Evening star., 1954-12-21

CTC Opposes
New ". Ma.
Terminal Plan
Bus Line Officials
And Citizens Urge
Move at I hIeuring


Proposed extension of w. M. A.
Transit Co. service downtown
would add to trafiic delays and
slow already seriously impeded"
transit vehicles, q Capital Tran
sit Co. ofhcial declared yester-
day.
Dean J. Locke, stan engineer
for Capital Transit. testified in
opposition to Nv. M. As appli-
cation to move its present ter
minal from Eleventh street and
Pennsylvania avenue NV TO
Seventeenth street and Penn
sylvania avenue NV. during q
hearing at the District Building.
The hearing was recessed late
yesterday to be reconyened at
the cali OF the Public Utilities
Commission, probably toward
the end Of next week.
Mr.. Locke said that, besides
the problems In movement Of
traffic on the streets involved,
the use OF bus stops would pre-
sent an acute problem. Even II
separate stops were available, he
contended, the buses would be
playing leap frog with one an
other, causing further delay and
hazard.
Sees Capacity Reduced.
He added that o proposed
w. M A. terminal on the east
side Of Seventeenth street north
of PennsylvaIlia avenue would
reduce the traffic capacity OF the
northbound lanes on Seventeenth
which already are congested
during rush hours.
( Capital Transit is also on.
posing w. NJ. AS petition on
grounds Of competition with its
own lines.
w. M. A.. however. contends
that by providing q more con-.
yenient service to its patrons
who work in the central business
district. 1t can encourage more
persons to use mass transporta-
tion and leave their cars ct home.
thus reducing traffic congestion.
The move was supported by,
citizen spokesmen testifying &c
yesterdays session.
Opposes Present Terminal.
Roy A. Chew, VIVA traf1ic
also testified that the
present terminal at Eleventh and
Pennsylvania had brought COM
plants from passengers, some
Of whom had stopped boarding
buses at night. He said the
neighborhoOd is dark at night
and had become objectionable,
TO women passengers
waiting to get on buses.
Mr.. Chew outlined two sug-
gested routes to the proposed
new terminal, one going behind
the White House and the other
In front of It.
He said the proposed termi-
nal would afford more room for
buses to load and unload. He
said 1t was believed the move
would be compensatory to the
company, with more patrons
drawn BY the more convenient
service.
Leslie L. Altman. w. M. Al
president. has advised the COM
mission that unless necessary
steps can be taken by the
proper authorities toward re-
lieving congestion so that tram
sit vehicles can get through and
offer speedier service to the pub
lie and attract more riders to
transit, .'the future of public
transportation BY private enter.
prise Is anything but encourag-
ing"
Union Opposes Move.
Appearing in opposition to
the move yesterday was Walter
j. Bierwagen. president Of Di-
vision $50 Of the Amalgamated
Association Of Street Electric
Railway and Motor Coach Em-
ployes of America, AFL, q Cap
ital Transit employees union.
He contended that II the new
operation proved successful.
there would be potential reduce
tions Of Capital Transit sched-
lles and loss Of employment to
union members.
He said of the proposed termi-
nal move that it would be .'just
as reasonable. for the B. Il O.
to abandon Union Station and
run railroad tracks closer to
downtown hotels.