Evening star., 1950-01-06
Barrett Opposes
Snow Parking
Ban at Hearing
urges 1t Be Lifted
Entirely or for Trial
Period of q Year
By Harriet Griffiths

Police Superintendent Robert j
Barrett urge that the ban be re-
scinded entirely or at least for s
years trial period.
Other suggestions presented a
a comparatively brief hearing in.
cluded:
Traffic Director George E
Keneipp's proposal that the pro.
hibition against parking from +:
am. to 8 a m. on principal street.
be lifted for an experimental
period in view of the amount O.
public opposition.
Sanitation Director William A
xanten's proposal the ban be con.
fined to- a few miles of streets al
year, rather than some 80 mites
for three months, and the volun-
tary cooperation be enlisted else
where.
Both Mr.. Keneipp and Mr.. Kan
ten said at the outset of the hear
ing they considered the present
ban. in effect until March IS, a
necessity. They made their al.
Tentative suggestions on being re-
called at the end of the hearing
Radio Warning Inadequate.
Mr.. xanten made the point it is
difficult for citizens to adjust tc
the prohibition for three months
Of the year.
Mr.. Keneipp said perhaps if the
ban were lifted for the rest of this
year and next year, citizens might
have an opportunity to Judge for
themselves how serious situation
could result.
Maj. Barrett said he objected
to the regulation because "it in.
conveniences SO many people fol
so little good DONE"
In recommending lifting of the
ban for at least year, if not
entirely, he said if it should be
found removal Of the prohibition
was not in the public interest, il
could be re-enacted after the trial
He said that since 1886 there
have been only rs SHOWS which
required sweeping. He pointed
out there are 81 streets affected
by the restriction, some for short
distances and others for consider
able mileage.
1900 Tickets Given Yearly.
until such time as adequate
off-street parking facilities are
available, 1t is a hardship to the
public to find parking spaces off
those streets affected by the re-
striction and causes trouble on
side streets where people are
forced to park in alleys. obstruct
driveways, park too close TO cor
ners and in other prohibited
places" he declared.
Maj. Barrett said he did not
know how many times snow has
been removed during the restrict
ed hours of 2 to am, but he
believed they were very few.
He added that during the last
three years police have given
tickets to about 1900 persons a
year for violating the snow ban,
which seems to be an extreme
penalty to the public for the
actual good it did in having the
streets restricted to parking"
The police chiefs views. were
seconded by Herbert P. Leeman
president of the Federation OF
Citizens Associations, and Leon A
Thompson, of the Federation OF
Civic Associations.
This is one time" said Mr.
Thompson, when the Federation
Of Civic Associations agrees with
the Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations.
Mr.. Keneipp said one alterna-
tive suggested, that radio an
nouncements be made when snow
is impending, would have the dis
advantage that not every one
would hear it. One parked cal
interferes almost as seriously
with traffic movement as a whole
row when it comes to snow re-
moval, he said.
He went on to say it is not
always possible for the Weather
Bureau or any one else to predict
snow accurately, and there have
been instances where there were
havy falls OF snow between mid
night and early morning.
While "a small minority" o.
citizens are inconvenienced by tn.
ban, many more persons would bt
seriously inconvenienced by delay
caused by traffic tie-ups on i'm.
portant arterial streets, he said.
Sees Pavement Damage.
Deputy Director of Highway,
S. r. Harrison said possible dam
/ age to pavements could be causee
by a heavy snowfall under condi
tions caused by parked cars alons
the p1owing routes.
| In the event of a succession O.
snowfalls, the windrow of snow
ploughed against parked car
would be doubled and redoublee
and could result in all traffic. in
cluding mass transportation We
hicles, being confined to a single
lane, Mr.. Harrison said.
This would cause increased
wear and possibility Of damage Il
the pavement in the event Of ic.
condition causing a corrugated
surface in the everything ice ane
snow." he declared.
'The pounding effect Of such
traffic on the pavement woule
~ause a terrific impact which
would result in unusual damage.
Amu1ag other witnesses testify
1ng were representatives OF tn,
Capital Transit Co, which op'
noses Hitting the ban. and the Kew.