Evening star., 1954-08-15
Porkinq
CONTINUED From First Page,


intendent of the National Capital
Parks, to resurvey the spaces in
the park areas and to reduce
them.
AS we provide spaces In the
fringe areas, we'll start knocking
them off downtown, although
not necessarily on a car-for-car
basis.
Mr.. Keneipp said he thought
most Of the affected spaces
would be in the Mall. OF fringe
parking, he said, IF successful,
it will have tremendously bene-
fetal effect on the downtown
area"
And, he added, "Of course,
fringe parking won't work If you
have free curb space downtown. /"
That the transit firm would go
along with the plan to the extent
OF charging nothing to ferry car
parkerS-even on a trial basis
came as a surprise to many. The
reaction of one high traffic off,
ctal was typical: Its sort OF
unusual"
Actually, the transit company
was going all-out to respect its
pledge to cooperate in the fringe
parking program. The pledge
was one Of 10 agreements reached
in the recent memo of under
standing" between the company
and the District Public Utilities
| Commission.
| Transit President j. A, B.
Broadwater, in a formal petition
mailed to the utilities commits
sion yesterday. ended his request
with the observation:
1--WE look forward to it's sue
cess (fringe parking) and to the
satisfaction derived from par
ticipating in a community ef-
| fort"
Final agreement on Capital
Transit's role in the project was
reached in a conference last
Friday in Gen. Prentiss' office.
officials of the company, the
utilities commission and the
District Motor Vehicle Parking
Agency attended.
The Engineer Commissioner
In his radio broadcast last night
expressed gratitude to all con-
cerned in the project. He also
said. in effect, that the month
long. coSt-free offering to the
prospective fringe parker should
provide the acid test OF whether
area motorists really want such
facilities.
This Gen. tPrentiss said,
Should establish once and for
all If the Washington public is
going to cooperate with us in
an effort to rid the downtown
area of traffic, congestion"
To make the rush-hour serv-
ice as enticing as possible to
the fringe lot user, transit will
run its special buses at from
eight to 1O-minute intervals be-
tween z and $3.50 am. inbound to
downtown, and from Alb to 5:53
pm. outbound-a total of IL
each way.
This service will be aug
mented by the already existing
express bus service on Route
A-9 between Tenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue NV, and
a loop near South Capitol street
and the District line. This line
operates at five-minute intervals
between z and 8:45 am. and
4:30 and Sis pm, and at half
hour intervals between 9:15 and
1915 am. and between 3:20 and
4::20 pm.
viii Use Two-part Ticket.
Fringe parkers using either
the special or the regular A-9
buses will be issued tWo-part
tickets at the parking lot. Part
of the ticket would be detached
by the inbound bus driver, who
would issue transfers, if re-
quested, at no charge.
Passengers bound for the park
ing lot in the afternoon would
surrender the second part of the
special ticket. This would be good
on any Capital Transit line, but
only in the downtown area
bounded by K street NV,
Twenty-third street NV. First
street NV. and S.W. and d
street S. w. In these confines,
transfers to the fringe-parking
lot routes would be issued free Of
charge.
In all, Capital Transit will
make 40 trips inbound daily and
Al outbound. including the pres
emily existing A-9 line.
On an emergency basis only,
it was understood that a compel
itor of Capital Transit. the
| w. M. and A. busline, will be
asked to make outbound stop
offs at the fringe lot. Users of
| this service would have to pay
going w M and A. fares. how
ever. These buses, moreover,
run only at one-hour intervals
during non-rush periods Of the
day
Test Due for Other Areas.
Gen. Prentiss said that If the
first fringe-parking experiment
is a success. other areas bor-
dering on South Capitol street
can be developed to provide a
total of 1000 parking spaces. BY
reducing traffic over South Cap
itol Street Bridge by $500 cars
during each daily rush hour. the
bridge capacity in effect would
be increased by two traffic lanes
above the present four, the Conn
missioner said.
During the 3e-day trial period,
both company and city officials
will keep close check on opera
tiOnal costs of the special line to