TRENDS IN TRAVEL TO THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT BY RESIDENTS OF THE WASHINGTON, D.C., METROPOLITAN AREA, 1948 AND 1955

THIS PAPER EVALUATES THE CHANGES THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN 1948 AND 1955 IN THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT TO THE METROPOLITAN AREA. MANY OF THE FINDINGS PRESENTED HERE, WHICH ARE BASED ON QUANTITATIVE DATA, CONFIRM THE UNSUPPORTED VIEWS OF PERSONS CONCERNED WITH THE CHANGING URBAN STRUCTURE. ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF TRIPS DESTINED TO THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT INCREASED DURING THE 7-YEAR PERIOD, THE PROPORTION OF TOTAL AREA TRIPS TO THE CENTRAL AREA DECLINED. SUBURBANIZATION, ACCOMPANIED BY DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, HAS HAD A DEFINITE IMPACT UPON THE BUSINESS CENTER OF THE CITY. ALTHOUGH THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT REMAINED A MAJOR TERMINUS FOR RESIDENTS TRIPS, IT WAS LESS SO IN 1955 THAN IN 1948. /AUTHOR/