Evening star., 1953-09-26
District Weighs
Downtown Area
Parking Study
Would List Sites
For Development by
Private Capitol
BY George Beveridqe

"A PnOSOod1 4OI d11 CAG6I1SlV0
block-by-block study of parking
needs in Washington's central
business area was under consid-
Grafton by District officials today.
Washington I. Cleveland, sec
retary of the American Au-
tomobile Associations District
Division. proposed the study yes
terday, at a panel discussion on
parking problems sponsored by
the Washington Board of Trade
in the Shoreham Hotel. -
He said half the expense could
be borne by the Federal Bureau
OF Public Roads and suggested
half come from the D. C. Park
ing Fund. Fund revenues come
from curb parking meters.
Mr.. Cleveland said such q
survey would show private in
veStors where parking facilities
should be built. If they fail to
provide them, he said, the Dis
trict should assist by condemning
land for the garages.
$40 Million Revolving Fund.
He proposed also that the
city's Motor Vehicle Parking
Agency acquire one site where
a garage is needed as a starter
and lease it to private opera
tor. In addition, he said, legis-
lation should be obtained to get
a $40 million revolving fund
which could be used to acquire
sites where needed.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss.
Engineer Commissioner, said he
would look into the study pro-
poSal but is not familiar with
its details.
During the discussion, how
ever, the general said he does
not want to take ANY step
which would in any way dis
courage the investment of pri-
vate money into providing park
ing facilities" He said he is
convinced private capital is
making major effort to meet
needs and that it deserves the
same consideration as any other
business"
Gen. Prentiss said he hopes
some of the parking meter reve-
nue. can be used soon to hire
extra police to enforce one-hour
curb parking restrictions.
Mr.. Cleveland also disclosed
results of a consultant's study
of eight parking facilities in the
area bounded by New York ave-
nue., Twelfth street. E street and
Fifteenth street NV. He said
the study showed the lots aver
aged 95 per cent occupancy be-
tween 10 am. and 5 pm, and
were full between the hours Of
1870 am. and 3 pm. He said
this did not substantiate a re-
cent parking study cited by Gen.
PrentiSs, which disclosed sizable
vacancies on downtown lots.
Location Big Factor. ...
Gen. Prentiss noted, however,
that the mere number of off,
street parking spaces downtown
even if they exceed the total
OF spaces required-do not an
swer the parking problem. The
problem arises, he said, because
available spaces may not be
exactly where motorists want
them at a particular time.
The motorist who says he
can't find place to park down.
town, Gen. Prentiss continued,
often means "he can't find
place to park free or exactly
where he wants to park" One
problem, he added, "is to educate
the public as to the facts of
life"
Here are highlights of adj
dresses made by other par
Elephants on the parking problem
panel:
L. b. D0ggett, jr., vice presi-
dent, Washington Parking AS
sociation: The parking situa-
ton is a whipping boy" cited
whenever there is a drop in
downtown business. But projects
here are planned or under way
to provide 5,480 more off-street
parking spaces, although many
lots are operating 80 per cent
below capacity. Government
should stay out of the parking
business.
Henry X. Evans, United States
Chamber of Commerce traffic ex-
pert: A survey of 10 large cities
shows private capital has made
the greatest contribution in
parking gains. The cities aver
aged an increase of 500 off-street
parking spaces per year, rs per
cent of it in private facilities.
Parking expansion should not
stimulate auto use to the point
that mass transit is discouraged.
District Traffic Director George
E. Keneipp: Public transporta-
ton companies should forget
their "nobody-loves-me complex"
and try experiments which have
attracted patrons in other cities.
But the District also should aid
the transit firms and keep
closer watch on curb parking and
truck curb deliveries.
Dean J. Locke, Capital Transit
Co. engineer: To make buses and
streetcars more attractive. steps
are needed to eliminate nearly
all downtown curb parking, set
off-street parking rates high
enough to "inhibit all-day park
ing" provide enough ff-street
spaces to meet Short-time park
ing needs, set up fringe parking
lots with feeder buses going
downtown and build adequate
bypass highways around the
congested traffic areas.
Edward J. Kelly, superintend-
ent, National Capital Parks:
More consideration is needed for
tourists parking requirements.
There are 7.161 spaces in park