Evening star., 1960-07-02
Transit Agency Bill
Goes to President
Congress Puts
Approval on
Final Version
By JAMES G.. DEANE
Star stan Writer

BY JAMES G. DEANE
Star stan Writer
Creation of an agency to
blueprint a District-area rapid
transit system now awaits only
a presidential signature.
Congress yesterday approved
and sent to the White House
legislation setting up a Ma
tional Capital Transportation
Agency with a mandate to
draw engineering plans for
new rail commuter facilities to
tie downtown Washington in
with the rapidly growing sub
urbs.
Backers of the legislation
predicted presidential approval,
despite Budget Bureau mis-
givingS over curbs voted on
powers of the new agency.
Funds will not be available
until further congressional ac-
ton next month. But White
House aides who will oversee
the new agency are expected
to start recruiting an admins
traitor and other staff as soon
as the legislation becomes law.
No Objections
No objections were raised to
final approval of the transit
measure, which Senator Bible,
Democrat of Nevada, called of
great Importance to the Wash
ington Metropolitan Area. The
Nevadan. chairman of the Sen
ate District Committee, also
headed a joint Senate House
committee which conducted
lengthy hearings leading to the
rapid transit plan.
Senator Francis Case, Re
publican of South Dakota, a
District Committee member,
voiced regret over a 5-year
freeze on freeway building in
the so-called Wisconsin avenue
corridor of Northwest Wash
ington.
The South Dakotan, ranking
member of the Public Works
Committee, which oversees the
Federal highway program, said
he hoped the freeze would not
forecloSe any District freeway
in the corridor if one should
be recommended by road Off
cialS.
Restudy in Oning
District and Maryland high
way officials, who are about to
restudy a new Route 240, or
Interstate 70-S, are on record
in favor of a more easterly
route.
Senator Case also said he
hoped the new agency would
give special attention to dis
puted plans for a Glover
Archbold parkway If legal bar
rierS are eventually removed.
The parkland highway project
is currently barred by a court
injunction.
| Senator Case called the final
bill a reasonable compromise"
however.
The 5-year freeze substituted
for a 2-year highway ban
voted originally by the Senate
and a broader one favored by
the House. House members
originally voted to bar any
Wisconsin avenue freeways un-
til new rail facilities had a fair
trial on the argument that this
point saved many millions in
unneeded highway construc-
tion.
The Senate gave way to
House conferees with respect
to another provision requiring
both legislative and appropria-
tionS approval of future tran
sit projects. The Senate earlier
had backed a Budget Bureau
proposal to omit legislature
clearance prior to appropria-
tionS for transit construction.
Disadvantages Outweighted
Budget Bureau staff mem
bers who drafted the original
transit legislation were unen-
thusiaStic about the final re-
vision. But William E. Finley,
National Capital Planning
ission director and
another backer of a strong
agency. said the Importance
of creating the agency out
weighted shortcomings. He
said he could not conceive of
a presidential veto.
The new agency will be
charged with developing ma
terial proposals for subway and
surface rail lines, including
one connecting downtown
work centers with Union Sta
tion, as we'll as new railroad
commuter service and CO.
ordinated mass transportation
using new and existing streets
and highways.