Evening star., 1948-12-10
|ParkersDoub|e
|FriingeLotUse
lin yuIe Rush
Sponsors Optimistic;
Howut Seeks Extension
Of Six-Month Test

Of Six-Month Test
The brightest report to date on
Washington's experimental fringe
parking project came today with
the approaching peak of the pre-
Christmas shopping rush.
Nearly double the number of
shoppers have been using the system
since Thanksgiving, as compared
with the daily average up till then,
officials disclosed.
This fact brought the first opti-
mistic predictions from sponsors of
the project since its slow start on
September 20.
Howat "Well Satisfied"
P. Y. K. Howat, originator of
the plan, said he was we'll satisfied
with the results and now expects
to do all can" to see that the
system is continued beyond its six
month trial period Mr.. Howat is
chairman of the District Motor We
hicle Parking Agency.
And officials of the parking
agency, reporting an intensive opin-
ion survey now underway, said the
first answers show users lin gen.
eral' are very well pleased with
the set-up and a number of new
patrons intend to keep using it.
Features of the system are two
so-called fringe" parking lots, To-
Gated within easy access of the
downtown shopping district and
linked by shuttlebus line operated
by Capital Transit Co. For 25
cents, shoppers may park their car
for five hours at either lot, then
ride to F. street, at the regular fare,
and alight close to principal stores
and other establishments.
One lot, connected with the regu-
lar parking facility near the Mu-
nicipal Center, is at Fourth street
and Constitution avenue NV. The
other, somewhat smaller, is a new
area opened near the Heurich Brew
cry at Twenty-fifth and E streets
N. w. They are open from $50
am. to $50 pm.
Statistical Picture.
This was the statistical picture
that brought official optimism
today:
More than 400 shoppers now are
using the fringe parking lots on
most days-double the average of
the first weeks and eight times
more than the first day.
. On one day. more than 875 cars
We're parked at the two lots. That
was the day after Thanksgiving, a
holiday Friday, which brought the
first Christmas-shopping rush ano
the peak day for. parking customers
so far. But last Saturday also was
heavy day-726 parkers were
counted.
Shuttlebus passengers also have
increased, although they still lag
behind the number of parked auto
mobiles More than $50 riders
boarded the buses at the two lots, on
the average, each day last week
over a third more than the pre-
Thanksgiving average, transit Off
cials said. On the peak day-after-
Thanksgiving, there were more than
$40 passengers.
Still Below Capacity.
This still is far below the capacity
of the SIS daily bus trips which Cap
ital Transit is running along F
street, at l0-minute intervals, but
it is an appreciable gain over fig
ures for the earlier weeks, officials
pointed out.
A much worse Headache for the
sponsors of the shoppers parking
scheme is the smaller of the two
lots now available to motorists.
On the peak Friday following
Thanksgiving, when 300 shoppers
parked their cars at the Municipal
Center lot, only 79 were attracted
to the second lot at Twenty-fifth
and E streets NV. Even this was
double the average, which is about
40 day. Despite efforts to at
tract patrons there, officials con-
cede motorists apparently still re-
gard the Twenty-fifth street lot
as an out-of-the-way spot and pre-
fer to ignore it.
Complicating this situation, how
ever, is the habit of a number OF
motorists of parking on the street
near this lot, thus avoiding the
parking fee but taking advantage
of the bus service.
Problem on Horizon.
Another problem on the horizon
if the project is continued beyond
the trial period, will be the erection
of new Federal courthouse on the
site of the present Municipal Gen.
ter parking lot, scheduled for early
next year. this will require ac-
QUESTION of another lot. but officials
are not yet ready to reveal Their
plans on this score. Also in pros
pect, if the project proves success
full, are other fringe" lots to serve
additional sections of the city.
Aim of the opinion survey now
under way among present fringe
users is to gauge how many may
be expected to continue their pa
tronage beyond the holiday shop
ping season. What may happen
after Christmas, officials admit. is
the joker in evaluating the present
gains.
Principal downtown store owners
have a special stake in the out
come of the experiment. since it is
being financed by cooperative
group, Merchants Parking Corp.
headed by Maj. Gen. David Nc
Coach, jr., former District engineer
commissioner.