Evening star., 1949-01-20
Light Car Traffic
Leaves Police
'F|abbergasted'
But Incoming Trains
|. Are Packed; Parking
Lots Half Empty

Traffic on arterial highways lead
ing into the District and in the
downtown area near the inaugural
parade route was so light three
hours before parade time today that
it was regarded as one of the early
surprise features of the day.
Instead of the steady, road-chok-
ing stream police had anticipated
from every approach, they found as
late as II am. that traffic was sub
normal on many highways.
Elaborate plans to dissuade mo-
torists from coming into the District
but to park their cars in the sub
urbs and use public transportation
were found to be all but unnecessary
in the morning hours.
Train Traffic Heavy.
Railroad officials, however, told a
different story. Incoming train pas
senger traffic was so heavy that II
trains were unloaded at Virginia
avenue and Seventh street S.W. in
stead of Union Station. These in
cluded eight Pennsylvania Railroad
trains, one Chesapeake & Ohio and
two Richmond. Fredericksburg &
Potomac Railroad trains.
This is one of the heaviest pas
senger traffic days in the history OF
Union Station" w. H. Marks, sta
ton master, declared.
Commenting on the light auto
mobile traffic, Inspector Arthur E.
Miller, head of the Traffic Division,
said after tour of the District that
he was "f1abbergasted."
Never Saw Traffic So Light.
Il have never seen traffic so light
as it is this morning" he said.
In his report shortly before 10 m
he said he found very few persons
waiting for streetcars and buses.
Inspector Miller theorized that
publicity emphasizing prospects of
one of the greatest throngs in the
Districts history had caused many
people to remain at home.
The enigma of arterial highways
with traffic lighter than normal at
many points. of downtown streets
more resembling an average Sunday
than a gala occasion, baff1ed police
cut in full force to combat an unex-
pected unprecedented rush.
Up to 10 am, the hour when
automobiles. buses and streetcars
were restricted from going into the
parade area, the traffic situation was
such that District, county and State
policemen were practically twiddling
their thumbs waiting for something
to happen.
Lot Operators ChagrIned.
The few people drifting into the
parade zone during the morning
of them appeared to be
persons preparing for the big jam
witnessed the strange sight of down.
town streets from the Capitol to
Circle free of the usual
aof parked automobiles.
If police were surprised by the
early traffic lull, operators of park
ing garages and lots. anticipating
full houses, were dumfounded
Shortly before 10 am. the Munich
pal parking lot at John Marshall
place and Constitution avenue NV,
which can accommodate l,400 cars,
counted only 300 customers.
The Star Plaza at Eleventh and E
streets NV, with 250-car capacity,
was only half full at the same time,
and the huge Capital Garage at 1920
New York avenue NV. reported haf
of its 1900 places going begging.
Parking lot operators were frankly
by the turn of events and
complained about the publicity urg-
ing motorists to leave their cars
home Inaugural day. Managers of
half-empty garages and lots were so
they called their COMPETE
tors to see if the situation was gen.
eral. Many had hired extra men to
help with the expected crush.
Light Flow Into District.
More amazing perhaps than the
sparseness of downtown traffic was
the light flow coming into the Dis
trict from Maryland and Virginia.
Special police details were sta
toned at the Virginia ends Of the
Potomac River bridges and at other
entrances to the city to warn motor
lists away from the downtown no
parking zone. They hoped to per-
suade drivers to park in the suburbs
and use public transportation to
reach the ceremonies.
From all entrances to the city
came the same story: Traffic as
light or lighter than usual
Forty-five Maryland State troop
ers were assigned to watch the en-
frances in Prince Georges and
Montgomery Counties and patrol the
highways. Prince Georges County
ordered out 10 extra men to duty.
All available District policemen.
1882, were on special
Inauguration detail, but Inspector
Floyd A. Truscott, in general charge
of traffic for the day, said there
still were not enough to handle all
the details.
Inspector Truscott planned to
keep his finger on the pulse of
traffic all day long" cruising in an
automobile and keeping in touch
with precincts by two-wat radio.
He had a mobile unit ready to
trouble shoot" any traffic jam that
developed.
Inspector Miller said 100 police
men were directing traffic at corners
north of Pennsylvania avenue along
the parade route and that so police
men were detailed at similar points
south of the route.
officials expressed the opinion
that the threat of jammed parking
facilities, resulting from out-of- town
visitors and the roping off of wide
areas normally used for parking,
had reacted against the expected
mass downtown push.
ID Promised