Evening star., 1948-09-12
Fringe Parking Plan
With Shuttle Buses
Awaits PUG Decision

Awaits PUl decision
The Districts fringe parking and
shuttle-bus program appeared to be
in the air today with the tentative
September 20 starting date hinged
on the Public Utilities Commission
awaited decision on the experiment.
Two events are scheduled to take
place this week which may hasten
ruling on whether the program
can get started September 20.
First, the PUG tomorrow will
decide whether a public hearing is
necessary on Capital Transit's re-
quest for permission to operate a
shuttle-bus line between the lot at
Twenty fifth and E streets NV. and
the Municipal Center lot.
Second, the Merchants Parking
Corporation this week will begin the
$4,000 task of paving the lot at
Twenty fifth and E so it can be used
as the western terminal of the
Shuttle-run.
f Street Parking Problem.
Main stumbling block in the path
of PUG approval of the proposed
F street NV. route of the shuttle
run is the F street parking situation.
AS one of Washington's principal
shopping streets, F. carries large
traffic flow and provides about 70
parking places for daily turnover
of 490 automobiles.
Capital Transit, which wants a
ban on all parking along F street
from Fifteenth to Eighth streets NV.
will need. at least. space to load and
unload buses at the four stops it
plans for each side of the street.
The PUG also has encountered
some disagreement Among F street
merchants as to just where the
bus stops should be.
If the PUG decides a public hear
ing is necessary on the routing OF
the Heurich BreWery-to-Mu Municipal
Center shuttle run via F street, the
September 20 starting date will al
most certainly have to be postponed.
Parking Ban Has Opposition.
There is considerable official op-
position, also, to Capital Transit's
proposal that all parking on F street
be banned Capital Transit, how
ever, has not officially requested the
Department of Vehicles and Traffic
to prohibit parking there.
In any event, the Commissioners are
ready to call a public hearing if an
F street parking ban is sought and
will make the decision themselves.
Meanwhile, the Merchants Park
ing Corporation has decided to
charge 20 cents for all-day parking
at the fringe lots. Earlier, the Mo-
tor Vehicle Parking Agency. author
of the plan, had contemplated
fiat Accents fee for parking and
shuttle-riding to and from the
fringe lots to the downtown section.
This plan was dropped when the
PUG decided that Capital Transit
must charge shuttle riders a nat
1O-cents-a ride fare The parking
agency thereupon decided to make
an independent 20-cent charge to
parking lot patrons-lowest parking
rate in Washington.
The third fringe lot at Temple
Heights, Connecticut and Florida
avenues NV, is about six months
away from inclusion in the program
because area residents have de-
manded a hearing before the Board
of Zoning Adjustment on proposed
driveways for the shuttle buses
there.
The hearing will be held septem-
Der 20.
Essence of the Parking Agency
chairman P. Y. K. Howats fringe
parking and shuttle bus plan is to
provide low-cost parking for auto
mobile owners who live in outlying
sections. The plan will permit them
to drive to the fringe-section lots,
park their cars and ride the rest OF
the way on shuttle buses to work or
shop.
Capital Transit has agreed to try
the plan out for six months on an
experimental basis if the PUG per-
mits it. The PUG has indicated it
has no objection to the plan but its
members have no wish to become
embroiled in controversies outside
its province over such questions as
parking bans and driveway loca-
tionS
The PUG would Iike the mer-
chants to decide themselves how
they want the entire plan to operate.