City Council to Study New Parking Proposal

City officials yesterday expressed their eagerness to study the University's proposal for jointly financed parking facilities in the Harvard Square area.

"We are always willing to listen to anything the University proposes," City Manager John J. Curry '19 commented, "and will examine President Pusey's suggestion. We are awaiting more concrete details before we make any decision."

Pusey's letter to Curry, suggesting that the University and the City share expenses in providing public parking facilities, expressed the University's willingness to explore "all ideas which seem to have a constructive end."

The letter did not surprise Curry. "I've been working with colleges so long that I'm never surprised at anything," he said.

"The Council is well aware that Cambridge's traffic problems are among the worst in the world, although they are improving," the City Manager continued.

Curry said that it is far too early to estimate what the daily parking rates would be. "It depends on the location," he said. "Owners of a garage near the Square may find that they can charge 50 cents an hour, while garages in other parts of Cambridge charge 35 cents."

It is also too early to guess where the parking area will be, Curry said, and added that "we have no idea whether or not a private group would build it."

Town-Gown Cooperation

Councilor Mrs. Pearl Wise noted that "the fact that the University is willing to back up their proposal with money is indicative of true cooperation and is something not just to be explored, but to be achieved."

"Anything that the City and the University can do together constitutes a forward step," she added. "In order to insure further municipal growth, we must alleviate Cambridge's traffic problem."

"Even more important than the traffic problem, though, is the fact that the University and City would cooperate if this plan were accepted. I am quite pleased that they are going to work hand in hand," Mrs. Wise concluded.