Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-20
METRO City tomorrow
Congestion Forces New Transit Approach

OF all the problems created by WASH
ington's metropolitan growth. transportation
is the most frustrating and controversial.
1t also is classic example of what we
define here as metro" problem--one so
affecting the whole metropolitan commu-
nifty, city and suburbs alike that 1t can be
solved only by united action.
Every one of the 100000 motorists who
daily fights his way into the city from
nearby Maryland and virginia-and out
again--is transportation expert. Each has
his own idea about what is wrong. and his
own prescription for the cure.
Some say this Is so clearly the age Of
the automobile that the only practical
course is to build fast, eficient expressways.
Others say you never can solve traffic con-
gestion by pouring more and more cars
into a city, that all you will do Is ruin the
city. The need, they argue, Is for some new
system of public transit, attractive enough
to persuade commuters to leave their cars
at home. Still others say we must de-
centralize-get some Of the big agencies out
Of the central city.
This discussion has been going on for
years-accompanied by steady declines in
transit riding and ever-increasing use Of
automobiles. The 400,000-plus motorists
who now cross the District line twice day
from the suburbs are double the number
who made the same trips. Just 10 years ago.
The strange thing about this ire
mendous mass of cars is that ID moves Is
well as 1t does, although only handful Of
new highway lanes have been built during
the last 10 years.
The traffic still moves mainly because
there has been huge reserve Of space on
the "horse-and-buggy era" streets Of WASH
ington and its suburbs. But this reserve II
almost gone during the morning and evening
rush hours. Those who are planning the
Washington metros future point out that
you can only pour so much water into q
bucket. In the next few years. this areas
traffic bucket win overflow.
Traffic experts note that during 1855.
residents of the Washington metro made
about 80 million separate trips. BY
1880, they warn. the increased population
will want to make 8 million trips year.
How can all these trips be handled?
Highway officials all over the region pin
their hopes on the huge new freeways they
plan to build as part of the Federal high.
way program voted by Congress two years
ago.
How much Of the job win these free
ways really do? VIII each new expressway
attract so many cars 1t will be damned the
day it opens? Can enough money be spent
on highways to meet the future demands?
Or must the highways be accompanied by
some radical new form Of mass transit?
Next June, for the first time, the people
who live in metro Washington's individual
Jurisdictions will have scientific basis for
considering these questions. 1t viii come
from two-year, 100000 regional trans
portation study. conducted by the National
Capital Regional Planning Council.
But one fact can be stated now, even
before the study is completed: The future
trafi1c load viii be so great that tremendous
new investments must be spread over the
entire metro area. And it is also clear now
that to accomplish this. the Washington
metros independent jurisdictions must join
together in regional planning and action
programs on a scale never attempted-or
required-before. Some machinery for such
regional cooperation already exists, but 1t
falls far short Of the need
Only part of this regional approach
must deal directly with the task of moving
people from home to jobs and back. The
other part must deal with the impact the
spreading transportation networks will have
on the future development of the whole
metro community. Examples Of both the
opportunities and the threats are described
later in this article. First, let's look at what's
wrong with what we have now, and just
what specific proposals are being Offered.