Evening star., 1951-08-02
Auto Interests.
Ask DC. Aid 10
Ease Parking
; Steps Suggested to
Help Private Operators
Provide More Space

tSNs 'NAS
Representatives of automotive
interests today asked the District
to provide the facilities for priv
ate industry to operate more
parking garages here.
The move was urged at the
Commissioners board meeting as
a measure to forestall a possible
decline in downtown business due
to the parking shortage.
j. M. Sanders of the Washing
ton Automotive Trade Association
presented this suggested. program,
which he said had the indorse-
ment of his group, the American
Automobile Association, the Key
stone Automobile Club and the
Merchants and Manufacturers
Association:
/. Establishment of a separate
department of the District gov
ernment to solve the parking
problem. It should get funds to
buy sites and sell or lease them to
operators.
2. An immediate start to ac-
ouire ground where parking space
is most needed.
8. Earmarking of revenue from
parking meters for measures to
solve the parking problem.
On the third point, Traffic Di-
rector George E. Keneipp pointed
out that Congress this year can
earmark this money, as a trust
fund for the Motor Vehicle Park
ing Agency.
Has Made Extensive Studies.
This agency, which has made
extensive studies Of the parking
problem and worked to assist pri-
vate interests in adding to the Off
street parking capacity, has been
operating on a peak budget of
$4,000 a year under the traffic
department.
Charles M. Upham, head of this
advisory group, said he concurred
in the recommendations made to
the city heads. He declared the
lack of sufficient funds for his
agency was holding up its work.
st think the time has now come
when we can't take a chance on
the effect a lack of activity will
have on the city of Washington"
he said.
''The District has got to assist
private enterprise at this time,"
he went on. "It would not relieve
private enterprise of the oppor-
tunity for business-it would SIM
ply assist it"
Mr.. Upham said there is pres
emily a shortage of 1000 parking
spaces in the downtown retail
area, and 10000 throughout the
District.
San Francisco Experience.
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue raised the question of under
ground parking. This led to al
discussion of the Union Square
parking development in San Fran
cisco.
Mr.. Saunders said he under
stood that this development was
now bringing the city $4,000 a
year on ground that previously
was unproductive Of revenue.
Ernest r. Brett, of the keystone
club, said that while he agreed
IN substance with the principle of
underground parking, this type of
development would take too long.
He declared that we've got to
get something immediately"
Furthermore, he pointed out, the
average person would not walk
more than two blocks to shop.
We've got to have a lot of
downtown parking garages or
we're going to lose business" he
declared.
Mr.. Keneipp said he had been
advised in San Francisco that
underground parking for all-day
patrons would not be economically
sound. He said the turnover there
was about three times a day.
Franklin Square Discussed.
Y Mr.. Upham said that there had
been discussions Of underground
parking at Franklin Square.
These, he said, had drawn OBJ
tections from people who feared
the loss of some of the big trees.
He said he felt, however, that the
park could be done over properly
and eventually made more at
tractive than it is now.
Some day those trees are 60
ing to get old enough to blow over,"
he said. eff we could get garage
there and replace those trees, I
see no reason why we couldn't
sacrifice them"
Proposals for additional parking
on the Mall also had drawn OBJ
iections from those who feared
detraction from the appearance,
he said.
Mr.. Upham said he could not
see how another line of cars, prop
erly screened, could present an in
surmountable objection.
Plan 10 Double Capacity