Evening star., 1960-03-08
Area Transit Draft
Clears New Hurdle
Senator Bible
Gives Proposal
Preliminary OK
BY GRACE BASSETT
Star STAFF Writer

Budget Bureau officials yes
terday cleared with Chairman
Bible of the Senate District
Committee their draft of a bill
to organize a Metropolitan
w a S hin gton transportation
system.
Senator Bible, Democrat Of
Nevada, also heads the congress
sional Joint Committee on
w a hington Metropolitan
Problems, to which the draft
probably will be sent this week.
Upon its arrival in Congress,
the draft will have been
checked and double-checked by
more civic leaders and busi-
nessmen than any single local
proposal submitted by the ad-
ministration in years. And
rightly so. its Budget Bureau
authors believe.
The proposal represents a
pioneering effort of the Federal
Government to help a key ur-
ban area solve its transporta.
ton problems.
2 Ideas Studied
Two major ideas of members
Of Congress have been under
study at the bureau for three
weeks. Attempts have been
made to work both into either
the language or the intent Of
the draft.
One idea, primarily Senator
Bibles, was creation of a "de.
velopment agency" to concen-
trate on co-ordinating private
and public plans for moving
people and goods faster within
the metropolitan area. Federal
grants necessary to do the Job
would be authorized. This idea
has been written into the draft.
The other, primarily the idea
of Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican of Virginia, was to
guarantee that the agency
would not run private COM
panieS out of business. Ian.
guage to accomplish this aim
will be urged by two Virginia
companies. Washington Vir-
ginia- Maryland Coach Co. and
AB&W Transit Co. Repre-
sentatives of these firms have
met with Budget Bureau au-
thors.
The firms want tax subsidies
for private express bus serv-
ices needed by the public but
improbable for the companies,
This is an alternative to scrap
ping present private operations,
which private owners fear will
develop under a federally
financed agency.
Economy Cited
Their idea would be to accept
master plans of the agency for
bus routes, for instance, if pri-
vate rather than public buses
would make the express runs.
They feel that system would
cost the Federal Government
less than would condemnation
of private equipment and op->
Grafton by a public agency.
Budget Bureau officials are
understood to feel these ar
rangements could be worked
out in the agency's dealings
with private companies. But ,
there is sentiment for includ-
ing the plan in broad outline
in the bill. Both Senator Bible
and Mr.. Broyhill said they
were pleased with the progress
of Budget Bureau officials.
II want to study the draft
after it arrives before deciding
whether I will introduce it as
submitted" Senator Bible said.
But I feel Budget Bureau ex-
ecutives should be compliment
ed on their efforts to combine
area sentiment in their pro-
posal."
Mr.. Broyhill said a lot Of
time and money" had been
spent on studies preliminary to
drafting the legislation.
so something must be done
to improve transportation" he
added. BUS companies recog-
nlze improvements in service
are needed. I am interested in
finding the middle way between
all public and all private op-
erations to give the Metropol-
itan population the service it
desperately needs"