Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-21
Big Plan
For DC. Traffic
Has Ring Routes
8 New River Bridges
Among Proposals for
Area of z Million
By Nelson M. Shepard

A 30-year thoroughfare plan
dominated by major ring and ra-
dial routes, interregional express
ways and at least eight additional
river bridges, was proposed today
to facilitate traffic through
Washington.
Suggested remedies for public
transit and automobile parking
problems, without which the value
of expressways would be nullifled,
also were put forward tentatively
by the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
In a 40-page report-fifth in a
series supplementing its earlier
summary of comprehensive plan
for the Metropolitan Area-the
commission geared transportation
proposals to the needs of 2 mil
lion population, half of whom
would be living outside the Dis
trict.
Tunnel System Suggested.
Based on gradual substitution Of
all streetcars by buses, the report
suggests new transit plan to fit
into a designed cobweb pattern of
thoroughfares to speed up traffic
of all kinds. It called for:
Construction of tunnel system
carrying eastbound buses and
vehiclar traffic under the bottle
necks of Pennsylvania avenue,
Fifteenth and Fourteenth streets
and into e street. Both E and D
streets would be one-way streets
under this plan.
Conversion of the Mount Pleas
ant carline to bus operation
as an early objective to relieve the
situation in the central area.
Downtown this line would be re-
routed, with some buses running
on I and Twelfth streets and the
|others being routed south of the
White House.
A general realignment of public
transit routes for the central area
north Of the Mall, with some %
radial lines leading to central
|areas from all parts of the Dis
trict. Also a system of eight ex-
Ipress-bus routes on main streets
to serve the District. If conditions
warrant some or all of these
routes might be extended to
Maryland suburbs. Similar routes
might be established in Virginia
to operate over such roads as the
Shirley highway and Lee boule-
ward.
Parking Needs Estimated.
| Downtown streets are now used
to about 80 per cent of capacity,
presenting acute parking prob
lens impeding the flow of traffic.
| An estimated 42.400 parking
spaces are available, leaving some
$4,000 space requirements.
A series of peripheral Off street
parking lots, with ramps leading
Ito expressways. would be a par
tial solution. To justify shuttle
bus service each lot should &C
Icommodate 800 to 1000 cars, it
was suggested. Some lots would
be within walking distance.
Given power to buy and lease
land to stimulate private garage
construction. it was believed the
Motor Vehicle Parking Agency
might provide about 1900 off
street spaces in both the retail
and office-building area over the
next two or three decades.
With present curb parking ex-
Ipected to be restricted drastically,
lit was believed sufficient fringe
parking lots could be provided for
some 5000 cars.
A carefully study of Government
parking problems was urged in the
report.
Traffic Increase Estimated.
BY 1880. planners estimate half
the area population will live out
side the District The proportion
now is two-f1fths. The predicted
spread is based on a continuation
of present trends. accentuated by
a more definite policy of deem
Trailing Government activities.
Harland Bartholomew OF st. Louis,
the commissions consultant, esti-
mated the central area can absorb
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