverpass over the
present circle, from Sousa Bridge
onto Pennsylvania avenue, would
solve the problem.
4. That, alternatively, an under
BASS might be substituted for such
an overpass. r.
Mai. Gordon Gravelle, company
traffic engineer, was Capital Tran
sits principal spokesman at the
hearing. Others taking the floor
for the company included F. G.
Await, counsellor; William B. Ben
nett, vice president, and John
Ecker, planning engineer.
The afternoon was devoted to
hearing the views of citizens asso-
Citations and other special groups
most of whom supported the High
way Departments proposals "in
principle" and said the best solu-
tion of the Barney Circle problem
would be to/"do away with" the
circle.
This was the opinion of the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations, as
expressed by Milo F. Brinkley
chairman of the Public Utilities
Committee Mr.. Brinkley's state.
ment drew the fire of Frank P
Randolph of the Southeast Coun-
Gil, who criticized the federation
for not backing up the council in
its support Of Mr.. Calvert's proposal
to put the buses underground.
Gen. Grant Gives Views.
Maj. Gen. u. s. Grant III, chair.
man Of the National Capital Parl
anc Planning Commission, said ht
approved of Capt. Whitehurst;s plar
lin principle although there wers
objections to underground street.
car terminals. He said an overpass
would be "unattractive and dis.
tressing" but would cost less thar
an underpass.
Wallace Braun, deputy director
OF the Department of Vehicles anc
Traffic, said that organization ha,
been studying the possibility of re.
routing traffic into the circle a.
suggested by the transit company
but felt this would inconvenience,
about quarter of the motorist.
using the Sousa Bridge.
Backing Capt. Whitehursts plan
with notifications were E. L
Merzereau. North Randall High
lands Citizens Association; JOSEPH
H. Deckman and Mrs Mabel Nor
ris, Randle Highlands Citizens
Association; William Duvall, For
Davis Citizens Association: Arthe
Morrissette, Southeast Business
mems Association, and Henry Aus
tin. American Association of Engi
neers.. -
Two witnesses who did not indors,
the Highway Departments position
were William Smull. speaking fo
the Citizens Council for Comlnunit,
Planning. and Charles Barker, wht
testified as private citizen.
Johns Named to Head