Evening star., 1948-09-21
Fringe Parking Plan,
of 10 Slow Start,
Expected 10 Gain

c. T. McGavin, chief economic
analyst. of the Motor vehicle Park
ing Agency, is not discouraged by
the small number of motorists who
used the new experimental fringe
parking system for downtown shop
pers yesterday, its first day.
Only 54 passengers boarded shuttle
buses at the two fringe parking
lots yesterday, the Capital Transit
Co. reported - although the buses
made SIS round trips at 10-minute
intervals. At the new Twenty-fifth
street LOT only five cars parked. and
of the 48 shoppers parking at the
Municipal Center lot, many were
old-customers. 9Az J
Mr.. McGavin predicted a good fu'
ture for the project when he ad.
dressed the Commissioners Traffic
Advisory Board at its first meeting
OF the season in Municipal Center
last night.
He said that. until newspaper
radio and television publicity has
had a chance to become effective
during the next few weeks, 1t will
not be fair to expect too much from
the system,
Mr.. McGavin added that. as soon
as the people become familiar with
the fringe parking areas at Twenty
fifth and E streets NV, and the
Municipal Center lot at Third street
and Constitution avenue NV, they
will understand the systems ad-
vantages.
Other Lots for Area.
He pointed out that Twenty-flfth
street is the best artery for. ap-
preaching the lot in that area and
that eventually this project would
be aided by establishment Of three
other lots along Rock Creek Park
way, all designed to park cars COM
ing down from northern points.
TRAFFIC Director George E. Keneipp
told the board of progress in easing
traffic conditions at several inter-
sections where previously signs or
lights had proven not altogether ef-
fective.
Construction designed toward at
tanning separation is in progress a,
several points, he said Among the
intersections mentioned as under
going study or construction are
Fifteenth and Irving streets NV.
Sixteenth street at Columbia roae
and Harvard street NV, Fourth
street at Rhode Island and Florids
avenue NV, Constitution ans
Pennsylvania avenues NV, and tn
area around Union Station Plaza.
| Signs Being Replaced.
Most of these improvements ar
expected to be completed by th'
spring of 1850, Mr.. Keneipp added.
He also discussed progress in th'
repair or replacement of the city,
thousands of traffic signs and sale
many new signs are going up now II
the Union Station Plaza section ant
in the downtown business district.
Mr.. Keneipp asked the boards in
formal viewpoint, preparatory t.
making any recommendations to th'
Commissioners, on the advisabilit!
of reducing speed limits. The gen.
eral limit, he said, now Is Is miles
an hour, but there are number o.
30-mile streets.
He broached the possibility of cut.
ting some 30-mile zones down to x
miles, because Of increased busines:
activities not foreseen many years
ago, when the present limits were
established. Mr.. Keneipp also
pointed out that the city now has
more children and older people thar
years ago, and the prospect Of acci-
dents Is greater.
Guest speaker was Lew E. Wal
lace, assistant to the president OF
the National Safety Council In
Chicago and q former commis-
sioner of motor vehicles in Iowa.
In discussing a traffic analysis read
to the board last June % Mr.. Wal
lace admitted it was an "unsatis-
factory document"