Evening star., 1949-01-02
Commissioners Study
Program 10 Tighten
Parking LOT Controls

The District Commissioners had
under consideration as the New
Year began q five-point program to
tighten controls over parking lots.
The program, recommended by
the District Motor Vehicle Parking
Agency, would be aimed at eliminat-
ing some of the basis for customer
dissatisfaction" found by the agency
in a survey of the local parking
lot situation.
But the Commissioners conceded
that the big trouble with parking an
automobile in downtown Washing
ton is that parking facilities are
still inadequate" They continued to
hope that private capital will de-
velop more facilities.
Prices charged by parking lots in
congested areas here would prob
ably be lowered by the operation of
competition if more parking were
available" the Commissioners said
in submitting report to Congress.
Sent to d. C. Committee.
The report was prepared by the
District Motor Vehicle Parking
Agency in compliance with a Con-
gressional resolution of last June,
calling for an investigation of park
ing lot prices and services in the
Capital. 1t was sent to the Senate
District Committee Friday by the
Commissioners, along with their own
comment.
Parking for five hours or more at
time costs more here than in Bal
timore, Cleveland, Philadelphia or
Pittsburgh, the agency reported. For
shorter periods, it said the prices
here are about the same as in the
other cities studied.
The report listed 264 cars stolen
from public lots and garages, and
287 cases of articles stolen from cars
parked in such places, during the
fiscal year 1948.
Some cases of discourtesy, i'm
proper handling of cars, petty
chiseling and the like were reported,
but the Commissioners said they be-
lieve that the great majority of
Washington's parking lots and ga
RACES are well operated
tions.
The agency's recommendations
called for:
l. CONSPICUOUS posting of parking
rates.
2. The issue of parking tickets.
3. Assemblage of complaints
against parking lot operators by the
Superintendent of Licenses, who
would send copy to the Motor We
hicle Parking Agency for corrective
action.
4. Reporting to police of cars
parked over two days continuously.
5. Licensing of employees of park
ing lots.
The Commissioners said they had
taken these recommendations under
advisement and hoped to reach a
decision in the near future.
Citing a l947 estimate that 10000
additional parking spaces are needed
in the central area of the city, the
Commissioners said about / 500 have
been installed by private capital
since that estimate "and many
others are under consideration"
Opposed to City Operation.
ut is the hope of the Motor We
hicle Parking Agency, and of the
Board of Commissioners" the Sem
ate District Committee was in
formed, that private capital will
continue such developments, and
that the problem may be solved
without the necessity of invoking
the powers Of the Motor Vehicle
Parking Act and building municipal
garages at public expense"
P. Y. K. Howat Is chairman of
the Motor Vehicle Parking Agency
which drafted the report. The
agency was assisted by an advisory
committee including Ernest r. Brett,
Keystone Automobile Club; WASH
ington I. Cleveland, American Auto
mobile Association; Police Inspector
Arthur E. Miller; Superintendent of
Licenses Chatham T. Nottingham;
William H. Press, Washington Board
of Trade, and Arthur J. Sundlun,
Merchants and Manufacturers Asso-
citation.