Evening star., 1953-04-20
1-Way Traffic
On P and OILS
Hit al Hearinu
Georgetown Group
Protests Strongly
To Commissioners

IeSlQenCS OF GEORGETOWN 90
not want P and @ streets made
one-way, they told the District
Commissioners at hearing to-
day.
Making P street one-way from
Dupont circle to Thirty-Sixth
street for westbound traffic and
@ street one-way from Wiscon-
sin avenue to Florida avenue
(near North Capitol Street) for
eastbound traffic would create a
speedway for motorists in the
suburbs, they declared.
1t would also reduce property
values and lead to the operation
of larger buses on these streets,
they said.
Fears Further Congestion.
Frederick s. Hill, president of
the Georgetown Citizens As
sociation, told the Commis-
sioners his association by unani-
nous vote last month opposed
the plan. He said he did not
believe it would in any way
relieve traffic congestion where
P and @ streets enter Wiscon-
sin avenue. It would create a
traffic jam at Wisconsin ave-
nue. every afternoon while there
would be a minimum of traffic
moving eastward on @ street at
that time, he said.
Mr.. Hill said it would make
it impossible for eastbound
traffic to use the P street en-
trance to Rock Creek drive.
Traffic on P and Q streets is fast
enough now and it would be
hazardous for school children
and other pedestrians to cross,
he added.
He said Georgetown streets
were put where they are
primarily to serve the properties
that border them and not as
access for suburban Maryland.
Sees CurbS on Parking.
Mr.. Hill further declared the
plan eventually would force fur
ther restriction on parking. Very
few houses in Georgetown pro-
vide off-street parking facilities,
he added.
"It would be unfortunate, in
deed" he said, IF the carefully
considered beliefs of the citizens
of Georgetown were to be over
ridden to suit the doubtful con-
venience of the suburbs or the
dubious designs of the Capital
Transit Co.
DR.. c. Herbert Marshall, pres
ident Of the Federation of Civic
Associations, also opposed the
plan.
Further Protest Listed.
Walter Loucheim, vice presi-
dent of the Progressive Citizens
Association of Georgetown, said
his organization on April 13
unanimously opposed the plan.
Mrs. Harold B. Hinton, chair
man of the oning Committee of
the association, appealed to the
Commissioners to slider
Georgetown as a place of human
habitation-not just a place
through which motor vehicles
could be rushed as quickly as
possible. She said the plan would
make Georgetown unpleasant to
live in and bring the route to the
suburbs right to their doors.
Mrs. Hinton presented letters
opposing the plan. Included
were those from Senators Taft
of Ohio and Flanders of Ver-
mont, Republicans; Senator
Symington, Democrat, of Mis-
souri, and Representatives Hale
of Maine and Frelinghuysen of
New Jersey, Republicans. Sew
eral others also protested.
John Lincoln, another repre-
sentative of the Progressive Cit
izenS' Association, presented a
petition signed by 807 residents
of P street east of Wisconsin
avenue objecting to the plan.
Lets not ruin Georgetown" he
said.
More Lights Urged.
John Ihlder, also representing
the association, said more traf-
f1c lights were needed, not more
one-way streets.
Robert Woods Bliss, repre-
senting the American Planning
and Civic Commission and the
Committee of 100, asked the
Commissioners to postpone &C
tion on the plan and study ex-
press routes around Washing
ton. He said the Commissioners
should consider those who live
in Georgetown and not in the
surburbS.
Traffic Director George E.
hene1pp, Col0 the commissioner
studies In may, cities have indi-
Gated a pair of one-way streets
are capable of carrying from
80 to so per cent more traffic
than the same two streets op-
Grating two ways. He said the
accident hazard would be re-
duced because motorists would
noE have the hazard of opposing
traffic and headlights at night.
Drivers, he said, and more
particularly pedestrians crossing
the street have to look IN only
one direction and are much
more apt to flnd a break in
traffic.
The Commissioners took the
plan under consideration.
Africa to Be Honored