Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-23
u. ). Considers
Plan 10 Stagger
More Job Hours

VlUIc JUU 1OuIS
Agencies Joining
District Drive to
Speed Up Traffic
BY George Beveridee
The Federal Government Ia
participating actively in studies
that may lead to a further stag
gering Of working hours to help
ease downtown congestion here,
it was learned today.
A final decision is expected to
follow completion of studies,
Extensive Study Under Way TO Relieve
Rush Hour Congestion. Page AS
Motorized Police Teom Busy CUTTING
Down Porkins Violations. Poee AS
New Fringe Porkins Lot PIon Hinges on
South CopitoI Street Test. Pose AS
which have been under way by
District and Federal Budget Bu-
reau officials since June.
While some data on rush-hour
traffic volumes already are in
hand-mainly for Federal en-
ployes-extensive studies still are
to be made, including the driving
habits of employees for private
firms downtown. said Brig. Gen.
Louis w. Prentiss, Engineer Com
missioner.
Traffic Director George E.
Keneipp said the study, which
will be months more in the
making, couldn't have got to
first base" without figures COM
piled by the Budget Bureau on
volume Of Federal employees and
the times they report to work.
One Phase of Speedup.
The possibility of staggering
working hours is only one Of a
number of speeded-up programs
either underway or planned by
the city to attack the related
problems of downtown parking
and street congestion.
Points in the program:
/. A strong enforcement drive
on all downtown streets with
parking meters by a special new
eight-man squad, which last
month passed out 1886 overtime
parking tickets in the central
area.
2. An active program to ex-
pand fringe parking lots to de-
crease the number of cars COM
ing into the city from all the
suburbs.
Partial End of Parking.
8. Removal of existing curb
parking downtown even by
parking meters-when it slows
up or stops moving traffic.
4. Increase of curb parking
time limits from one to two
hours. starting next week, in the
periphery of the central business
district. One-hour limits will
remain in the core of the city.
but the two-hour times will be
allowed in areas generally north
of K street and west of the White
House.
3 5. Continuing steps to elimi-
nate double parking in the shop
ping district, mainly by urging
truckers to load and unload dur
ing non-rush hours.
6. Appeals for joint action by
private parking lot operators
and downtown merchants to ad-
vertise the availability of off,
street parking spaces in the
shopping area.
Z. Continued announcement
for more off-street parking ia
cilities by private operators, with
the firm assurance to them that
the city will not threaten their
investments with white ele-
plant" municipal lots.
Two Main ideas.
Basically these steps, as out
lined by Gen. Prentiss, add up
to two main ideas.
One is that all-day downtown
parking-except in off street IA
cilities-will not be permitted.
The other is that as many mo-
florists as possible, who now
are clogging downtown streets,
should be attracted to mass tram
sit riding.
THE time has come" Gen.
Prentiss told a Rotary Club
luncheon yesterday. when the
person coming into work who
has no use for his car for eight
hours must leave it outside on
a fringe lot or else be willing
to pay for an off street space"
But the real need, Gen. Prem
tiss made clear. goes to "a basic
change in our driving habits"
Comparing today's picture with
habits a quarter of a Gentry ago,
(See PARKING, Page A-6)