Evening star., 1959-11-15
Regional Authority Held
Essential by Senator Bible

AOl CAPA Coo buo dlAu L dAl AaRAQ
transit lines. A small increase
In the fare, as pointed out by
the American Automobile Asso-
citation. or a higher volume Of
riding, could reduce or elm
mate any deficit"
The planning chief noted
that the main opposition to
the big $2.5 billion transit
freeway plan came from the
d. c. Transit System.
"We can readily understand
their concern" he said. Gin
view Of the monopolistic ma
ture of their present franchise.
We do not believe that it was
the intention Of Congress by
this franchise. however, to pre-
clude the study of future trans
portation needs.
I'VE cannot wait until total
congestion overwhelms us be-
fore We do something about it,"
Public Finances Needed
Mr.. Bartholomew said his
group would prefer to see pri-
vate enterprise undertake the
massive rapid transit job but
the "fact is that no subways
have ever been financed exclu-
sively by private funds" He
noted that D. c. Transit Presi-
dent o. Roy Chalk. in his bid
for a monorail system, made
reference to certain public
aids" in carrying out the ven-
ture.
Mr.. Bartholomew supported
proposals to expand railroad
facilities for local use. But he
defended the planners esti-
mates of the manner in which
the area will expand during the
next two decades, and said it
was impractical to base a tran
sit plan on the possibility that
satellite cities" might be set
up some time in the future.
However. another witness,
Deputy Housing Administrator
Henry o. Tale. said it might
well be possible to develop both
major employment and resi-
Dental centers" in the suburbs,
thereby cutting down inter-
regional transportation.
Mr.. Tale, a former member
of the House District Commit
tee, said the Federal Housing
and Home Finance Agency was
concerned that the Transpor-
tation Surveys approach
might result in a perpetuation
of many of the evils of subur-
ban sprawl at the outskirts and
congestion at the center"
"TheSe are often the forerun-
nerS of the conditions of blight
that this nation is now spend
ing such large sums to correct"
he added.
AS a part of the further study |
that will be made, he said. some
consideration might be given
to the desirability of offering
somewhat lower levels of
Transportation service"
He strongly supported the
White House recommendation
that legislation be drawn to
form a Federal corporation to
finance the detailed planning
and construction of the express
transit facilities"
Others Testify
Among other final witnesses
yesterday and their positions
briefly we're:
Herbert L. Brown, Arlington |
Board of Supervisors-FavorS
formation of a Federal agency
to explore development of a
rapid transit-expreSS bus Sys-
tenn, but reserves Judgment on
the specific physical and finan-
cial elements proposed.
Three spokeSmen for the
Citizens Transit Improvement
Association-Existing bus and
streetcar lines should be in
corporated fully in any new
transit system, with emphasis
on improvement of the existing
facilities.
Waldo L. Schmitt, retired Ma
tional Museum zoologist Il
Washington should develop an
area transit system using exist
ing railroads, tied together with
a single underground subway
line through the central part of
the city.
G. M. Koockogey, Committee |
to Keep the Streetcars-An i'm
mediate start should be made
on rail transit construction, but
the SO miles proposed is not
enough. At least three addition
al rail lines are needed. one
from Cabin John and two from
Prince Georges County.
Irving Schlaifer-More con-
sideration should be given the
taxi industry in transportation
planning, including establish
ment of a new uniform circular
zone system"