Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-07-16
Trunsit Hearing
Told of Moves
To Enlist Help
BY LEE FLOR
Star Staff Writer

ministrator of Meta, said that
transit and bus officials did not
cooperate with his consultants.
He testified at a hearing on
transit legislation.
Mr.. Stolzenbach also said
that the highway departments
Of the area have been involved
very deeply" in the transit
protest which led to contro-
versial recommendations for
highway cutbacks.
His testimony seemed to be
in direct contradiction to testi-
mony by highway officials in
other hearings and with official
reports turned into President
Kennedy by, both the District
Commissioner and the De-
partrhent Of Commerce.
Qaizzed IntensiveIy
I'VE had a joint fcrecasting
process with the District and
the Bureau of Public Roads
many Of the assumptions that
went into the forecast were
made by the highway people"
Mr.. Stolzenbach said.
The reports by the Commits
sioners and Commerce Depart
ment both complained that a
Joint forecasting process was
not used and that the Trans
portation Agency made its own
assumptions and concealed
them from rival agencies.
Mr.. Stolzenbach was inten-
sively questioned today before
a subcommittee o: the House
District Committee.
Representative Harsha, Re-
publican of Ohio, once more
questioned Mr.. Stolzenbach
about his activities in 1860 with
the Interfederation Council.
which represents about 500
civic associations in the WASH
ington Metropolitan Area.
Mr.. Stolzenbach admitted
that he mad a hand in contro-
versial recommendations by
the Interfederation Council
calling for a cutback In high
ways, pending mass transit
development.
Mr.. Harsha. who is a mem
Der OF the House Public Works
Committee. introduced into the
record testimony from hear
ingS before that committees
subcommittee on roads where
witnesses complained about
the Transportation Agency's
conduct.
Delmer ISon, the staff d.
rector Of the Washington Met
ropolitan Area Transit Com
mission, had complained in the
roads hearing that he had not
been asked to cooperate with
the transportation Agency.
and had not been shown the
official recommendations in
order to make his evaluation.
Mr.. Ison said that he had
opened his files to Meta, and
that his aid to them was a
"one-way street."
Aid Asked
Mr.. Stolzenbach told Mr..
Harsha that he had made an
official request for co-ordina-
ton to Mr.. Ison several
months before he made his Of
fetal recommendations to
President Kennedy last fall.
A Transportation Agency
conSultant also went to Mr.
1son's commission, Mr.. Stolzen-
bach said. Our consultanC
asked for cooperation - he
didn't get anywhere" Mr..
Stolzenbach said.
Correspondence between the
two agencies would show that
additional requests for aid
and cooperation had been
made, he said, and he mem
toned a specific letter.
Mr.. Harsha replied that he
had copies Of all the corre-
spondence between the Transit
Commission and the Transpor-
tation Agency. and that Mr..
Stolzenbach's letter was not
in this correspondence.
Mr.. Harsha also quizzed Mr..
Stolzenbach about research on
bus systems, as alternatives to
the more costly rail proposals.
To Show Studies
Mr.. stolzenbach replied that
he had done a great deal Of
research on buses very early"
In his planning process and
added that these studies will
be made available later today.
Both the District Commits
sioners and the Commerce De-
partment complained in their
presidential reports that Mr..
Stolzenbach was withholding
information on his bus studies
and added that. therefore. they
could not make a comprehen-
sive review Of transit pro-
posals.
Officials who tried 10 review
the Transportation Agency's
proposals had complained that
the bus studies were to have
been turned in at least nine
months ago. The controversial
bus studies have never been
displayed TO the District and
Commerce officials who were
given official responsibility for
reviewing them, these officials
said.
The hearings are on legisla-
ton for construction Of a o.
mile rapid transit system and
express buses. estimated TO
cost between s793 million and
1857 million.