Evening star., 1953-08-30
Joint Authority
for
D. {. Traffic
Rood Experts Urge
U. S. to Set Up Unit
To Solve Area Needs
By George Beveridqe

Creation by Congress of a
Washington area authority en-
powered to plan and construct
regional highway improvements
was urged strongly last night by
a special committee of District,
Maryland and Virginia traffic
experts.
Purpose of the authority would
be to bring together the separate
and sometimes conflicting
programs of the District and its
peighboring States. The idea is
similar to that embodied in the
New York Port Authority and
others where projects involve
more than one political juris-
diction.
The recommendation, made by
the Traffic Congestion Commit
tee of the Commissioners and
Governors Conference on Met
ropolitan Washington Traffic
Problems. is similar to proposal
from the same group last year.
The committee is headed by j.
N. Robertson. District highway
director.
Called Basic Need.
It said formation of such an
agency, able actually to spend
money throughout the area for
construction, is "one of the basic
steps" needed to solve Washing
tons highway dilemma.
Mr.. Robertson's report is one
of four to be taken up at the
all-day Commissioners and Gov
ernors' Conference at the United
States Chamber of Commerce
Building September Is. Each re-
port will deal with a separate
aspect of the traffic situation.
Conference chairman will be
Brig Gen Louis w. PrentisS,
District Engineer Commissioner.
He also is chairman of the
Metropolitan Area Traffic Coun-
eli, a top-level group arising from
the conference. Officials from all
political jurisdictions in the area
are participating.
Mr.. RobertSon's report, listing
eight communications, dealt
largely with progress made on
proposals submitted by the group
at last years conference.
Joint Action Urged.
Noting that the District, Mary
land and Virginia all plan
highway Improvements affecting
Washington, the report stressed
the need for Joint action. 1t said
a pattern for such action exists
in the area road plan SUBJ
mitted by the Regional Highway
Planning Committee.
One recommendation, however,
warned that there can be no
solution . without new con-
struction of highways and allied
facilities" Declaring that pres
ent facilities reflect light traf-
f1c burdens generated by the
semirural economies of 30 years
ago." it added:
"The work which has been
done has been in the nature
OF tie rary improvements
which could only avert total
stagnation. The Improvements
during the past few years,
while of a capital nature, were
intended to relieve congestion
at particular locations on the
approaches to the downtown
area of Washington.
I'm general, capacity has been
steadily declining in relation to
the regional traffic demand.
largely because large-scale con-
struction of new routes has been
forcibly deferred due to lack of
funds"
Must Decide on Needs.
The report gave first priority
to creation of a washington
Metropolitan Area Highway I'm
provement District" The agency
directing such a district, the
report indicated, should work
with all existing area planning
groups and decide on highway
needs.
Enabling legislation" it de-
clared, should permit the
borrowing of funds required
to carry improvement plans
through all stages including
construction. These funds would
be obtained from a special
Treasury account at the cur
See ROADS, Page Ais.