Mr. KILPATRICK. Understanding-we hope it will amount to about that not that everyone who is unemployed will become employed. Also, there are people who are under employed in the area. We would hope that these people often take menial jobs in the area would be riding subways to better jobs. Mr. GUDE. I was just wondering what effect this line would have on the 14 percent would have in the increase of 15 percent. As another criticism that you have of the proposed change, you said you could have these lines parallel to avoid this headway problem. If you started with two lines out on Columbia Road-you would have one going and one coming. The same on Connecticut. Then when they merge, you would have four lines, wouldn't you? Mr. KILPATRICK. As I understand Mr. McCarter's description of the lines-perhaps we need Exhibit B. He proposes that Columbia Heights and the Connecticut Avenue lines come together. He is also saying that causes a headway split. He also said there would be an additional split and, therefore, a doubling of the time factor then when these lines come together here. We are suggesting that that split can be avoided and, therefore, you reduce in half the leadway all the way through by doubling your line through here. Mr. GUDE. To me, and I don't know. We would have to have expert guidance on this very technical problem. Would you end up with two sets of three lines downtown in order to do this? Mr. KILPATRICK. No, the Columbia—this line would come together here. It would come in here as a single line. They would join-they would run parallel with the line coming from Northern Virginia and simply run across and then split out here. Their trains would be on separate tracks and, therefore, would not cause the kind of headway delay Mr. McCarter says is an exceedingly unfortunate thing to have. Mr. GUDE. If you are going to have a 2-minute wait on the Columbia Heights line, it seems to me you got to have it. Mr. KILPATRICK. We agree to this. But 4 minutes is such an improvement over what is out there now or what one would expect comes from D. C. Transit as not to be a significant objection. Mr. NELSEN. Mr. Chairman, would the witness describe her organization? What is its reason for being? Who is it composed of? Mrs. WEBSTER. CHANGE represents the citizens-CHANGE, Inc., is an agency of the UPO, the community of the District of Columbia. It is the first citizens group that has become self-governing within the anti-poverty program. It represents approximately 55,000 person from Harvard Street to Spring Road, Rock Creek Park to Soldiers Home. Mr. NELSEN. I would want to make a comment relative to the statement of Mr. Kilpatrick, that for many, many years attempts were made to get some kind of a modern transportation system for the District of Columbia. The feeling was that our Nation's Capital should have the best schools, the best transportation system, and should be a model city for the rest of the Nation. Intense efforts were made to find the man who we thought was best qualified to structure a modern transit system for our Federal City, a man who by his performances established the fact that he knew his business well. The results of that intense search brought us Mr. McCarter. He has performed excellently as administrator of the N.C.T.A. I think that he has done more than anyone to sell the merits of a good transit system for the District of Columbia. There are bound to be differences of opinion. But I hope we don't get into personal criticism because it wasn't easy to sell this system to the Congress. And I hope that we don't get so divided that we delay action on a modern transportation system. Certainly, the time will come when there will be additions to the basic system; but lets get started on building the basic system before we lose any more time quibbling. Mrs. WEBSTER. I agree with you, sir. This is not our desire. It is our desire, however, to take into consideration the kind of social revolutions that we are presently having. It would have been far better to have Mr. McCarter come here prior to the Congress approving a line that would have served a certain segment of the population. I think it is most unfortunate that Mr. McCarter with his experience and expertise did not come first to the Congress accepting the plans as submitted by the National Capital Transportation Agency and then have Mr. McCarter come who saw certain weaknesses in it and made certain recommendations. We submit that it is more important to consider the citizens themselves and those that would have to use the transportation than it is solely to be so objective that we are considering money when you cannot sustain the fact that the amount of money that we are spending is justified as opposed to the amount of money that has been approved by the Congress. Mr. NELSEN. Thank you. Mr. WHITENER. The subcommittee will now adjourn. Before doing so I want to express my appreciation to Mr. McCarter for the services he is rendering and say that I agree with Mr. Nelsen we are very fortunate to have him here. I have had some connection in transportation for several years and I find everybody is an expert in that field whether it is in my town or anywhere I have been. They all can schedule our bus routes in my little town better than the folks who run the bus company. I suppose it is somewhat like being sheriff, everybody seems to be qualified for that office. But I do thank Mr. McCarter. I am sorry that the Congress and others have made it so that this agency will not be able to complete the building of the transit system for Washington. There is no need crying over spilt milk. I think a great mistake has been made in not permitting that agency to complete its job, but whatever has happened, I think we are all dedicated to the idea of a good transportation system. Mr. NELSEN. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I think we should welcome Mr. Jackson Graham, the new general manager who is with us this morning. His qualifications are very impressive. I had a very fine visit with him and Mr. McCarter in my office. We wish him well in his new responsibilities. He has a gigantic task ahead. Mr. WHITENER. We are delighted to have you, Mr. Graham, and hope you won't have as much trouble getting money for the subway system as some of us think we might in dealing with certain interested parties. We will now adjourn. (Whereupon, at 11:55 a.m., the Committee adjourned.) |