Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-19
2Senators Prod
DistricttoSpeed
Transit Service
Payne and Morse Hit
New Study Coll for
Replies by March 8
By Don S. Worren

subcommittee OF the senate IN.
vestigating Washington's mass
transportation problems today
served blunt notice on District
officials to get busy and do things
to speed up and improve street.
car and bus service.
These were Chairman Payne
Republican, of Maine, and Sena-
tor Morse. independent. of Ore
gon. who Scornfully denounced
new proposals for another study
commission.
They demanded prompt re-
ports from the District Commits
Sioners, the Public Utilities Com
mission and the Capital Transit
Co. on a long series of specific
recommendations as to correc-
tive measures.
Answers Due by March 8.
These were contained in the
37-page survey report by Leslie
Williams, Philadelphia traffic
engineer and city planner. made
public yesterday. They deal
with such questions as more
one-way traffic arteries. changes
in the timing of traffic lights,
removal of parking which i'm
pedes traffic. including street.
cars and buses, and the provision
of fringe parking lots.
Specifically, the transit SUBJ
committee set March 8 as a dead
line for the submission of the
answers on the Williams traffic
relief proposal.
Brig. Gen. Louis w. Prentiss
Engineer Commissioner and a
member of the PUG, said Dis
trict officials already were ana
lying the Williams recommen-
dations and would be ready to
confer with Capital Transit Co.
experts next week.
Too Late Says Broadwater.
Robert E. Mclaughlin, utilities
commission chairman, quickly
agreed to the move for joint
efforts for action and so die
j. A. Broadwater. etc president
The latter. asked if March was
too soon, dramatically replied
that as far as he was concerned
Yesterday was too late"
Mr.. Broadwater said that many
OF the suggestions confined ir
the Williams report were the
same that I'VE have been shout
ing from the housetops around
here for four years"
Chairman Payne strongly ad-
vised the Commissioners or the
utilities commission to retain Mr.
Williams or some one having his
qualifications to go to work i'm
mediately to get things done
that will speed mass transpor-
tation.
Mr.. Mclaughlin, making 6
quick check with an aide, sale
he believed the commission coulc
find $1,000 for such purpose.
More Raps New "Study."
Mr.. Williams was paid $4,000
for his 30-day survey of thu
problem.
He had quietly outlined at som,
length his ideas on the transpor.
tation problems when he drew &
blast from Senator Morse fol
proposing the creation of an in.
term Metropolitan transporta.
ton study commission.
AS outlined by Mr.. Williams
such a commission would bt
charged with formulating broac
plans and policies for a co-ordi.
mated transportation system con.
sisting of rapid transit express
highways. bridges, auto parking
and bus terminal facilities"
Senator Morse denounced this
as "a buck-passing proposal" anC
that it would only place more
cost on the taxpayers and cause
absurd further delays" Mr.. Will
liams had voiced his approval Of
the bill of Representative Broy.
hill, Republican, of Virginia, fol-
the creation of a metropolitan
area study commission, except
that he thought that it was not
broad enough to deal with al
factors in the transportation
problem.
Calls for Action.
IT am not interested in the
Broyhill bill or any proposal fol-
another study commission" sale
Senator Morse. 1--WE already have
a wealth of information. What
we need now is action"
Senator Payne picked up the
thought. roundly Endorsed Sen
ator Morse's view and told the
District officials: I'm going to
keep watching this. I am sure
the other committee member:
are too. And unless there is &C.
ton you can expect continual
blasts from me as long as I am
in the Senate"
Gen. Prentiss got into the rec
ord some defense of the District
by reciting that studies already
are underway and specific pro-
jects are awaiting action in some
of the suggested fields. One is
the provision of fringe parking
areas on aforementioned
land where private car owners
might park their cars and take
shuttle buses downtown. Such
steps. he explained, are designed
to lessen traffic congestion down.
town. He mentioned a plan fol
such fringe parking area neal
the Carter Barron amphitheatel
near Sixteenth street and Col.
orado avenue NV, and Gov.
ernment-owned area on thu
Virginia side of the Potomac.
New Parking Bonds Weighed.
Likewise, he said considera'
ton is being given to proposals
for banning parking on F, G anc
Seventh streets in the centra
area.
49, ra~~,.A:z. ..~:-s IL,