The sun., 1916-11-27
PLAN
OF ROTARY TRAFFIC
Will Insure End Of Street
Blockades, Says Eno's
.CO-wOrker.
SCORES WORK OF POLICE
Admits Failure Of Test, but
Lays Blame to Block
System.

The application OF the rotary traffic
system on Fifth avenue will save Man
from its mcnacii : crisis. The
centre artery Of the town caa receive
the system with n greater measure or
safety to its vehicles and pedestrians
than that insured under the present
block system. These arc the views OF
Samuel Walter Taylor. editor Of Rider
and Drircr. who put the rotary scheme
into successful operation In Detroit.
He concurs completely In tho views
expressed In THE Sun yesterday morn
ing by William Phelps Emo. "the father
OF street trafic regulation" Mr.. Tay-
lor might be described as trafic's god
father: 1t was he who sixteen years
ago first gave publicity to Mr.. Eno's
views on regulation. Together they have
worked in all improvement plans since
then.
Mr.. Taylor Is confident Of the feasibil-
ity OF the rotary system at Forty-second
street. Thirty-fourth street and other
important intersections on Fifth avenue.
The diameter Of the circle that could
be described at these places is sufficient
for operation. he says. In Detroit. where
the traffic circle was marked Mt the
convergence Of i've streets, the diameter
was only sixty feet. The place selected
for the trial last February was one Of
Detroit's most congested points. Five
policemen were necessary TO keep traffic
moving under the old block system.
Works without Policemen.
Since the trial the rotary system has
been adopted and its operation now Is
automatic. The Ave policemen have
been detailed to other posts: only one
Is required to give the point casual at
tention. In the reports made by the
Detroit police there has been a reduction
Of accidents and an Increase In the
normal pace OF vehicles.
Because Of this practical demonstra-
ton Mr.. Taylor believes as fervently as
Mr.. Emo in the rotary system proving
M~anhattan's solution. He has urged II
repeatedly. As secretary of the Mayor
Central Committee on Street Trafic ant
Safety he was responsible 10 n great
extent for its trial at Fifty-seventi
street and Fifth avenue.
This trial was reported as unsucccss.
full by Police Commissioned Woods, bu'
Taylor believes this supposed failure wa,
due to the operation of the block system
at points that fed to the spot selected FOL
the trial.
iut III bcUdI tIleIlt SteTnS uITe
ceptive to dea advanced outside II.
said Mr.. Taylor. "As a matter OF fac
1t gives too little attention to traffic. TIL
subject Is important enough to take u,
all the time Of one deputy-and he SHOULD
he an expert in this line. Look at tn,
frequency of the accidents we have row..
sees Police Inemciency.
"Suppose the same number OF live
were lost through burglary or through
other crimes. There would be "A lou,
ou,cry from all our citizens. But hardl,
any thought is given to our street deaths
Neglect OF the traffic II just as much
demonstration OF police ineff!ciency as |
we neglected the protection of our home
against marauders.
= Another thing, there is a question nov
and again as to the police powers in tn
matter OF traffic. They should be wild
and sweeping they should not be define
for him by ordinance. To my mind tn
Police Commissioner can exercise arb
traffic.
In the charter he Is given arbitrar
power In extraordinary emergencies. |
the traffic situation In Manhattan to-da
does not represent an eXtraordinar
I do not know what does. T
my mind It IL as serious rs flood. fire Q
famine"
Mr.. Taylor believes that THE ST
should arouse enough public sentimeI
to demand a fair tryout OF the rotar
plan for several days on all OF FIJI,
avenue. lie and Mr., Emo In their col
hdence In the plan have the backing
the Fifth Avenue Association and Il
Automobile clu OF America. TT
rights OF the pedestrians will he as car
fully conserved by the rotary plan
by the block system. they assert.
Detroit was sccptical on this poir