Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-01
3 Rail Lines
Sought in Area
Transit Setup
$7o3 Million Plan
Sent to Kennedy
Asks Rood Cuts
BY LEE FLOR
Star Staff Writer

A report recommending a
$793 million, eight line rail
rapid transit system for Wash
ington area residents was
handed to President Kennedy
today.
The report recommends a cut
of 1888 million in the proposals
made in 1859 for a regional
highway program, leaving the
future highway construction
program at 1926 million. The
1859 transportation plan rec
commended construction of free
ways costing So billion, and
$1.4 billion of these are still
open to debate, alteration or
cutback, the report said.
If the recommendations are
accepted, Washington area res
idents will have a rapid transit
system by 1878 that will be
greatly superior to any existing
system in North America" the
report states.
Other Projects Opposed
The report said the contro-
versial Three Sisters Island
Bridge would not be needed,
and also recommended against
several key Inner Loop high
way projects. 1t said the north
and east legs should be elm
mated. The center leg free
way, along Third street NV.
in the downtown area, should
be extended, curved to the east
along New York avenue to-
Ninth street NE, and then ex-
tended to the Capital Beltway
along the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad.
The report recommended
against building a freeway
along the wisconsin avenue
corridor" but did recommend
improving a road from Be-
thesda down to the road net
work along the Potomac River.
The recommended eight rail
lines would be SO miles long,
with 65 stations for passengers.
The IA stations in the down.
town area are to be located so
that 80 per cent of all down.
town employees will be within
5 minutes walking distance
from transit service.
The report said that trips to
work will be from % to SO per
cent faster for travellers switch
ing from ears to rapid transit.
For riders switching from buses,
the trip will be from % to A
per cent faster.
Lower Than Bus Fares
The complete system will be |
cheaper for suburban resi-
dents, compared to present bus
rates, the report said.
For example, the Rockville |
resident now pays 83 cents to
ride by bus to the District. |
With the rapid transit system |
he would pay SIS cents. For al
most all long trips by the rail
system, fares would be lower
than they are today, the report |
said.
1t also said that the complete |
cost of the $793 million pro-
gram would be repaid from pas
senger fares. if the agency's fl
nancing recommendations are
accepted by Congress and local |
governments in the Washing
ton area.
The transportation agency is
recommending a transportation
plan that is almost the reverse
of one recommended in 1859.
Instead of four rail lines, the
la test proposal recommends
eight lines. The 1859 plan pro-
posed eight express buslines,
and today's report recommends
four.
Fewer DisplacementS
The Meta recommendations
call for displacement of 5,400
residents, compared to $4,000
who would be displaced by the
1859 plan, the report said.
The yearly tax loss, under the
Meta recommendations, would
be 100000, compared to $1.9
million.
Annual operating costs would
be $2.5 million under the Meta,
versus $5.1 million in the earlier
plans.
All these estimates by the
transportation agency are
highly controversial and are ex-
See TRANSIT, Page Az,
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