Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-09
Transit Mess

nA1A4 w WILLS NtAAouO
H. H. Goodman for his
interesting letter on February
81. under the caption, keep
the Trolleys," and also the
Capital Transit Co. for their
enlightening statement con-
corning the bunk about street.
car conversion.
1t is the consensus of several
consulting engineers who hail
from other cities and several
District Commissioners that
the solution to the Washington
transportation problem is COM
plete and hasty conversion to
buses. I suggest that the Dis
trict Commissioners and the
Public Utilities Commission
ers read DR.. L. B. Hitchcock's
timely article entitled, will
Smog Strange Your City"
which appeared in This Week
magazine January %, 1856. I
wonder if the individuals who
are urging an "all-bus transit
operation" and who appear to
be wholly concerned with profit
and loss, have given any seri-
GUS thought to the inevitable
result-a marked increase in
city air pollution from the ex-
haust pipes Of, say 900 or more
additional buses in the Wash
ington Metropolitan Area. I
think it is about time civic
minded citizens speak up in
defense of trolleys or some
other type Of electrically
operated rapid transit. The
rapidly increasing number OF
motor vehicles driven in Wash
ington already produces con-
siderable air-pollution problem
during periods of high humi-
dity and minimum natural air
circulation. During the sum-
mer months, this city is espe-
cially susceptible to air pollu-
ton because of the high hu-
Nudity and poor natural venti-
lation except for relatively
short periods of good natural
ventilation and high pressure
conditions.
The cities cited, where COM
plete conversion to buses has
repeatedly been successful.
such as Minneapolis, Cleveland
and Detroit, are all better VEN
tilated cities than Washington.
am concerned with the pos
sibility that a conversion OF
our transit system to an "all-
bus operation" without due
consideration Of the ill effects
OF additional air pollution on
the health of our local citizens.
might lead to situation which
might cost the taxpayers in
the near future a considerable
amount of money to curtail
an air-pollution problem. I
doubt very much if buses would
afford more rapid transport
than trolleys, unless we start
building several throughways
in this city.
Plans proposed by private
transit companies other than
Capital Transit call for acqui-
sition Of diesel buses, which
are notorious for their ability
to pollute the air. If this is
the type of equipment offered
by private transit companies
in other cities, I am in favor
of maintaining the present
transportation system until
some type Of rail rapid transit
could be accomplished through
Federal aid.
trust that the individuals
who will make the final de-
cision concerning a new transit
system will act in the best
interest of the Nations Cap
ital and consider the posi-
bility that this city could con-
ceivably cross the "smog
threshold" in a few years dur
ing periods of poor natural
ventilation and low pressure
atmospheric conditions. Let us
not awaken in the near future
to learn how miserable smog
can be and how costly it
would be to curtail. 1 am
afraid that no positive action
concerning the increase in air
pollution in this area will be
taken until the situation be-
comes worse. as was the case
in Los Angeles. In conclusion,
may I suggest that several
well-planned monorail rapid
transit routes be given serious
consideration.